The times., 1888-12-07

| from internal revenue taxes. The total receipts
from all sources exceeded @ ss those for the fiscal
ordinary expenditures Of the ascsI year ending
| June 80, 1883 were sass, ,653, ,95s67, leaving q
| surplus OF Sii96l2 1900 The decrease in these
ended June 80, 1851. was sss7s, 30 30 notwith.
standing payment of more than $1,000, 900 for
pensions Ia excess OF what was paid for that
seR0'' sea The revenues of sae
| For the year ending juno 80, 1882 asosrrained
mated for the remainder Of the time, amount @ Ito to
| ss77 OOo,oOo and the acIual and estimated ordi-
| nary expenditures for the same year are S2T3,.
OoDO0l, leaving en- estimated surplus of slo40oO,
| 0O0 The estimated receipts for the year ending
June 30, 1890, are S37T00 10, and the estimated
| ordinary expenditures for tho same time are
$40, 90 1881, showing surplus OF SiOi %js,-
3l16G.
The foregoing statements of surplus do not
| take into account the sum necessary TO be ex-
pended TO meet the requirements of the sinking
fund act, amounting to more than So, 900. 900 an.
nualy.
The cost OF collecting customs revenues for the
last fiscal year was ..4i per cent; for the year
1885 IL was 317 per cent. Tho excess of internal
revenue taxes co lected during the last fiscal year
over those collected for the year ended June 80,
1887, was 81, ,4n9 l1i.26 ana the cost of collecting
| the revenue decreased from 34 PER cent. In 1857
to less than 3.s per cent! for the last year Tue
tax collected ON oeomargarine WAS 312} 9iS.0f
for the year ending June a. 1885,, ond $SGi lass
| for the following year
referring to the purchase OF bonds which has
| Dten gong since April last tho president gives
the total amount and cost and says the saving TO
the government represented by the transactions
| aggregates ABOUT S27,lGj,000. lie then pro-
| ceeds:
At first sight this would seem to be profitable
IN sensibe Transact m on the part of the gov
ernment but as suggested by the secretary of the
trrasu y, the surplus thus expended for the pur-
| chase OF onds was money. drawn from the peo-
| pie In excess OF any actual need OF the govern.
lnent and was 20 expended rather than allow it
| TO remain idle in the trea ,ury. IL this surplus
under the operation OF just aad equitable Jaws
had been left in the hands OF the people 1t would
have been wor h In their bu,ne ~ at least per
cent. per annum. Deducting from the amount
OF interest upon the principal AMI premium upon
the bonds, aud The time they had TO run, at the
rate OF per cent, the Saving OF per cent. made
for the people the purchase f such bonds, the
loss so Id n per to be j5,7G0,000.
This calculation would Seem to demonstrate
that II exec sive and unnecessary taxation is con-
tinued, and the governme il forced 10 pursue
this policy of purchasing its own bonds at the
premiums which it will be necessary to pay. the
loss to the people will be hundreds Of millions of
dollais. Since the purcha of bonds was under
ta@en, as mentioned neary oil tuat have been Of
quite apparent that the government was In dan
ger Of being subjected to combinations to raise
their prices, as appears by the instance cited by
the secretary OF the Offering OF bonds Of the par
value Of only 1926 900 so often that the aggregate
of sums demanded for their purchase amounted
to more than Sl0,7JJ,0oO. Notwithstanding the
large sums paid out Ia the purchase of bonds, the
surplus III the treasury on the 30th day of Novem-
ber 1883, was Sj2 ,d4, ,6lvO1 after deducting SaO-
OoO,oOO just drawn out for the payment or pen
sions.
The secretary OF the treasury's recon-.
mendations, the most important of which
be suspended, are Endorsed. Also reports
of the war Office and the operations of supply
ing heavy ordnance, etc. are summarized, and
urged upon congress. Reference Is made 10 the
IMPRISONED Apaches, and the report from them il
stated to be salts actory, but he opposes return
ing them to their reservation.
The death OF Gen. Sheridan In August last was
national aiiliction. The army then lost this
grandest of It's chiefs. The country lost a brave
and experienced soldier, a wise aud discreet coun-
seor and modest and sensible man. Those
who in any manner came within the range of his
served and willing homage to his greatness aud
the glory of his career; but they will cherish with
more tender sensiblty the loving memory Of his
simple, generous and consderate nature.
The report of the secretary of the navy demon
states very Intelligent management in that i'm
portant department and discloses the most sat
isfactory progress In the work OF reconstructing
the navy made during the past year. OF the
ships in course OF construction, five, viz: the
the Pctrrl, have IN that time been launched and
are rapidly approaching completion; and in adj
diton To the above the Philadelphia, the San
Francisco, the Newark. the Bennington, the Con-
cord and the HerreshoH torpedo boat are all un-
der contract for delivery to the department dur
ing the next year. The progress already made
and being made gives good ground for the ex-
pectation that these eleven vessels will be incor-
porated as a part of the American navy within
The report shows that notwithstanding the
large expenditures for new construction and the
additional labor they involve the total ordinary
or current expenditure OF the department for the
three years ending June 30, 1885, are less than by
more than 20 per cent than such expenditures
for the three years ending June 80. 1884,
The message then takes up the postmaster
generals report, and after going over the figures
says: The Increase for correspondence with for
eTsatfyng aad is especially notable f end e1sep,
tional with Central aud South American states
and with Mexico. AS the greater part of mail
matter exchanged with these countries Is COM
mercal in its character, this increase is evidence
of the improved business relations with them.
The practical operation Of the pa Gel post con-
fill the most favorable predictions as to their
benefits. In January last general postal con.
yention was negotiated with the Dominion OF
and which practi ally makes one postal territory
of the United States and Cauada. Under it mer.
through the mails at fourth class rates of post.
age.
was introduced at the last session Of the con-
gress by which q uniform STANDARD In the
amount Of gross receipts would fix the right of
q community to a public building to be erected
by he government for p stof1ice purposes. 1t
was demonstrated that, aside from the public
convenience aud the promotion OF harmony
among citizens Invariably disturbed by change
OF leasings and of site, it was a measure OF the
highest economy and Of sound business judg-
m nt 1t was foun that the government was
q
cent. per annun on what the cost Of such public
buildings would he. A very great advantage re-
sulting from such law would be the revention
Of large number OF bills constantly introduced
for the erection OF public buildings at places,
and involving expeniture', not justified by pub
lie necessity. trust that this m 'asur will be
come a law at the present ession OF congress.
Of.the total number OF postmasters 54,5N are
Of the fourth class These, of course, receive no
allowances whatever for expenses in the SERVICE
and their compensation Is fixed by percentages
receipts at their respective Offices. This rate
Of compensation may have been and probably
was, at some time, just; but the standard has re-
manned unchanged through the several reduc-
tions In the rates of postage Such reductions
have nece sarily cut down the compensation of
these officials. while Il undoubtedly Increases, the
business performed by them. Simple justice
quires attention to this subject, to the end that
fourth class postInastcrs may receive at least
equivalent to that which the law itself fixing the
rate intended for them.
Another class OF postal emploves whose condi
ton seems to demand gislal ion Il that OF clerks
in po tofices, and coll special attention to the
repeated recJmmendatiJ ms Of the postmaster
general for their classification Proper egisa-
ton of this character for the relief OF carriers In
the free-delivery service has b EN- frequent. Pro
vision is made for their pro motion: for substitutes
for them vacation, for substitutes for holi ays
and limiting their hours OF labor. Seven million
dollars has be n appropriated for tho current
year to provide for them, though the total num-
t.or0 ~ har fh.sxa iu