The Portland daily press., 1893-11-03
Treasury Figures.

Washington, November 2-The treasury
statements show a general cash balance
of about 500, 600, 900, including both cur
rency and the gold reserve. This is a
loss of about So, 500. 600 during October,
but the bulk of the loss is due to the
payment of the October interest on the
per cent bonds. The general account of
receipts and expenditures shows but a
small loss for the month, receipts having
reached about S26,000,0 900, and expendi-
lures S27, 500, 600.
The pension payments continue to
show a decrease, compared with last
year, the figures for October being &c.,
500, 531, against payments in October,
1892, Of S12 6S2, $50.
1t is believed at the treasury depart
ment that customs receipts will increase
somewhat with the revival of business
due to the repeal of the silver purchase
law, and that many of the goods now in
the custom houses will be Withdrawn
and duties paid. Assistant Secretary
Curtis had a conference with Collector
Kilbreth on this subject. on his recent
visit to New York, and report on the
value and 'dutiab1e character of the goods
in bond will soon be made to the depart
ment.
The gold balance has been steadily
clim bling upward ever since the day
when an agreement on the repeal bill
WAS ItDOIbcQ,3 UCll udyS ago. NOU d Ody
has passed since which has not shown a
small increase, which is admitted to be
due in part to the careful management of
the treasury department., but appears to
be also due to the growing willingness
of the banks to pay into the custom
house the gold which they have been
accommodating. The gold balance week
ago was 1872, 2s3, 25s;, on October rs it was
SS2, 629, 9S5; on October 26, $82, 944 ,273: on
Octorber 81, $s5, 437, 453; on October 2s.
1888, 6s6, 099; on October 30, 1874, 226, TIC
Hoping Against Hope:
Washington, November 2.-The silver
men in Congress held a conference last
night at Chamberlains which was at
tended by about thirty of the representa-
tive men of that faction from the Senate
and House. Speaking of the meeting
and what it did, Senator Dubois said
this morning: "We are all hopeful of
the future, and are satisfied that the
sentiment of the country is for free coin
age. The question is how best to put the
issue before the people of the country in
the various Congressional districts. An
effort will be made at the next election
| to carry Congress and pass free coinage
bill. If Mr.. Cleveland should veto it,
then the fight will be carried into the
Presidential election. 1t was the opinion
of all that politics should be kept out of
it, and that the fight be made within the
party lines of the two great parties by
the election of such men as are in favor
of silver, regardless of the views they
| may hold on the questions.
Herbert Talks of the Machias..
Washington, November 2.-Secretary
Herbert today made statement concern
ing the changes necessary in the cruisers
Marblehead, Detroit and Montgomery
and the gunboats Machias and Castine, in
order to insure their liability. The state
ment, it is said, shows that the chief
constructor under the last adimnistra
ton, as well as Commander Folger is to
blame for increasing the batteries of
those ships after the original plans for
lighter ordance has been adopted. The
papers unearthed from the Naval
Ordnance Bureau show that Chief Con-
structor Wilson concurred with Com
mander Folger in his desire for increas-
| ing the batteries.