The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-12-06

called forth the earnest congratulations OF this
pathies OF our people. The claims of nearly all
other countries against Chilli. growing out of
late war with Bolivia and Peru, have been dis
posed OF either by arbitration or by lump set
ilement similar claims OF our citizens Will
continue to be urged upon the Gillian govern
mcnt, and, IL Is hoped, will not be subject to
further delay
The president announces an advantageous
treaty or amity with Peru, and the satisfactory
settlement OF claims OF American citizens
against Ecuador and Denmark and Hayti BY
arbitration, and the extension Of time for the
ratification OF treaty for . rohearing oil claims
against Venezuela. He advises reciprocal
commerce treaties with south and Central
American countries and with San Domingo ana
HaytI. Ameeting OF the maritime powers IN
Washington in April to devise means for the
greater s.curity OF life and property at sea, y
approved. A special message Will be sent 70
congress on the subject OF tonnage duties.
REVISION OF THE NATURALIZATION LAWS.
With the rapid increase OF immigration 70
our shores ana the facilities OF modern trafel,
abuses OF the generous privileges Afforded by
our naturalization laws calls for their careful
revision. The easy and unguarded manner ~
which certificates Of American citizenship can
now be obtained has induced q class, nnfortun-
ately large, to avail themselves OF the oppor-
tunity to become absolyed from allegiance 70
dence to escape any Just duty and contribution
OF service to the country OF their proposed
adoption. Thus. while eyading the duties OF
make prompt claim for its national protection
and demand its intervention in their behalf.
International complications Of . serious ma
,urc arise. and the correspondence OF the state
dcpartmgnt discloses the great number and
complexity Of the questions which nave Deen
raised.
THE REoRaAslzATIos ron The CONSULAR
is matter Uf seriohs Importance TO our ma
tional interests The number Of existing prin.
cipal consular Offices Il believed To be greater
u N 10 at a for the conduct OF the
public business. 1t need not be our policy to
maintain more than moderate number OF
principal OficeS, each supported by salary
suflicient to enable the incumbent to live in
comfort SO distributed as TO secure tine con-
venient supervision through subordinate agen.
cies OF affairs over considerable district.
An emphatic Endorsement is given to the
proposition for the centennial celebration on
April ~, 1859, Of the inauguration OF Washing.
ton in New York.
NATIONAL FINANCES.
The report OF the secretary OF the treasury
exhibits in detail the condition OF our national
finances and the operations OF the several
branches OF the government related to his de.
partment. The total ordinary revenues of the
government for the fiscal year ended june 81.
IssS amounted to 1879, sd6 as4..6, OF which 1919,
Oyl l.2 H3 was received from customs duties
and &l24 296, 81 9s from internal revenue taxes.
The total receipts from all sources exceeded
those for the fiscal year ended June ID, 1887, BY
n, St9, ,iv1. TO- The ordinary expenditures for
the fiscal year ending June ~, lesS were f2J9.
653 95SG7 leaving surplus OF f1l9612.1l6.Oo
The decrease in these expenditures, as com
pared with the fiscal year ended June -, 49,,
was ~, ,11S ~. ~ notwithstanding The payment
or more than 5000 uuO for pensions in excess
OF what was paid for that purpose in the latter
ment for the year ending June 10, 1889. ascer.
tained for the quarter ended Sept. 10, 1883, and
estimated for the remainder OF the time,
mated ordinary expenditures for the same year
are Ss74.UOO000, leaving an estimated surplus OF
&lOa,OOO,OO0
June 3D. 1880 are *37f, ,OUOOOO, and the estimated
ordinary expenditures for the same term are
S215, 467, "a showing surplus OF tlOl ,2fs,
Sill 90. The foregoing statements OF surplus do
not take into account the sum necessary TO be
expended to meet the requirements ofthe sink
ing fund act. amounting TO more than 41,UO,OO
81
cent For the year las5 it was al per cent
The excess OF internal revenue taxes collected
during the last fiscal year over those collected
14.26. and the cost OF collecting this revenue
decreased from 3.4 per cent in 1887 to less than
81 per cent for the last year: the tax collected
ssssa ssar 1885 noHe for the the following @ year,. @
The requirements Of the sinking fund &C,
| lsSs and for the current year also by the pur-
| chase OF bonds. After complying with this
law, rs positively required, and bonds sufficient
| for that purpose had been bought nj q premium
| II was not deemed prudent to further expend
| the surplus in such purchases until the author
| ity 10 do SO should be more explicit resolu
| tiOn, however, having been passed by both
houses OF congress, removing all doubt as to
| executive authority, daily
PURCHASES OF BONDS
were commenced on the 33d day OF April. 1855,
| and have continued until the present time.
| BY this plan bonds OF the government not yet
| due have been purchased up 10 and including
| the Goth day of November, 1874 amounting IL
s9a, ,01 4oo the premium paid thereon amount,
| ing to &i7,JOS,6l30s.
| The premium added to the principal OF these
| bonds represents an investment yielding about
per cent interest for the time they still had To
| run and the saving to the government repre-
| sented by the difference between the amount
| OF interest at 2 per cent upon the sum paid fol
| principal and premium and what it would have
4 paid for interest ut the rate specified in the
bonds IL they had run to their maturity IL about
27l65.O0O. At first sight this would seem to be
| a profitable and sensible transaction on the
| part OF the government. but as suggested by the
| secretary OF the treasury, the surplus thus ex
pended for the purchase OF bonds was money
drawn from the people in excess Of any actua
| need of the government, and was SO expended
1 rather than allow it TO remain idle In the treas
G nd 'ns a 1ndea haa me hen 10
4 hands OF the people, II would have been
1 worth in their business at least per cent per
annum. Deducting from the amount OF inter
| est upon the principal and premium Of these
| bonds for the time they had to run ut the rate
OF q per cent, the saving of2 per cent made fol
the people by the purchase @ OF such bonds, ths
l
Notwithstanding the large sums paid out il
| the purchase of bonds the surplus in the treas
ury on the ath day of November, lsss was s5a,
| 23i.6IO0l after deducting abon, taO,0OO,0uO JUS
drawn out for the payment of pensions.
| SILVER COINAGE
| At the close OF the fiscal year ended June 30
| 1885,, there had been coined under the compul
| sory silver coinage act 1866. sSs $50 in silye
dollars. s51.5 $40 of which were in the hands 0
| the people. On the 3Oth of June, 1879, thert
! had been coined e2g9 200, 30 and OF this S56.
| saa, 3G3 was in circulation in coin, and eco,
3s1,376 in silver certificates. for the redemption
OF which silver dollars to that amount were hels
| on the 3Oth day OF Nov. 1885, ssis,57o, 800 ha.
been coined, s6O,Ss09O Of the silver dollar
scre actually in circulation, and ss3s,4is,s4s in
4 certificates.
| The secretary recommends the suspension
4 Df the further coinage of silver. and in such
! recommendation / earnestly concur. Fol
iurther valuable information and timely re
concentrations ask the careful attention o1
| congress to the secretarys report.
| GRIM vlSAGED WAR.
The secretary uf war reports that the army
| IN the date OF the last consolidated returns
| consisted OF 2,ls9 officers and q, $40 enlisted
| men. The actual expenditures Of the war de
| partment for the fiscal year ended June 30.
lsss amounted eil,l65, 107.O7, OF which sun
| @15S, 1868 was expended for public works, in
| cluding river and harbor improvements.
1.-The board OF ordinance and fortification,' :
provided for under the act approved Sept. Y
last, was convened Oct. 30, 1888, and plans and
| specifications for procuring forgings for T. y
| and 12inch guns under provision OF section
and also for procuring 12.inch breech- h-loading
nortors, cast iron. hooped with Steel under
i the provisions Of section of the said act, were
4 submitted to the secretary Of war for refer
snce to the board, by the ordnance department
1 )f the same date. These plans and speciiica
1 tons having been promptly approved by the
| oOard and the secretary OF war, the necessary
| authority to publish advertisements inviting
proposals in the newspapers throughout the
| country was granted by the secretary on Nov
| IL, land on Nov Ii the advertisements were
| sent out to the different newspapers desig
1 mated. The bids for the steel forging are TO bs
opened on Dec. 20, 1888, and for the mortors OF
| Dec. Il, 1883.
| THE BIG GUNS.
A board OF ordnance officers was convened o.
the Wateroliet arsenal on Oct. 4, 1888, to pre-
pare the necessary plans and specifications fo
| the establishment OF an army gun factory o
that point. The preliminary report OF tn.
| board with estimates for ship building and Of
hcers quarters, was approved by the board o
ordnance and fOrtitcations NOV d and B.
The provisions Of the army bill for the pro
curcment of pnumatic dynamite guns, the ne
| cessary specifications are now being prepared
and advertisements for proposals will be is
| sued early in December. The guns will prob
ably be OF fifteen inch calibre, and fire o pro
jectile that will carry o charge, each of abou
| aU pounds OF explosive gelotine with full
| calibre projectiles.
ARMY PROMOTIONS