The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1894-04-25
REVENUES.
How Uncle Sam SweIIs His Enor.
nous Income Taking Care
of Small Things.
Conscience Money, Requests and
Post-office Keys all HeIpto
Swell the Pile.
EVERY LITTLE HELPS.

Uncle Sam has some odd sources OF
revenue which rarely, if ever, attracts the
attention Of his more or less dutiful
nephews and nieces. A careful record
is kept of them, however, by the excel
lent corps of accountants in the Office OF
the Treasury, and eventually the items
small and large, appear duly set forth in
the voluminous annual report on the f.
nances of the government issued by the
Secretary Of the Treasury.
Few persons would feel inclined to
look to government report of some IF
teen hundred pages for interesting read
ing. The mere suggestion of it conjures
up to terrors-thoughts of innumerable
columns Of figures, pages of statistics.
Properly considered, however, the con-
tents of the huge volume are anything
but prosaic. The work devoted to it is
vast, and from it one can trace the re-
suits OF every financial operation of the
government during the fiscal year. One
end OF the thread of every transaction
leads to the Treasury Department. no
matter where the other originates: and
these other ends may be found at the
uttermost ends of the earth, in the draw
ing of drafts by navy paymasters to pay
for fresh water in Friendly Islands, in
the payment of the stipend to the scrub
woman, who cleans the floor of New
York Custom House.
FROM MISCELLANEOUS SOURCES.
Probably as interesting feature, how
ever, as any in the report is the record OF
government receipts from miscellaneous
sources. These are OF great variety and
run all the way from bequests of pa
triotic citizens who leave money to be
devoted to the payment of the national
debt to the payment OF private soldiers
on account OF hand books lost or stolen
The total receipts from miscellaneous
sources, according to the recently issued
report OF the Secretary OF the, Treasury
for 1893, were S, 65l 1928 50. Three large
items alone appear. These are fees on
letters patent, 81, 1885, l3 55 tax on cir
culation of national banks, 81 1892, 623 So,
and the sale OF the old Custom House
site at Pittsburg, Pa, s433, 800; making
total of 1921, 447 IS, and leaving a
balance OF 1929, Ss1 "a, which is account
ed for by forty-fve separate and distinct
entries. 1t is among these minor items
that the interest in the miscellaneous
sources OF the revenue lies.
The conscience fund, for example, is a
source which always attracts attention.
During the fiscal year Of 1893 the govern
ment received from persons feeling the
prick Of conscience $l,79s rs. The an
nual receipts from this source are never
very large, which fact affords sad CON-
mentary upon the honesty OF people, for
the government is swindled right and
left by travellers returning from abroad.
Assessments upon owners OF vessels
for deaths on shipboard enriched the
government during the same period by
500. This is equivalent to statement
that ninety-seven persons died OF natu.
raj causes on American ships, during the
year. At first thought 1t seems peculiar
that Uncle Sam should demand $40 q
piece for every citizen who dies at sea
but the provision is wise one, as II has
induced emigraut ships to secure the
services Of better doctors than formerly
aud owners and sailing masters 70 pro
vide adequate medicine chests for Ions
voyages, "a f.a,....,.
III osLy A porLAR BENT y
The smalIest amount OF revenue IRON
any miscellaneous source by the govern
ment during 1898 was 81. This dnds en-
try with the other items, and wac de
rived from the rent Of property acquired
under the internal revenue laws In some