National Republican., 1886-12-07

trust that, in considering the submitted
schedules, no mistaken theory OF economy
will perpetuate system which In the past
has virtually closed to deserving talent
many offices where capacity and attain
ments Of high order are Indispensable,
ard In not few instances has brought dis
credit on our national character and en-
tailed embarrassment and even suffering on
those doputed TO uphold our dignity and
interests abroad.
In connection with this subject earn
estly reiterato the practical necessity Of
supplying some mode Of trustworthy In
sItction and report Of the manner IN which
the consulates are conducted. In the alb
sence Of such reliable Information, elll-
cheney can scarcely be rewarded, or us OPP
posite corrected.
Increasing competition - trade has a.
Tected attention 20 Tie vaine Of the con-
sular reports printed BY the Department OF
State, and the efforts uf the government TO
attend the practical usefulness Of these ro-
portshave created q wldcrdeman1 for them
at home and a spirit Of emulation abroad
Constituting n record Of the changes occur
ring In trade and OF the progress Of the arts
and invention In foreign countries, they arc
much sought for by all interested In the
subjects which they embrace.
The report Of the Secretary Of the Treas
public finances and OF the several branches
Of the government related 10 his Depart.
ment. ! especially direct the attention Of
the Congress TO the recommendations con-
tained In this and the last preceding report
Of the Secretary, touching the simplhca-
tion and amendment OF the laws relating to
the collection OF our revenues; and IN the
interect Of economy and justice TO the gov.
ernment, hope they may be adopted by
appropriate legislation.
The ordinary receipts Of the government
for the fiscal year ended June 80, 1886 were
1886, 400, 72T0e. OF this amount Sl92, ,00j,-
023.41 was received from customs and Sll6,-
S05,980,4S from internal revenue. The
total receipts, as here stated, were Sl3, 49,
020.6S greater than for the previous year,
hut the increase from customs was Sll, 49,
0s4.10, and from internal revenue $4,4O1,-
2lO.94, making gain In these items for the
last year Of $l5,S4l ,2950l--a falling of In
other resources reducing the total increase
to the smaller amount mentioned.
The expense at the different custom
houses Of collecting this increased customs
revenue was less than the expense attend
ing the collection Of such revenue for the
preceding year by $500, COS; and the increased
receipts Of internal revenue were collected
at a cost TO the internal revenue bureau
Sl55,9I4.99 less than the expense Of such
collection for the previous year.
The total ordinary expenses OF the gov
eTnment for the fiscal year ended June 90,
1856, were S2i2, ,4s3, 1850, being less by
Sl7,isS, i07 than such expenditures for the
year preceding, and leaving surplus In
the treasury at the close Of the last fiscal
year Of sos, ,5SS,50, as against $G3, ,463,-
I11.21 at the close of the previous year,
being ON increase in such surplus of $780,
02,Sl720.
The expenditures are compared with
those OF the preceding fiscal year and clas-
silled as follows:
Year ending Year ending
June 80, 1886. June 80, 1885.
For civil expenses s2l 0j560i OF So, $685. ,0i2 IL
course.. .......... 1882, 800 So 5,i30,6Oo II
For Indians ...... 6.0g9,1bS II 6,552,dgL 63
For pensions...... 63,iOl,SI OJ 5O,lO2,261 10
For the military,
including river
and bnrbor I'M
arsenals......,., oi,S2i.l52H 42G7oO7s AZ
For the navy, in
cluding vessels,
machinery, and
navy yGrds..... l3OO7,ss7 "a 16,O2l,O7o 60
public debt. 80. ~ 5O0So,ii5 81 5i,oSO25S AZ
Columbia. 2,So2,32l 50 9,looG5O O5
Miscellaneous ex-
penditures, in
Guiding public
buildings, light
houses, and col
lccting the revc-
nue..,..''",,,,.. 4IvoOiOSj Va Ol,iSo,UOO ~
For the current year to end juno 80,
1887, the ascertained receipts up to Oct.
/, 1886, with such receipts estimated for
the remainder OF the year, amount to
1856, 100000.
The expenditures ascertained and estl-
mated for the same period are $500, 900, 900,
indicating an anticipated surplus at the
close Of the year of S90,000,00O.
The total value of the exports from the
United States to foreign countries during
the fiscal year is stated and compared with
| the preceding year as follows
| For the For the
year ending year ending
June so, 1856 June 30, 1885.
De disc. sOO5, 1904, ,52o s72O,C82o oiO
dise... la,56o.8Ol 15.5OG, 500
God .......,..'"''.." 42YoZ, lvl S,1il,Sy2
silver......o...".... 29,51,2l 33,753,G33
The value Of some of our leading exports
during the last fiscal year, as compared
with the value Of the same for the year
Immediately preceding, is here given, and
furnishes information both interesting and
suggestive:
| For the For the
year ending year ending
| JuuS oOi looo' JulAo W. looos
IMAM mShuiactufSs,:. s2laOi5.57o s2la7Oo,OiO
Tobacco SC,3,InSu. and Its ooAo,ooa ., 7c7 On,
Breadsiuiis diiis: i2S,Si9,S5s lGo876,s2l
| Provisions ......,... 90G25,2l6 l07382, ,456
Our imports during the last fiscal year. as
compared with the previous year, were as
follows:
1856. 1886.
Merchandise. s635,196,l36 sj79,6s0,O5s 50
1 N-Nl M
S9,d ~ ITstS,g I9siSSdg iSSS5Sgg SSS5SsS 90 %
In my last message to the Congress atten-
tion was directed to the fact that the reve-
nues Of the government exceeded Its actual
needs, and 1t was suggested that legislative
action should be taken to relieve the people
from the unnecessary burden OF taxation
thus made apparent.
In view Of the pressing Importance OF the
subject l deem 1t my duty to again urge Its
consideration.
The income of the government, by Its
increased volume and through economies in
its collection, is now more than ever In
excess OF public necessities, The applica-
tion Of the surplus to the payment OF such
portion of the public debt as Is now at our
option subject to eHtingulshment, II con-
| tinued at the rate which has lately prevailed,
| would retire that class OF indebtedness
within less than one year from this date.
Thus continuation Of our present revenue
system would soon result in the receipt of
an annual income much greater than neces-
sary TO meet government expenses, with no
Indebtedness upon which 1t could be APP
| piled. We should then be confronted with
vast quantity of money, the circulating
msdium Of the people, boarded in the
Treasury when 1t should be In their
hands, or we should be drawn into
wasteful public extravaganza with all the
| corrupting national decentralization which
follows In its train.
But It is not the simple existence
of this surplus and It's threatened
attendant evils which furnish the
strongest arguments against our pres
ent scale Of federal taxation. IT.
worst phase is the exactlon OF such sur
plus through perversion OF the relations