Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-12-18
The National Trcasurv.

/ The general Interest in the operations O.
the treasury department has been muct
/ augmented during the last year by reason
of the conflicting predictions, which &C
companied and followed the tariff and
othes legislation of the last congress at
fecting the revenues. as to the results OF
this legislation upon the treasury ana upor
the country.
1t is not my purpose to enter at any
length into discussion Of the effects OF
the legislation to which | have referred
but, a brief examination of the statistics
OF the treasury and general glance at the
state OF business throughout the country
will, 1 think, satisfy any impartial inquiry.
that its results have disappointed the evil
prophecies OF its opponents, and in large
measure realized the hopeful predictions
of its friends. Rarely, II ever before in
the history of the country. has there been
time when the proceeds OF one days
labor or the product OF one farmed crop
that could purchase such large amount
of things that enter into the living of the
ma, OF the people. believe
the fact that the tariff act of the Fifty-first
congress Is very favorable in its average
effect upon the prices of articles as enter
ing into common use.
During tho twelve months from October
l, 1890, TO September 30. 1891, the total
and exports combned) was Sl,747, SOC, 4O6,
which was the largest OF any year in the his
tory of the United States. The largest in any
previous year was in 1890. when our com
merce amounted to sl,G47. l39, 093, and the
last year exceeds this enormous aggregate
by over Sl0o,0O0,OO0. 1t is interesting and
to some will be surprising to know that
during the year ending September 80, 1891,
our imports of merchandise amounted to
1924. tbs, go, which was an increase Of more
than sll 900, 900 over the value of the i'm
ports of the corresponding months of the
preceding year, when the imports of mer-
chandise we're unusually large in anticipa-
tion of the tariff legislation then pending.
The average annual value of the imports
of merchandise for the ten years from 1881
to 1890 was SG92, lSG522, and during the
year ending September 80, 1891, this annual
average was Exceeded by Sl92 .52S, 400.
The value of free imports during the
twelve months ending September 80, 1891,
was SllS,002,3S1 more than the value OF
free imports during the corresponding
twelve months of the preceding year, and
there was, during the same period, de-
crease of sl06, $40, sos in the value of i'm
ports of dutiable merchandise.
IL we turn to exports of merchandise, the
statistics are full of qualification. The
whole of such exports or merchandise for
the twelve months ending September 80,
1891, was s023 09l ,146 while for the cor
responding previous twelve months, it was
$500 HILL an increase of $50, 9l4, Cpl,
which is nearly three times the
average annual increase of exports
of merchandise during any year in
the history or the government. The in
crease in the value of exports of agricui-
tural products during the year referred to
over the corresponding twelve months OF
the prior year was s45.S46, 1877. while the
increase in the value of exports of manu-
featured products was GIG, S3S, 240
The report % the secretary OF the treas
ury shows that the total receipts of tbs
government from all sources for the fscal
year ending June 30. 1891. were Sass, 544,
233.03 while the expenditures for the same
period were $i2l ,30I, 410.4 A. leaving sur
plus Of S31, 239. 1921.
The receipts of the fiscal year ending
June 80. 1872, actual and estimated art
S433, 700, 900, and tle expenditures 500. 0O0
900. For the fiscal year ending June 30
1898. the estimated receipts are Si55, 3SG, $50
and the expenditures Si3O, ~, 0y3.
Under the law of July II. 1870, the score
tary of the treasury has purchased since
August Is, during the fiscal year, AZ, 1913,
ll3 ounces of silver bullion, at al
average cost of sl.0i5 per ounce
The highest price paid durnl
the year was 81. 2025 and the lowest so 1886
In exchange for this silver bullion there
have been issued $50. $40 4ys of the treasury
notes authorized by the act. Tae loves
price of silver reached during the tisca
year was S0.9j36, on April -. 1891; but on
November | the market price was only
S0.96 which would give to the silver dollar
bullion value of Al. cents.