The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1892-12-14

ruced Since March Z, 1S55, s25J .U7f 700
% sesond"TSa, % there have been 81 paid oa, ,go 9or
November ], lse2. sia2, ,5oi, ,ifs 20, an ex.
cess OF sl14,468, ,as6 90 over the sum tx-
1855 to March !, lsso; and,
Third-Tbat under the existing tariff up
to December about 500, ,00O, 900 OF revenue
which would have been collected upon i'm.
ported sugars N the dutv had been main.
tained has gone into tie pockets of the
before II there are any who still think
that the surplus shonid have been kept out
OF circulation by boarding (, IN the Treasury
terest while the Government continued to
pay these very banks interest upon the
posits, or who think that the extended pen.
sion LEGISLATION was a public robbery, or
that the duties upon sugar should have been
maintained, am content 20 leave the argu.
mene where II now rests while we wait to
see whether these criticisms will take the
form of legislation.
The revenues for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1892, from all sources were st25.-
sss, geo 2g and the he, ,cxpenditpres & for all par.
p1, pnee "ele ssp5,'sasggV ss 90 'Tnving Tnarg ga,
paid ourine the year s4o,51o485 p,
upon the public deot The surplus it
the Treasury and the bank redemption
fund passed by the Act OF July IL. 1880, tt
the general fund, furnished IN large part
tte cash available and used for the pay
ments made upon the public debt Com
pared with the year 1881, our receipts from
customs duties tell off So. .O89.24l on. while
our receipts from internal revenues SIS, 9s4,
Nh 13, leaving the net loss of re venue from
these principal sources, s3a,1si4l1 %. IN,
nnstt net los i,s oi revenue from all sources was
The revenues estimated and actual 70,
the hscal year ending June 80, ls93. are
and the expenditures at s4dl ,336,350 ~
showing surplus Of receipts over expendi
tnres Of s!.Ooo,ooo. The cash balance ir
lf he md Of As.s al a.
Is estimated, will be szO.0o?.375 or
Solar as these figures are based upon and
estimates Of receipts and expenditures foi
the remaining months of the curren. nscal
year there are not only the usual elements
OF uncertainty, but some added elements
New revenue legislation. or even the ex
pectation of II. may seriously reduce the
public revenues during the period of uncer.
tatntv and during the process of business
adjustment to the new conditions when they
become known
1ne estimated receipts for .hc fiscal veai
ending June 30. 1894. are siNOl2l,36j ~,
and the estimated appropriations SI51.2Jl.'
H51 33, leaving an estimated surplus o. re.
ceipts over expenditures OF s3a 500 O30 O5
rms does not include any payment to the
sinking fund. In the recommendation ot
the secretary that the Sinking Fund law he
repealed, ! concur The redemption of
bonds since the passage OF the law tn June
10, 1892 has already exceeded the require.
ments by the sum of 5000, ,5l0,6Sl 40 The
retirement of bonds in the future before
maturity should be a matter OF convenience,
not OF COmpulsiOn
The report OF the Secretary Of war
brings again To the attention of Congress
some important suggestions as to the reor-
Ranization of the infantry and artillery
arms OF the service, which his predecessors
have before urgently presented. our army
i small, but Its organization should all the
more be put upon the most approved mod
ern basis.
The report OF the Attorney General Ia bv
Law submitted directly to Congress. but I
cannot refrain from saving that he has
conducted the increasing work OF the De
partment OF Justice with great professional
skill
The aggregate OF claims pending against
the Government in the Court of Claims is
enormous Claims to the amount of nearly
s400. 900 900, for the taking of or injury to
the property of persons claiming to he loyal
during the war. are now before tndt court
for examination. When to these are added
the Indian depreciation claims and the
French spoliation claims. an aggregae IL
reached that is indeed startling In the de
tcnCr of these claims the Government Is at
great disadvantage. The claimants have
preserved their evidence. whereas the Gov.
ernment has tn send agents 10 rummage the
Held for what they can find. This difficulty
IS peculiarly great where the fact to he estah.
lisned is the disloyalty of the claimant dur.
Ing the war II this great threat against our
revenues Is to have no other check, certainly
Congress should supply the Department OF
Justice with appropriations snniciently lib
eral TO secure the best legal talent In the de.
fence of these claims, and to pursue its
vague search for evidence effectively.
Inc report OF the postmaster 6cnerat
shows a most gratifying increase and most
emcient and progressive management of
the great business of that department. The
Postmaster General has extended to the
postofiices In the larger cities the merit sys.
tenn OF promotion, introduced by my dircc-
ton into the departments here, and IL has
resulted there, as In the departments, In o
large volume of work and that better done
Ever since our merchant marine was
iriven from the sea by the rebel cruisers
during the War of the Rebellion, the United
nNf
annual tribute To foreign countries
In the shape of freight and passage
moneys. Our grain and meats have been
taken At our docks and our large i'm.
ports there laid down by foreign shipmas-
ters. An increasing torrent of American
travel 20 Europe has contributed vast sum
annually T. the dividcnds of foreign ship.
owners The balance of trade shown by the
books of our custom houses has been very
largely rsnuoea aad III IN nm many Years alto
In the year 1892 only 12.3 per cent. of our
imports were brought in American We ssels.
These great foreign steamships maintained
by our trafic are, many OF them, under con-
tracts with their respective Governments
by which in time Of war they will become a
part of their armed naval establishments
Fronting by our commerce IN peace. they
Will become the most formidable dcstroyers
Of our commerce In time of war. have felt
and have before expressed the feeling that
this condition of things was both intolera.
BILE and disgraceful. A wholesome change
Of policy and one having In II much promise,
March ., 1891. Under this law contracts
have been made by the Postmaster General
for IL mail routes The expenditure in.
volved by these contracts for the next fiscal
year approximates S954, ,l2S ~. As one of
these results already reached 10 American
steamships OF an aggregate tonnage OF
5I.40O tons, costing 81, 400 900 have been
built or contracted to be built in American
ship wards.
The estimated tonnage of all steamships
required under existing contracts is 1885,
s02. and when the fun service REQUIRED by
these contracts Is established there VIII be
Al mail steamers under the American nag,
with the probability of further necessary
additions IN the Brazilian and Argentine
service. The contracts recently let for
transatlantic service will result In the con-
struction OF FIVE ships Of 10000 tons each,
costing $4,000, 900 or $40, 900. 900, and will
add, with the City of New York and City of
Paris, to which the Treasury Department
was authorized by legislation at the last
session TO give American registry, seven of
the swiftest vessels upon the sea to our
naval reserve.
The report OF the Secretary OF the Nav,
exhibits great progress in the construction
OF our new navy When the present Secre
tary entered upon his duties only three
modern steel vessels were in commission.
The vessels since put In commission and to