The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-12-21

S6s, 26O. "a and the expenditures for all pur.
poses were s4l5, ,953 806. So. leaving balance
Of 50, ,914, ass. go. There were paid during
the year upon the public debt $40. 570,-
1878. The surplus In the Treasury ano
the bank REDEMPTION fund, passed by the ac
Of July IA, 1890, to the general fund, fur.
nished in large part the cash available and
used for the payments made upon the pub.
lie debt. Compared with the year 1891, our
receipts from customs duties fell OF S42,.
069, 241 .08. while our receipts from internal
revenue increased s8. 2S4, 1923 .13. leaving the
net loss Of revenue from these principal
sources s33, ,7s4, 4l7.95. The net loss OF
revenue from all sources was S32 Ga, ,97?.81.
The revenues, estimated and actual, for
the fiscal year ending June 30. 1898. are
placed by the Secretary at s463, 1886, $50. A
and the expenditures at $46l, 33b, 80 "A,
showing surplus Of receipts over expendt-
lures of 50, 00O, 900. The cash balance in the
Treasury at the end OF the fiscal year 1t Is
estimated will be $50 1872, ,377. .03.
The estimate1 recsipts for the fsca. year
ending June. 80, 1894. are s49o, 121, 365. 30
and the estimated appropriations S457 ,2ol,
1858. leaving an estimated surplus OF re-
ceipts over expenditures Of S32 $3.50, O3l 05.
This does not include any payment to the
sinking fund.
The public confidence in the purpose and
ability of the Government to, maintain the
purity Of all our money issues whether coin
or paper, must remain unsaaken. The de-
mand for gold in Europe and the consequent
calls upon us are N considerable degrea
the result Of the efforts Of some Of the Euro,
pean Governments to increase their gold
reserve, and tness efforts should be met by
appropriate legislation on our part. The
conditions that have created this drain or
the Treasury gold are in an jmoortant de-
gree political and not com nercial. In view
Of she fact that general revision OF our
revenue laws in the near future seem to be
probable, it would be better that any changes
should be part Of that revision rather than
Of emporary nature.
SILVER BOUGHT AND COINED.
During the last fiscal year the Secretary
purchased under the act of July IA, 1890,
"a, 355,748 ouncss OF silver. and issued in
payment therefor s54, lO6, ,603 in notes. The
total purchases sincs the passage Of tbs act
have been 100, 479, 9S1 ounces and the ag
eregate of notes issued Sl16, 7S3, 500. The
average price paid for silver during the year
was 9i cents per ounce the highest price be-
ing 81. .02A July 1, 1891, AMI the lowest 80 .83
March 81. 1892. In view Of the fact that the
monetary conference Is now sitting and that
no conclusion has yet been reachsd, With :
hold any accommodation as to legislation
upon this subject :...##. r
ARMY REORGANIZATION DEMANDED.
The report OF the Secretary Of War
brings again to the attention Of Congress
some important suggestions as to the re-
arms of the servica which his predeces-
sors have before urgently presented. Our
army Is small but its organization
should all the more be put upon the most
modern basis. The conditions
upon what we have called the frontier
have heretofore required the main.
tenancs OF many small posts, but now
the policy Of concentration is obviously the
right one. The reorganization and enlarge
ment Of the Bureau Of military Information
which the Secretary has effected Is a work
the usefulness o. which will become every
year more apparent. The work OF building
heavy guns and the construction Of coast
defenses has been we'll begun and should be
carried on without check.
CLAIMS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT.
The aggregate Of claims pending against
the Government in the Court Of Claims Is
enormous. Claims to the amount Of nearly
$4G0, 900, 600 for the taking Of or injury to
the property Of psrsons claiming to be loyal
during the war are now before that court for
examination. When to these are added the
Indian depreciation claims and the French
spotlation claims an aggregate is reacle1
that is indeed startling. In the defense OF
all these cases the Government Is at great
disadvantage. The claimants have preserved
their evidence, whereas the agents OF the
Government are sent into the field to rum
mage for what they can find. The difficulty
is peculiarly great where the fact to beestab-
lished is the disloyalty OF ths claimant dur
ing the war. II this great threat against
our revenues IL to have no other check car.
tainly Congress shouli supply the Depart
ment Of Justice with appropriations sufa-
GENTLY hbsral to secure the best legal talent
in the defense Of these claims aud to pursue
its vague search for evidence effectively.
POSTAL AFFAIRS. .'-
The postal revenues have increased during
the last year nearly IS, 600. 900. The deficit
for the year ending June 80 1892, Is $S4s,-
81 less than the deficiency Of the preceding
year. The deficiency Of ths present fiscal
year, It Is estimated, will bs reduced to ST.
552. 429, which will not only bs extingutshsi
during the next fiscal year, but surplus OF
nearly one million dollars should then bs
shown. In these calculations the payments
to bs made under the contracts for ocean
mail service have not been included.
There have been added 1890 new mail
routes during the year, with mileage OF
S583 miles; AMI the total number OF new
miles OF mail trips added during the year /,
nearly seventeen milliouS. The number OF
miles of mail journeys aided during the
last four years Is about seventy-six millions
this addition being tweuty-one millions OF
miles more than were in operation In the
whole country in 1861. =, .r
The number. Of postofficss has been In
creased by 2790 during the year; an1 during
the past four years and up to October "
last the total increase in the nuubsr OF Of
fees has been nearly nine thousand. The
number of fres-ielivery offices has been
nearly doubled in the last four years, and
the number of money.order Offices more
than doubled within that time:
For the three years ending June 80. 1892,
the postal revenue amounted to Sl91, 744 359,
which was an increase Of $5?, 263, l5) over tbs
revenue for the three years ending June ~,
1888, the increase during the last three years
being more than three an half times as
great as the increase during the three years
ending June 80, 1888.
A wholesome caangs of policy and one
having in it much promise, as 1t seems 10
me, was begun by the law Of March 8 lS9l.
Under this law contracts have been made by
the Postmastsr-G sneral for eleven mail
routes. The expenditure involved by thess
contracts for the next fiscal year approx
mates S9l5 1913. .33. As one Of the results al
ready reached 16 American steamships OF an
aggregate tonnage Of 81, 400 tons, costing
81 400. 900 have been built or contracted to
be built in American shipyards.
No subject, think, more nearly touches
the pride, the power and the prosperity OF
our country than this Of the develop nent OF
our merchant marine upon the ssa. 1t we
nnnld enter into conference with other com