The morning call., 1891-12-25
CAPITAL NOTES.
The Fiscal Estimates Treasury Promo
tiOnS- Pensions and Personals.

ASHINGTON 10. ~, Dec. A.-Ino
attention of the Treasury Department
was recently called to the newspaper
statement to the effect that in the annual
estimate OF the receipts and expenditures
for the fiscal year ended June 80. 1891, the
late Secretary Window overestimated the
receipts of revenue $50, 100000 and UNDER
estimated the disbursements $4,000, 600.
The facts shown by the books of the depart
ment are given in the following letter from
Assistant Secretary Nettleton to Il. l..
Earle, Washington: 1.-The published state
ment is entirely erroneous. In the annual
report of Secretary Window the estimated
total receipts, including the postal service,
are placed at SAP, 600 600; the actual receipts
are S4S7, ,907 94j. Remem herring that the
tariff legislation by the Mckinley bill made
radical changes, most OF which took effect
after the date of the report. the estimate
made by him on December lst was slngu-
larry correct In the same report Window
estimated the total expenditures, including
the disbursements for the postal service. to
b. S420, 000, 900 for the same fiscal year. The
actual expenditures prove to have been
S444,S57. I6S, an excess of nearly S25, 900
over the estimate. This excess is almost
wholly accounted for by the expenditures
growing out of the legislation enacted and
The judicial decisions rendered alter the
date Of tie report, which, therefore. could
not have been taken into contemplation in
the estimate. The principal item of this
kind Is Sl1 81, 600, being Tor the refundlng
of direct taxes.
TREASURY PROMOTIONS.
Pursuant to directions embraced In letter
from the President to the head OF each de-
partment the Secretary of the Treasury has
completed plan which Will take effect on
the 1St OF January, under which all prone
lions in the Treasury Department will here
alter be made on the basis of merit only and
as Il result of competitive examinations.
Each examination Tor promotion to any
grade will be confined to clerks in the next
lower grade and in the same Office or bureau.
As part of the plan thus adopted daily
record will be kept of the efficiency of each
clerk by the chief of his division, and in all
the examinations this efficiency of record
will lie the element of chief weight. The
efficiency of record gives daily standing to
each clerk for punctullIly, attendance, con-
duct, including personal habits. accuracy,
industry. aptitude aud general ability.
This is an innovation with which the whole
Treasury Department is in full accord and
is regarded as removing all promotions from
the domain of political influence and official
favortism and places them exclusively on
tile basis of merit.
SECRETARY ELKINS SWORN IN.
Secretary Ekins was sworn into office
to-day Chief Clerk Tweeiale administered
the cath of olice. He spent few hours
receiving Off als, and left the city on the
afternoon train for EIklns, w. Va, where
he Will spend Christmas with his family.
DOMESTIC TIN-PLATE.
Acting Secretary Spauldiug has decided
that tin plates made In this country from
imported block plates are to be considered
as domestic prOduc ions within the mean
ing Of the Tariff act, just as If no foreign
material had catered into the manufacture.
VACATION FOR LAWMAKERS.
f.,,, uify of Of no a. ~
to-day. Most of the Senators and Repre-
| sent ,tives have left Washington for their
| homes, and there is no probability that any
| committee work will be done during the
| holidays.
PERSONAL MENTION.
| Speaker Crisp Is better Today.
| c. d. Doolittle of San Francisco is i'll the
| city.
Congressman Mills health continues tc
| improve.
Representative Caminettl and wife have
| gone to Philadelphia.
Senator Stanford and Repre- entatives
McKenna. Geary and Bowers will remain
4 in Washington.
I Senator FELTON, and Representatives LOuC
| and Cutting viii spend their Christmas il
| New York and New England.
Representative Wright of Pennsylvania,
who is confined to his residence by an at
tack OF grip, is reported better to-day.
THE DEPARTMENTS CLOSED.
The departments closed to-day before
transacting any business of Importance
There is nothing new tonight concerning
the Chilean matter.
PENSIONS GRANTED.
Pensions have been granted to the follow
ing Californians: William Gillen, William
II. Sparks. Andrew Guntly, Sabra A Hollo
way and Curnelia Schreiber.
THE PRESIDENT RECEIVES INDIANS.
A delegation of Blackfoot Indians, which
is visiting this city, was given reception
by the President this afternoon.