St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-09-25


noying to the average bondholder. Your
correspondent yesterday visited a number of
treasury officials, in the hope of learning
something about the cause Of the years alb
solute silence at the department in the way
OF a reduction OF the public debt. Nobody
could tell or even give a hint of the object.
THE GENERAL IDEA
seemed to be that probably they desire to
accumulate larger reserve fund in gold.
Finally, as the last resort, Treasurer Jordan
was visited, and the inquiry propounded to
him. He was sitting before little gas
stove in his office, apparently only engaged
iii warming his feet.
''There has been no bond call in the past
year, he said in reply to the inquiry, ''for
prudential reasons
The amount of bonds paid IN former years,
Mr.. treasurer, has been $100 000, 600 or more.
Has the accumulation since the payment of
bonds was stopped a year ago been this
much ?''
mo-" he answered, ST think not. The rev.
enues OF the government have fallen off,
''Ihere has been something of an accumu-
latiOn though has there not?''
Yes, he answered, somewhat crustily
''There has been, as ! said, an accumulation
for prudential reasons -
1.-THE accumulation hasn't hurt any one we
know Of. When it is likely to do so | suppose
there will be a bond cali.''
But the interest on the bonds which might
have been paid has gone on accommodating, has
it not?''
Yes, at the rate of 3 per cent per year. 4"
hat has been the amount of the accu-
mutation, MIR. Treasurer, since the suspension
OF Dond calls and the payment of bonds, say
in the last year, for it is just year since the
last bond call was made?''
turning to his messenger he sent for a
Dook or figures, and running over it, COM
pared the statement of a year ago with that
OF to-day and found that the increase Of sur
plus has been about S70,000,000
sit has been alleged, Mr.. Treasurer that
the object in this accumulation at the expense
OF the public debt is to strengthen the gold
reserve fund. Would you mind telling me
how much Of that $4,000, ,0O9 that has accu-
mulated in the past year is gold?"
81 don't think there is any Of it gold" he
answered, and turning to another page, ran
over the figures.
mo" he said, as he compared the figures
OF to-day with those of a year ago. 1.-THE
amount or gold in the treasury now is about
S4,000OO0 less than it was q year ago.
''Then all of the Gccumulations of the past
year have been in silver, have they?''
''Yes," he answered.
''Then if we continue to assume that bonds
are payable in gold only, the treasury seems
to be no nearer an ability to make q bond
call now than it was a year ago in spite of the
twelve months accommodations
"Well, you can draw your own conclusions. -
he replied
1.-The accumuIations of the year have
been S70,000,000 and the amount OF gold
now on hand is S4,000,0OO less than it was a
year ago, and it has not been customary to
redeem bonds in silver, has it?''
mo" he answered. SIT b as not been the
custom. l don't mean by that to say it
would not be legal, but it has not been done. -
That was all Treasurer Jordan had to
say on the subject. If anybody can make
out OF it what he means to do about bonds
or silver, or gold, he will be wiser than
anybody found in Washington.
The Special Delivery System.
Special to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 24.-The list Of
postoffices where the special delivery SER
vice will go into effect was made I'D from
the compendium of the census. The IN
abridged census shows that several places
not included in the list are entitled to SER
vice, and to-day Manchester, n. H, which
was omitted from the list by clerical
error, was added, and Rockville, Conn,
Maslewan and Rondout, n. Y, and
Mt. Holly, N. j., which did not
appear from the compendium to
have the requisite population, have
pCCn ddu5u 10 In6 ESt. Inc department IS
getting letters from postmasters asking all
sorts OF questions about the special delivery
system. One postmaster asks how he Can
find out mile limits from his Office Tie
department replied that he has got to get
at it the best he can. Many OF the in
quiries are so foolish that the letters are
thrown away and not answered. Two post
masters say they can get boys to
serve as messengers. and want
to know what they are to DO
about it. One of them says he can't get a
boy, because all Of the good boys are in
school, and he does not want to hire the
idle boys because they are bad. It is an
ticipated that the special delivery system
will make things interesting for congress
men here. Every constituent who writes a
letter to his member will put special de-
livery stamp on his letter, and congressman
will be called on at all hours of the day and
night up to midnight to receive these letters
in person and receipt for them. They are
likely to find that the new system is only
too successful.
land Excitenacnt Among Indians.
Special to the Globe.