The herald., 1894-09-02
AN IMPRAC7|CABLE PROVISO
Section 5 of the New Tariff Act
Is Void.
Compliance With Its Requirements
Impossible.
A slight Decrease In the Public Debt
During August-Ths Treasury
Cash BsIance-FInan-
cIal Notes.



WASHINGTON, Sept. LIN reply to q
correspondent at New York, calling at
tention to the impractibility of techai-
cal compliance with the requirements OF
section OF the new tariff act, providing
that invoices must state quantities ex-
actly. Secretary Carlisle has written a
letter in which he eays:
The department recognizes the cor
rectness OF your contention in the mat
ter and admits the impracticability OF
such mathematical sscertainment of
the quantity, weight or measurement OF
every imported article as would result
from the actual measurement OF every
spool OF cotton or the gauglng of every
bottle OF wine.
In view OF this condition it Is held
the law is complied with when the
packages which contain such articles as
are usually marked. stamped. branded
or labeled duly indicates the quantity
OF their contents. Such packages must,
accordingly, show the number of pieces
or articles contained respectively there
in.
This ruling does not change the in
etructions heretofore issued regarding
the marking OF goods so as to indicate
the country or origin, but refers solely
TO the provisions in section respecting
quantity"
PUBLIC DEBT STATEMENT.
The monthly statement of public
debt issued by the treasury department
today shows a decrease in the public
debt OF $1,713.654, not including certfi-
Gates and treasury notes Offset by an
equal amount OF cash in the treasury.
Including the certificates and treasury
notes the decrease was $9l,9l7. On
August 81, 1894, the interest bearing
debt was $685.. 042 $50 an increase for
the month of $50. The debt on which
interest has ceased since maturity wss
81, S31, 700, decrease for the month OF
$9O. 100. The debt bearing no interest
amounted to 1879, 1867 ,693. decrease OF
Vs.. Certificates and treasury notes
outstanding, offset by an equal amount
OF cash in the treasury, was S6l5, $50, 1872,
a decrease for the month of SI,62l, 1857.
The aggregate debt August 81 was ST.
632 1892 ,575.
THE CASH BALANCE.
Inc several Items OF cash In the treas |
ury are given as follows: Gold coins !
a a uHfD, s1on ss5. $50, silver, $5I3, 167,-
Soo; paper. $l30,Sl9. 260; bonds and
minor coins, sl7.33O, 1897, aggrepstino
sfel,auo 5o1, against which there are de-.
naSno liabilities amounting to 1854. 535-
1 1oo' Leaving a cash balance OF sl27.l4s..
O97. al whicA +Gs 40. vvV ~ $'-.'-.,
The increase in the cash during the
month was $S,002,745.
RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES.
A comparative statement of the re.
ceipts and expenditures of the govern
ment issued by the treasury department
today shows the total receipts during
August to have been SAC, All, SOY, against
s34, S09, $50 for the previous month. OF |
the receipts for August, sl1 1904, 9l4 were
from customs, s27, 5S2 27S from internal
revenue, aad $1.050.4l from miscella-
neous sources. The expenditures aggre-
gated $3l, 656. 636, which leaves an uRex-
pended balance for the month Of IS, $780,
$50.
NEW COUNTERFEIT.
A new counterfeit So bank note has
been discovered by the redemption
agency of the treasury department. 1t
is on the Commercial National bank OF
Providence, r. l., of the series OF 1882, |
Garfield head, check letter A, charter
number 1919, bank number 20 ESQ., treas-
ury number N 597, 513; W. F. Rosecrans,
register: O. N Jordan treasuror