Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1892-12-21
nlghly prOmotve of mutual respect and good
Executive Departments.
THE TRFAcITRY

OCAOiC 1utO QcIdlS. IQdL the
public debt has been reduced since March 1882
S2o5, ,074, 2OO, and the annual interest charges
I'll, ,6S4, 400: second, that there have been paid
out for pensions during this administration on
up to November l, 1892, Si32 564 l7S 30 an excess
OF STA 466, 306. 90 over the sum expended during
the period from March /. 1885, to March 1, 1899;
and third. that under the existing tariff up to
December about $4,000, 900 of revenue which
would have been collected upon imported sugars
If the duty had been maintained, has gone in to
the pockets OF the people and not into the pub
lie treasury, as before. II there are any who
still think that the surplus should have been
kept out OF circulation by boarding it in the
treasury, or depositing it in banks with
out interests while the government con-
tinued 10 pay the very banks interest,
upon the bonds deposited as security for the
deposits, or who think that the extended per-
sion legislation was a public robbery, or that
the duty on sugar should have been maint ntained,
am content to leave the argument where il
now rests, while we wait to see whether these
criticisms will take the form of legislation
The revenues of the fiscal year ending June
30, 1892 from all sources, were S425, ,S63 261 %
and the expenditures for all purposes were
el5 953, sos IS, leaving balance of 49, 9t4 453 &C.
There was paid during the year upon the pub
lie debt $40 So 467 9S TAe surplus in the treasury
and the bank redemption fund, passed by the
act OF July IL, ls9' to the general fund, fur
niShed In large part, the cash available and
used for the payments made upon the public
debit Compared with tho year 1891, our re-
ceipts from customs duties fell of 81 069 2I1 Os
while our receipts from internal revenue in
creased Ss,28i,s.3l3 leaving the net loss of
revenue from these principal sources S33 37s4,-
% The net loss of revenue from all sources
was So, ,675, ,s72.sl.
The revenues. estimated and actual, for the
year ending June 30, 1s93 are placed by the
secretary at 1853, 800, $50. "A, and the expendi-
49, 0<n
receipts over expenditures of $1,000 OO0. The
cash balance in the treasury at the end Of the
fiscal year, it is estimated, will be SD 992 387 03
So far as these figures are based on estimates
of receipts and expenditures for the remaining
months OF the current fiscal year there are
not only the usual elements Of uncertainty but
some added elements. New revenue legislation
or even the expectation of 1t, may seriously re-
duce the public revenues during the period of
uncertainty and during the press of business
adjustment TO the new conditions when they
become known. But the secretary has very
wisely refrained from guessing as to the effect
Of possible changes in sur revenue laws since
the scope Of those changes and the ti,ue of their
taking effect cannot in any degree be forecast
or foretold by him His estimates must be
based upon existing laws and upon a continu-
ance Of existing business conditions except so
far as these conditions may be affected by
causes other than new legislation.
The estimated receipts for the fiscal year
June 80 1893, are s4so, l2l 1855 33 and the esti-
estimated surplus of receipts over the ex-
penditures of S32, 36), ,03005 This does not in
clude any payment to the sinking fund In the
recommendation Of the secretary that the sink
ing fund law be repealed 1 concur The re-
demption OF bonds since the passage of the law
to June 80, 1862 has already exceeded the re-
quirements by the sum of S991, TO- 6Sl. 40 The
retirement of bonds in the future before ma
turity should be a matter of convenience, not OF
compulsion. We should not collect revenue for
that purpose, put only use any casual surplus
To the balance OF $3.50 03O.O5 of receipts over
expenditures for the year 1894 should be sdded
the estimated surplus at the begin
ming of the year, $50, 992, S77. O3 and from this
aggregate there must be deducted as stated by
the secretary, about s4i 000, 600 of estimated un
expended appropriations.
During the last fiscal year the secretary pur
Chased al.aer the act of July ~ feso 81, ,S35 rs
ounces of silver and issued in payment thereof
s51, 106, ,6OS in notes. The total purchases since
the passage of the act have been 100, 47a 98
ounces and the aggregate of notes issued
Sl1o,753590. The average price paid for
silver during the year was "a cents per
ounce, the highest price being Sl.02a1
July 1, 1891, and the lowest S0.S3 March 81, 1892
THE WAR OFFICE
The report of the secretary of war brings
tant suggestions as to the reorganization OF
the infantry and artillery arms of the service
which his predecessors have before urged that
they be pressed Our army is small but its or
ganization should all the more be put upon the
most approved modern basis. The conditions
upon what we have called the frontier" have
heretofore required the maintenance of many
small posts bur now the policy of concentra.
tion is obviously the right one. The new posts
should have the proper stragetic relations t.
the only frontiers we now have, those of the
seacoast and OF the northern part of our south
ern boundary. 1 do not think that any question
OF advantage in localities, or states, should de
termine the location OF the new posts.
JUSTICE
by law submitted directly to congress
but l cannot refrain from saying that he
has conducted the increasing work o.
the department Of justice with great profeS
sional skill He has in several directions Sc
cured from the courts decisions making in
creased protection to the officers of the Unit tee
States and bringing some classes Of crime tina
escaped to punishment in the tribunals of thu
United States, where they could be tried will
impartiality.
THE POST OFFICE
The report of the postmaster general show
most gratifying increase and most eff1cien
and progressive management Of the great bust
HCoS OI JudL department. Inc remarKaDlo In
crease in revenues in the number of post Office
and in the miles Of mail interchange furnishe,
further evidence Of the high state of prosperity
which our people are enjoying. New once
mean new hamlets, towns, routes mean tn
extension Of our border settlements and in
creased revenues mean active commerce. Tn
postmastergeneral reviews the whole perio
OF his administration OF the once and bring
some Of his statistics down to the month @
November last Tho postal reveNues have ia
creased during the last year neIrly 5000, ,00>
The deficit for the year ending June 80, 1892, il
sSIS, ,34l less than the deficiency of the preced
ing year The deficiency of the present fisca
year it is stimated will be reduced to Il 752 423
which will not only be extinguished during tn
next fiscal year, but surplus of nearly 81 900
900 should there be shown
In these calcula tionS the payments to be mad
under the contracts for ocean mail servic
have not been included
The number of post offices has been increase
by 2,1p0 during the year, and during the pas
four years and up to October % last, the tots
increase of the number of offices has been neal
ly 10000 The number OF free delivery otfce
has been nearly doubled in the past four year
and the number of money order offices NOR
than doubled with that time For three year
ended June 80, 1892 the postage revenu
amounted to sl9s. IA $50. which was an increas
of $50 263 I59 over the revenue for three year
ended June 30, 18 8. the increase during tn
last three years being more than three and ha
times as great as the increase during Ii
three years ended June 30, lSea
TIE NAVY.
The report of the secretary of the navy e.
hibits great progress in The construction of o,
new navy. When the present secretary entere
upon his duties only three modern steel vesse
were in commission. The vessels since put
commission and 10 be put in commission durir
The winter will make total of nineteen durir
his administration of the department Durir
| the current year ten war vessels and thr,
! navy tugs have been launched. Two other lar.
| ships and a torpedo boat are und,
contract and the work upon them we
! advanced and the four monitors are awaitir
only the arrival of their armor. which has bee
| unexpectedly delayed, or they would have bet
/ before this in commission
! Contracts have been let during this admin
| tration. under the appropriations for the
crease of the navy. including new vessels AZ
their appurtenances to the amount of 49, 90
00o, and there has been expended during u
| same period for labor at navy yards upon sin
lar work s3 000.000. without the smallest sea
dal or charge OF fraud or partiaiity The e
| thusiasm and interest OF cur naval officers DO