The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1894-12-14

the preceding year. The amount of
bounty paid from July I, 1904, to
August 2S, 1894, the time when fur.
ther payments ceased by operation
ct law, was 5000, 1854. The total
expenses incurred in the payment of
the bounty upon sugar during the
fiscal year was SI3o,I4o,S5.
1t is estimated that upon the basis
OF the present revenue laws the receipts
of the government during the cur.
rent fiscal year ending June 90, 1905.
Will be S4a4,4a7,74S,4A, and its ex-
pendltures $4444a774S a., resulting
in a deficit of $40, 700, 900.
Fifty national banks were organi
zed during the year ending October
81, 1894, with capital OF Ss,a8s.-
900, and seventy nine, with capital
OF SIo,475,ooo, went into voluntary
liquidation. Twenty one banks, with
a capital of sa,77o,ooo, we're placed
In the hands of receivers. The total
number Of national banks in existence
on the 3rst day of October last was
3,7s6, being forty less than on the
3rst day Of October 81, 1893.
The transactions of the postal SER
vice indicate with barometric Ger
tainty the fluctuations in the business
of the country. Inasmuch, therefore.
as business complications continue to
exist throughout the last year to an
unforeseen exrent it is not surprising
that the deficiency of revenue to meet
the expenditures of the post.office de-
partment which was estimated in ad-
vance at about eight million dollars,
should be exceeded by nearly one and
a quarter million dollars.
The postmaster general states that
a deficiency is unnecessary and might
be ob"iated at once if the law regula-
ting rates upon mail matter of the
second class was modified. The rate
received for the transmission of this
second class matter is one cent per
pound, while the cost of such trans
mission to the government is eight
times that amount. In the general
terms of the law this rate covers news
papers and periodicals. The exten-
sions of the meaning of these terms
from time to time have admitted to
the privileges intended for legitimate
newspapers and periodicals surpds
ing range Of publications and created
abuses the cost of which amount in
the aggregate to the total deficiency
of the post-office department, namely
| $9,ooo,ooo. Another abuse consists
in the free carriage through the mails
of hundreds of tons Of seed and grain
uselessly distributed through the de.
partment of agriculture. The post
master general predicts that if the law
be so amended as to eradicate these
abuses not only will the post Office
department show no deficiency, but
he believes IN the near future al
legitimate newspapers and periodical
magazines might be properly trans
mitted through the mails to their sub
scribers free of cost.
After adverting to pension statistic:
the President says:
The commissioner of pensions is OF
the opinion that the year 1895, being
the thirtieth after the close of the wal
of the rebellion, must, according to al
sensible human calculation, see the
highest limit of the pension roll, ant
after that year it must begin to decline
The barefaced and extensive pen
sion frauds exposed under the direc
ton of the courageous and generous
veteran soldier now at the head o
the bureau leave no room for the
claim that no purgation OF our pen
sion rolls was needed, or that continu
ed vigilance and prompt action are
not necessary to the same end.
The accusation that an effort to de
tect pension frauds is evidence of un
friendliness toward our worthy
veterans and a denial their claims to
the generosity of the government
. suggests an unfortunate indifference
TO the commits sion of any offenst
which has for its motive the securing
of a pension, and indicates willing
ness to be blind to the existence o.
mean and treacherous crimes which
play upon demagogic fears and make
! sport of the patriotic impulse of &
grateful people.
[The general distribution of Agri
cultural Reports and seeds to farmers
is discouraged in the message as alsC
, in the Report of Secretary Of Agri
culture.
, The advantages to the public ser
vice Of an adherence to the principles
of civil service reform are constantly
r more apparent and nothing is so en-
couraging to those in official life who
, honestly desire good government al
the increasing appreciation by ouI
people of these advantages. A vas'
majority of the voters of the land are
5 ready To insist that the time and at