The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-03-09
THE NATIONAL TREASURY
PROSPECTS OF A DEFICIT AS VIEWED
BY THE COMMITTEE.
A Majority Of the Ways and Means Com
mittee Place no Confidence in Fosters
Estiu ate, While Republican Mem
bers Agree That it is Safe.

ti0n into the condition OF the treasury
was today completed and sent to the
printer. Appended to the majority
report prescribed by Representative
Springer is a copy of statement sent
to the coa mittee by the treasury de-
partment and testimony taken on tho
subject. The report says that assum-
ing that the statement by Secretary
Foster is correct on the 30th of June
next, there will be an estimated
cash balance of $2O,992,377 over and
above the legal gold reserve. 1t will
appear from examination of Fosters
verbal statement to the committee in
explanation OF this estimated balance
that it is probably too large. The
available balance will be reduced by
payment of the Choctaw claims So, ,00O,-
900. 1t will alo be reduced by any I'M
estimated and extraordinary expen-
ditures which may be incurred and
also by any fracture of the estimate of
receipts from customs, internal reve-
nues or other sources indicated.
The majority is of the opinion that
S'O oiiO SiOoO VI VhO PlOSOnO hoCdl y Ool
there will be an available cash balance
in the treasury aside from the gold
reserve of not over $17,000,000. After
going into details the report cites in
conclusion Secretary Fosters state
ment that in his opinion there would
be a deficit at the end of the fiscal
year, 1894, and that receipts of the
government should be increased by
$4,000, 900 to meet the treasury's con-
dition as set forth in his report, or to
increase the gold reserve fund by
$25,000,000.
Tne minority report which was
drafted by Representative Payne of
New York and is signed by all the
Republican members of the committee,
says such conclusions from evidence
presented with the report seem wholly
unwarranted and misleading. In
conclusion the minority says: "We
cannot escape the conclusion that the
major ty of the committee have,
whether Intentionally or not, put the
worst possible phase upon the con-
dition of the treasury overlooking i'm
portant points in the statement of the
secretary of the treasury and experts
dlllNlhS dU
warranted conclusions"
DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS,
The Democratic senate caucus, which
met this morning, was we'll attended.
Just what course the Democrats in
tended to pursue toward the Populists
has been matter of interesting con-
lecture. If it was known that the
Democrats had clear majo ity of
their own the action today indicates
that the Populists are to be ignored.
Senators Kyle Of North Dakota, and
PETER of Kansas, old Populists, and
Allen, new Populist elected by Ne
braska, were not invited to attend the
caucus, and to this extent at least, it
would seem that they have been pur-
posely neglected.
Martins case was, however, differ
ent. Martin of Kansas, although
elected by fusion votes was considered
q Democrat and as such was invited
by Senator German to attend the eau
Gus and was present and participated
in the proceedings. Allen, it is un-
derstood, will vote with the democrats
when it comes to organization. The
caucus lasted four hours, the only act
ual business transacted being to
authorize Chairman German to ap-
point committee to devise plans for
reorganization and report to the eau
Gus upon the call Of the chairman.
Much of the time was consumed in
discussion beariug upon the standing
of senator's when they had been ap-
pointed by governors, the cases In
point being Senators Backwith of
Wyoming and Mantle of Montana. A
spirit of opposition against seating
the appointees was manifested ana IN
support of this view number
of old decisions in senate con-
tested cases were cited. Ii was
finally decided that these matters, to-
gsther with the case of Martin, be re-
ferred to the committee on privileges
and elections. 1t is understood that
there was quite contest for the lead
ing chairmanships and disposition to
set aside traditions which gave rank
ing members of the minority places
when they come into majority. 1t is
unlikely though that the usual cus'
tom will be departed from.
BALANCES IN TREASURY.
Secretary carlisle, Wnen ne assumed
charge "of the treasury department
this afternoon, had on hand'$1, ,250, 900
free gold and pet balance of $25 $780,
900, of which S11, 100000 is in national
bank repositories and 100000 in
subsidiary coin and $5OO,OOO minor
coins.
COMPLEXION OF CONGRESS.
The present roll call of senators
show Al Democrats. 98 Republican,,
l Populist, Independent, l Farmers
Alliance and vacancies. The
vacancies are one each in Montana,
Washington and Wyoming. The
composition of the house as shown by
unofficial returns is Democrats 215,
Republicans 125. Third party 8 and
vacancies 2. The Democrats thus
have a majority Of 80 over all.
GREsHAM's PRIVATE SECRETARY.
Secretary Gresham has appointed
A. G. Bryan as private secretary, tho
position he filled under the admins
tration of Secretary Bayard.
uo;.tad fla Stars and Stripes