St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-10-17
ESTIMATING THE SURPLUS.
The Treasury Department Fur
nishes Some Strong Arguments
for Tariff Reform.


WASHINGTON, D. c., Oct. 16.-Aeting
Secretary Thompson, of the treasury,
in speaking this afternoon in regard to
the probable condition of the treasury
of the end Of the present fiscal year,
said: 1.-The appropriation bills having
all been passed the present congress,
some estimate can now be made
Of the probable surplus of rev.
enUe for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1889. over the expenditures for
the same year. Estimating one or two
minor items. the amount in the aggre-
gate is $685. 900, with the estimated
expenditures from the permanent an
nuaI appropriations, which are put at
S1l5, ,79S, making q total of S42l, ,640,-
79S. The total estimated revenues are
S4OO,5O0,000, making an excess of rev.
enue over tue total of the appropriations
OF about Sl9, 100000; but this by no means
represents the actual surplus of Teve-
nue. for the current fiscal year. A care
full estimate shows that of these appro-
prlatiOns which are specific and con-
tinuing appropriations there will be at
least S37, 100000, which will not and
cannot be properly expended during the
fiscal year. which makes an actual sur
plus OF S56,000,000. which is substan-
TALLY the same amount estimated by
the secretary IN MS annual report. But
even this
DOES NOT FAIRLY REPRESENT
the surplus revenues for the fiscal year
1889, for in the appropriations above
stated there is included the sum OF
about S1S,000,000 for deficiencies in ap-
preparations for 1888 and prior years.
which should have been appropriated
for at a prior session of congress and
paid out of the surplus revenues
of former years. This, added to
the above sum of S56, ,0o0,-
000. increases the surplus rev.
enueS of 1889 to S74, 4,000,O00
This does not include the balances
which will be covered into the treasury
on the 30tn of June, 1889, of uneXpended
appropriations of 1887 and prior years,
which, according to careful estimates
made, will not be less than $4,000, 900.
In the expenditures there is included
nearly S4S, 100000 for the sinking funC.<,
which is really a part of the surplus rev.
enueS, and if added will make
total of 1922, 100000 Of reve-
nue. in excess of the actual
and necessary expenditures of the
government for the fiscal year 1889,
which would make an actual increase of
surplus at the end of this fiscal year of
100000. The estimate of uneX-
pended balances at the close of this
fiscal year, given above, is extremely
low compared with the actual balances
which have remained uneXpended in
prior years. For instance, June 80,
1883, the uneXpended balance of the ap-
preparations for that year was S75,
5l4, 900 on the 30th of June, 1887; 5S4.-
81, ,S95 for the fiscal year, which ended
on that day, and for each of the years
1886 and 1855 it was over S73, ZOO, 900.
The above statement has reference to
excess of revenues for the present fiscal
year over expenditures for the same
time and is entirely
INDEPENDENT OF THE SURPLUS
now in the treasury, amounting TO S97.-
934, ,305. including 81. 347, ,54S of fractional
coin. Any portion of this present sur
plus not expended within this fiscal
year for the purchase of bonds must be
added to the S104, 100000 to arrive at the
actual surplus which will remain in the
treasury on the 30th 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 in
Guiding Oct. Is. the daily re-
ceipts have aggregated S113, $50, $50
as against Sis, ,S6S, 473 for the same
period last year, falling of of only
81, ,SS1, ,907, which may be more than
made up by increased receipts during
the remainder of the year, which de-
crease is not more than is usual during
the few months Immediately preceding
a presidential election. There is there
fore no reason to believe that the actual
int EOr ha fiscal
below the estimated receipts. In view
of the increased activity in all branches
of business. it is believed that they will
fnll.- anunI If MT nvcaad the asti1r o 10, 3,