Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-10-19
THE SURPLUS.
Acting Secretary of the Treasury
Gives the Figures.

WASHINGTON, October 17.-Acting Sec
retary Thompson of the Treasury, in
speaking in regard to the probable con-
dition OF the Treasury at the end of the
fiscal year, said: The appropriation bills
having all been passed by the present
Congress, some estimate can now be
made OF the probable surplus of revenue
for the fiscal year, ending June 80, 1889,
over the expenditures for the same year.
Estimating the several minor items, the
amount of expenditures approximates
$306, 900; the estimated expenditures
from the permanent annual appropria-
tions are Sis, ,640, ,79S, making total of
$421 $40. .79S. The total estimated reve-
nues are $440, 900, making an excess
of revenue over the total ap.
propriations of about $l9,0O0,000; ;
but this by no means represents
the sactual surplus of revenue for
the current fiscal year A careful esti-
mate shows that of these appropriations,
which are specific and continuing appro-
priations, there will be at least $37 ,0O0,-
600 which will not and cannot be
properly expended during this fiscal
year, which makes an actual surplus of
SOC, 100000, which is substantially the
same amount estimated by the Secretary
in his annual report. But even this does
not fairly represent the surplus revenues
for the fiscal year 1889, for in the appro-
priations above stated there is included
the sum of about $18, 900, 900 for deficien-
cies in the appropriations for 1888, and
prior years, which should have been az
priated at prior session of Congress and
paid out of the surplus revenue of former
years. This added to the above
sum OF $56, 100000 increases the surplus
revenues of 1869 to $74,000,000. This
does not include the balance which will
be turned into the Treasury on the 30th
of June, 1889, of the unexpended appro-
priations of 1887 and prior years, which,
according to careful estimates, will not
be less than SC, 100000. In the expendi-
lures there is included nearly $4S, ,000,000
for the sinking fund which is really part
of the surplus revenues, and added, will
make the total OF $l22. .000, 900 ofrevenues
in excess of the actual and necessary ex.
penditures of the government for the fis-
cal year 1889, which would make an act
ual increase of the surplus at the end of
this year OF $104, 100000. The estimate
of the unexpended balance at
the close of this fiscal year,
given above, is extremely low COM
pared with the actual balances which
have remained unexpended in prior years.
For instance, June 80, 1888, the unex-
pected balance of appropriations for that
year was SIS, ,514, 900, on the 30th of June
1887, $S4 4,371 1885, for the fiscal year
which ended on that day for each of the
years 1886 ond 1885 it was over $53 ,000,-
600. The above statement has reference
to the excess of revenues for the present
fiscal year over the expenditures for the
same, and it is entirely independent
of the surplus now in the Treasury,
amounting to $97 1884 4,305, including $24,-
BAT .54S of fractional coin. Any portion
of the present surplus not expended with
in this fiscal year for the purchase of
bonds, may be added to $104 900, to
arrive as the actual surplus which will
remain in the Treasury on
the Both of June next. With
respect to the probable revenues
for the fiscal year 1889, the books of the
Treasury show that during the present
fiscal year, up to and including October
18th, the daily receipts have aggregated
$l13, 9S6, ,566, as against Sis, 1868, ,473 for
the same period last year. The falling
off is only 81 1881 ,9O7, which may be more
than made up by increased receipts dur
ing the remainder Of the year, which de-
crease is not more than is usual during
the few months Immediately preceding
the Presidential election. There lie
therefore, no reason to believe that the
actual receipts for the fiscal year 1885
will fall below the estimated receipts. Ir
view of the increased activity in al
branches of business, it is believed tina
they will fully equal, if not exceed, th'
estimate.