Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-12-07
GOVERNMENT FINANCES.
Important Recommendation Of Treas
urer Jordan.

urer Jordan.
Mr.. c. v. Jordan, treasurer Of the United
States, reports the governments revenue dur
ing the last fiscal year at 1928, $50 7O6 or
S24, S29, 1873 less than that Of the preceding
year. and the expenditure at $3.50, 226. 935. or
Sic, 100, $50 greater than that of the preceding
year. The treasurer recommends the estab-
lishment of an issuing department for better
security in the treatment OF legal tender notes
and other securities; that he be empowered to
make frequent examinations of minis and SUBJ
treasures; that the sub-treasuries be reor-
ganized; that advances to disbursing officers be
restricted to the amounts of their monthly pay
ments; that pensions be paid by means of
treasurers checks, as is the interest on the pub
lie debt, etc.
USE.
The Treasurer recommends that the practice
of issuing legal-tender gold and silver certif-
Gates be discontinued as expensive and danger
Gus through the accumulation of the immense
sums now in the Treasury, the silver certificate
especially, on the ground that it has proved to
be positive hindrance to a more extended cir
culation of the silver dollar. This latter he also
considers too expensive currency for daily
use, as, owing to the express charges paid by
the government in putting these coins into cir
culatton and the further charges paid by the
people to return them to the monetary centers,
where they alone can be used, the coins cause
a large loss to the community.
1t Is apparent, he says, that the execution of
the coinage law is gradually converting the
funds OF the Treasury into standard dollars.
Every exertfon has been made to give an eX-
tended circulation to these coins, but without
the success which the large expenditure in
CURED would warrant. Such measure of sue
cess as has been obtained has been at a very
| great expense to the government the excessive
cost furnishing strong argument against con-
tinuing the issue. The circulation obtained is
short-l1ved, the coins finding their way back
cd tn f1,o
movement costing individual holders more for
transportation than the original issre cost the
government. As the sub-treasuries become
overloaded with returned and the minis with
unissued dollars, the government Is obliged to
transport them at a heavy cost to the nearest
place in which vault room can be found. He
recommends that the Treasury be permitted To
seek some more economical mode than now
employed in order to distribute them and other
moneys from the Treasury.
FRACTIONAL COINS.
The Treasurer states that the amount of frac.
tional coin held in the Treasury is S31 236.-
S99.49, and recommends the repeal OF the
redemption law as to these and the minor coins
as tending to prevent their over-issue. He fur
ther gives statement OF the abrasion upon the
coins now III use and an estimate to what it
would cost to replace them with other Subsi-
diary coin OF equal or greater value. He recon-
mendS the issue OF new coins of greater weight
and greater beauty, throwing open the designs
Tor the new issue to competition. In order to
save the expense of coming and distributing
minor coins when a sufficient supply is already
| in the Treasury. it is recommended that the
coinage be suspended and future demands be
supplied from the Treasury offices at the cost
OF the applicant, this is the only practicable
way in which to prevent a constantly recurring
redundancy.
| OTHER POINTS.
The Treasurer further recommends that the
| entire revenue derived from the Post Office de-
partment go through the Treasury, and be spent
under its supervision, as all other moneys are
which are derived IRON revenue OF any kind;
! decessOrs as to the method OF payment OF
| Speakers certificates, which he considers de-
| fective.
Statements are given of clearinghouse trans
| actions, as we'll as statement of the method OF
payments at the custom house in New York,
with tables giving these payments from 1878.
to Pacific railroad funds. which amount amt to to
SOL 80, 100. Trust funds are also stated amount
| ing to 81 ,S0l ,O16.S3. Other trusts are without
| Notice is given of the suspension of one and
two-dollar notes and the economy effected
thereby, the saving for one quarter being the
cost OF printing Is, OOO, 900 notes and the paper
| used in their manufacture. AT this rate re-
duction in the small note issue is indicated OF
| about SOS, 100000 during the current year.
The Treasurer apologies for the length of his
report but he thinks the Treasury should be as
glass house through which the sun shines to
Its uttermost nook and Granny. "There is not, ~
he says, ga business interest in the whole coun-
try which may not suffer through ignorance of
its affairs, and therefore its operations have
been detailed as thoroughly as the time and
intelligence of its custodian would permit"
Secretary TindalfS RecOmm endatiOns.
HE SUGGESTS THAT THE COMPENSATION OF
CLERKS IN THE COMMISSIONERS OFFICE BE
INCREASED.
DIR. VIM. Tindall, secretary to the District
Commissioners, In his report to the District
Commissioners encloses copies of the orders of
general nature made by the Board of Commits
sioners of the District of Columbia during the
fiscal year ended June 80, 1885, for embodi-
ment in the annual report to Congress- as re-
quired by law. Il take pleasure" ne says, ..in
commencing the very acceptable discharge of
duty displayed by the clerical force of this Of
flee during that period, as heretofore. This
fidelity and efficiency should, in my Judgment
be recognized TO the extent at least OF making
their compensation correspond to that paid in
departments of the general government for
services OF equal responsibility and value, and
/ recommend that the salaries be fixed at
81 800, $1,000 and 81 400, respectively. Re-
curing to tine subject OF arranging the old re-
cords of former municipal governments under
my charge, discussed in my reports for previous
years, have to suggest that authority be asked
for the use OF a portion of the contingent fund
of this office in employing the clerks of this
can be done without prejudice to their ability
to render due service during their regular OFF,
cial hours of labor. If no code of laws should be
adopted during the next session Of Congress it
will be advisable to get authority for a like use
OF the clerical force in preparing an index of
gested code, would be great convenience"
The New Pension Building.
THE CONDITION OF THE BUILDING UPON
WHICH THE WORK IS STOPPED.
Gen. NJ. c. Meigs, the supervising engineer
and architect of the new Pension building, in
his report to the Secretary OF the Interior of the
work done during the month of November,
states that the roof of the building is completed
and the flooring and plastering Of certain
rooms in the third story and In the fourth
story has been finished. All the Washington
force Of the Pension Office and all its records
are in the building.
The report states that owing to exhaustion OF
the appropriation the most of the work has been
closed. The condition of the building may be
summed up as follows: Office rooms, except one
third Of the third story, fOored; all but half OF
the third story plastered. The galleries are
fOOred with plank. The great hall has no floor
except the earth. All windows above the eel
lar are glazed and closed. The great
The walls and ceilings of the office rooms,
except those occupied by the commissioner Of
pensions himself, are not yet painted. The
cellar windows In north areas require coping
and covering, and permanent sidewalk should
be laid around the exterior of one half OF the
building. The gateways are closed for the
winter with permanent doors, but they will
the style of the building. The heating
apparatus Is completed and at work.