The Delta independent., 1888-12-11

| Is matter OF SERIOUS lulpOEGdLCe W ouI Na-
tional interests. The number of existing
principal consular offices Is believed to be
greater than is at ali necessary for the con-
| duct of public business. It need not be our
policy to maintain nor than q moderate
number of We principal offices, each sup
psrted by salary sufficient to enable the in
| cumbent to live in comfort, and so distrib-
uted as to subordinate the supervision of sf-
fairs over considerable district
EXPENSES OF DIPLOMACY.
repeat the recommendation heretofore
made by me that the appropriations for the
maintenance for our diplomatic and insular
| service should be recast, that the so-called
| notarial or unofficial fees which our repre-
sentatives abroad are now permitted to
| treat as personal perquisites should be for
| bidden: that system of consular inspection
| should be instituted and that a limited num-
| Der of secretaries of legation at large
| should be authorized.
| THE PRESIDENTIAL CENTENNIAL.
| Preparations for the Centennial celebra-
| ton on April 30, 1883, of the inauguration OF
| George Washington as President of the Uni
| ted States at the city of New York, have been
made by q voluntary organization of the
| citizens of that locality, and believing that
an opportunity should be afforded for the
| expression of the interest felt throughout
| the country with this event, / respectfully
recommend fitting and cooperate action by
Congress on behalf of the people of the Uni
ted States.
THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
| O.
hibits in detail the condition of our National
| finances and the operations of the ,eTeral
pa1tmeat' " The tcti ordinary revenues Of the
| Government for the fiscal year which ended June
50. lsss amounted to ssig 20 sIt; !. ~, Of which
| ties aud s12s I'D, s7l.9s from internal revenue
taxes. The'total receipts from all sources
rs. by 81 So, 1910
lhs ordinary ep,ndituTsss. Of E. the Fl fiscal year
| n surplus of Sll96I2 Il6.Og
| The decrease In these expenditures as com
| ment of more tnan Eve million dollars for pen-
sions in excess of what was paid for that purpose
| in the latter mentioned year.
| THE SURPLUS
| The revenues of the Government for tho year
| ending Jure 80 lsS9 GsceTrufnei for tho
qunIter ending September So ISs7, and estirfa'ed
for the remainder of the time, amount to ,iT7.-
expenditures for the same year are S272, 10000.
j leaving an esti mated surplus of slDIOJ0,0o0.
June ne So ia' l5 sre 81 81 @ 70. and md the estimaind
ordinary expeud tures for the same time
S2I5. .767, s,Si showing surplus of SlOl IT,
The foregoing; statements of the sul p'us do not
| take into account the sum necessary TO lie
| pended to meet the requirements OF t1e Sinking
| Fund act amounting to more than Si7,OCo,000
The cost of collecting the customs revenues for
the last fiscal year 2i4 p'r cent, and for
year 1885 it was 81 Per cent;
lected during the last fiscal year oWr tho.e col
| lected for the yJar ending Jrne 80, l-s',
sSis, .ic5 and the cost OF consisting he reve-
than 81 per cent for the last ysar. The tax col
lected on oleomargurine WIS S23gis-Oi for the
following year.
The requirements of the sinking fund act have
beer met for the year which ended June 80. 1sss
and n the current yHar also, by the purchase of
bonus. After compl, - with this law posi-
tiy il required and b n Is sufficient for that pur-
pose had been boucht at p-eTiiurn, it was n 1t
deemed prudent to further eSPerd the surplus IN
be more explcit- \ resolution, however. having
bcen passed by both houses ot Congress removing
chase, of bonds were commenced on the twenty
third day of April, nj have continued until the
BY this plan bonds of the Government not yet
due have been purchased upto and including the
10; the prcmium paid thereon amounting 10 Si7,-
:Os.6ls-
| bonds represents on investment raying about 2
percent s. for the term they still had to rum
and this saving to tho government represented
by the difference between the amount of interest
al , per cent and Up m the paid for principal
and premium, and what ii would have paid for
interest at the specified on the bonds If they
had run to their maturity Is about 81, 1880.
NO PROFIT IN IT.
At first sight this would seem TO be profitable
aEonlsa hut, a. suggested BY the S-rr-tsrv of
lie Trs.ls u y the surplus thus exlent e the
, purrha.s, o bonds was money drawn from the
{ io,ple in excess 81 rny actual nes4 OF the Gov.
arrment, and was 50 Q Gleridnl rather than allow
ii TO remain idle in the Tre0 ury II thus surplus
: untlcr the operation of iJzst and equitable laws
had been lott in the hands of the Pc p = it would
r have been worth in their business al least pei
4 c, n per annun. DaiuctinE from tho amount OF
i | Interest on the principal and the premium or
: these bonds for he time they bad to run at III,
4 for the reoplcl tic purchase of such bonls th,
loss will appea TO be s59,,u,'.n
~HAcK AT rIk TARIFF,
This calculation would seem TO demoustrat,
that If excessive and unnecessary taxation is con
!; tinued and the 60 .ernmeat is forced to pursu.
IN m u,rls which it will De necessary to pay. the
los 10 the people will te hundrs Is OF millions OF
: tken a. rlenil loacd nearly all that have bsSn Of
i iaT,i were ai last a,ceIt d 1t has been made
n r Of bSin. subjected to coIgbinations 70 raisc
! ticir price as appear BY the --tance eltod by
t f sFe,5TTy F Ty q sS 20 offs thf tRe @
1 sums demanded for their purchase amounted to
/ more than sls,so.l3 r---,.-,
Notwithstanding the lar-e sums paid out in the
purchase of BONDS the surplus in Tie trSs5Ty on
after deiuetinS about S2l0.o,0cO Just drawn out
: for the payment of pensions
At the clcsn of the fiscal yCar which ended
June so lSS7 there had bee- cs,'nel, nndcr ths
Ter lotlars sSs;.i $40 OF VII ch S,crc in the hand.
: of the peopc. On tho SNth dny OF June. rs
| ,h,re had boon coined S2Sl.pls,lst, and o. thus
! : : Sq SIS was in circulation in =oin and S2NO-
81 JsS in silver certificates, for the redempt on
of which silver 90 lars to that amount were held
. by ths Government -
On the SOih day of November, ISIS, SSl2 SO 0ta
it7 h>sn coined. StNY1O.lfO of the silver dollars
j Ners actually in CIRCULATION, nd s1S',tlh,SA
Merc in Certificates.
The Secretary recominends the suspension OF
the further coinage of sil1eC, and in such RECON-.
inendation earnestly concur. For further valu.
! able information and mely recomm sudauo1s
ask tho careful attention of Colgress to the Sec
retarys report
, THE ARMY.
The SECRETARY of War repo!ts tNat the army al
! the date of tho last consolidate r,turns con-
sisted of 2.iSS officers md y. 5is enlisted men.
The actual expenditures of the War Department
fer the fiscal year. which ended Janurrf 80 l>ss,
amounted to Stl, ,l5S 1910. Of which sum 81 lss,.
ai6.6S was expended for public works, including
river aud harbor improvements.
GREAT GUNS,
The Boarl of Ordnance and Fortifcations, as
|, provided for I'm Ter the Act approved September
y last was convened October 50. ISIS, and plans
and specifications for procuring forliugs for
eight ten and twelye-inch guns, under the pro
vision Of Section !, and also for proeHrtns