The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-12-09

year ended June Both. 1892, %, 1899, ,3S9
pounds of freight, and it carr led from
the United States, to be shipped to China
and Japan, 24,O6S.S4 pounds of freight.
! There was also shipped from the United
States over this road from eastern ports
! to our Pacific ports during the same year
13,9l2,973 pounds of freight and there
were received over this road at the
| United States eastern ports, from ports
on the Pacific coast 13, 3,293,3l5 pounds of
| freight. Joseph Nimmo, Jr., former
chief of the bureau of statistics when
before the Senate-elect committee on rela-
tions with Canada, April 26th, 1890, said
! that 1.-THE value of goods thus transported
between different points in the United
States across Canadian territory probably
amounts to Sl00,000,000 a year" If, as
we suppose, the political relations of
Canada and the disposition of the Cana
dian government are to remain unchang-
! ed, somewhat radical revision of our
I trade relations should, think, be made.
Our relations must continue to be init
mate and they should be friendly. There
is no disposition on the part of the people
or government of the United States to
interfere in the smallest degree with the
political relations of Canada. That
/ The Treasury situation is thus ex-
plained: The report of the secretary of
the treasury will attract especial inter-
est in view of the many misleading
statements that have been made as to
the state of the public revenues. Three
preliminary facts should not only be
stated but emphasized before looking
into details. First, that the public debt
has been reduced since March 4th, 1889,
S259, 9,074 200 and the annual interest
charge Sll 1884, ,469; second, that there
has been paid out for pensions during
this administration up to November 1st,
1892. S432, 1854, 1870, an excess of S114,-
466, ,3S0.09 over the sum expended dur
ing the period from March 1st, 1885, to
March 1st, 1880; and third that under
| the existing tariff up to December 1st
about S93, 100000 of revenue, which
would have been collected upon import
ed sugars if the duty had been MAIN
tained, has gone into the pockets of the
people and not into the public treasury
as before. If there are many who still
think that the surplus should have been
kept out of circulation by boarding it in
the treasury. or deposited in favored
banks without interest while the govern
ment continued to pay t. these very
banks interest upon the bonds deposit
ed as security for the deposits, or who
think that the extended pension legisla-
ton was a public robbery, or that the
duties upon sugar should have been
maintained | am content to leave the
argument where it now rests while we
wait to see whether these criticisms will
take the form of legislation.
The report of the Commissioner of
Pensions will attract great attention.
Judged by the aggregate amount of
work done the last year has been the
greatest in the history of the office.
believe that the organization of the of
flee is efficient, and that the work has
been done with fidelity. The passage of
whas is known as the disability bill has,
as was foreseen, very largely increased
the annual disbursements to the disabled
veterans of the civil war. The estimate
for shis fiscal year was $l44, 256000, and
that amount was appropriated. A de-
ticiency amounting to $l0,50S,621 must
be provided for at this session. The es-
innate for pensions for the fiscal year
ending June 30th, 1894, Is Sl65, 900, 900.
The commissioner of pensions believes
that, if the present legislasion and meth
ods are maintained and further addi-
tions to the pension laws are not made,
the maximum expenditure for pensions
will be reached June Both, 1894, and will
be at the highest point SlSS,000,0OO per |
annum.
The report of the Postmaster General |
shows a most gratifying increase and a
most efficient and progressive manage !
ment of the great business of that de- |
partment. The remarkable Incl ease in |
revenues, in the number of pOstoffices |
and in the miles of mail carriage fur
nishes further evidence of the high /.
state of prosperity which our people are
enjoying. The postal revenues have in
creased during the last year nearly So
100000. The deficit for the year ending
June 30th, 1892, is S84S, ,34l less than the
deficiency of the preceding year. The
deficiency of the present fiscal year is
estimated, will be reduced TO 1852. 1923,
whicn will not only be extinguishel dur
ing the next fiscal year, but surplus of
nearly $l,000,00O would then be shown.
A wholesome change of policy, and
one having in it much promise, as it
seems to me, was begun by the law of
March Sd, l ]9l. Under this law con-
tracts have been made by the pOstmas-
ter general for eleven ocean mail routes.
The expenditure involved by these con-
VI tSlS lOI Jllb HtAb uSCdl year dppIOAl-
mates 1854, 1888. As one of the results
already reached sixteen American
steamships, of an aggregate tonnage of
y, 400 tons costing 81, 100000, have been
built or contracted to be built in Ameri-
IAN shipyards.
The contract recently let for trans
Atlantic service will result in the con-
of five ships of 10000 tons
Zach, costing S9,000,000 or Sl0,000,000,
md will add, with the City of New York
md City of Paris, to which the Treasury
Department was authorized by legIsla-
ion at the last session to give American
'egisters. seven of the swiftest vessels
lpon the sea to our naval reserve. The
contracts made with the lines sailing to
Central and South American ports have
increased the frequency and shortened
he time of the trips, added new ports of
,all and sustained some lines that other
wise would almost certainly have been
The service 90 Buenos
Ayres is the first to the Argentine Re-
public under the American flag. The
ervce to Southampton. Boulogne and
Antwerp is also new and is to be begun
With the steamships City of New York
md City of Paris in FEBRUARY next.
| earnestly urge continuance of the
policy inaugurated by this legislation,
md that the appropriations required to
meet the obligations of the government
lnder the contracts may be made
so that the lines which haye
inferred into these engagements may not
L.