Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-12-10

| U1IUU.
The total coinage at the minis OF the Unite
States during the fiscal year ended June 81
1893. amounted 10 7i,lse. i6s. Q. Of which 49,
S7S,Aoj was In gold coin and BOB D,9'a5s
standard silver dollars and minor coins Tn
number Of national banks organized from tn
time the law authorizing their creation va
passed up TO October 81, 1895 was A.D5l, and {
this number 1850 we're at the date last men
toned in active operation having ~
thorized capital stock Of @'0,0li.s0
held by 1920, shareholders. and cir
culating notes amounting to f2li.4l2.dS
The total outstanding circulating notes Of u
national banks on the slst OF October. 1904
amounted to s2s4. 53au7, including unredeemet
but fully secured notes Of banks insolvent On
In process Of liquidation. The increase In ma
ti0nal bank circulation during the year ende
on that day was 2l.009. 4sU On October. 1891
when the condition OF national banks was las
reported. the total resources Of the 3.C70 activ
institutions was secs. d6, 1888, which In
cluded si.s03. ysS. $3.50 81 In loans aud discount
and sSe!,le,, 7aaS5 In money OF all kinds OIL
hand OF their liabilities si.a97. spt ,0ss was du
to Individual depositors and ssO0.s4aOlo con
sisted Of outstanding circulating notes
The War Department.
The report Of the secretary Of war exhibits
satisfactory conditions In the several branche
| OF the public service intrusted TO his charge
The limit Of our artillery force as fixed by Law
Is constantly and readily maintained. Thu
present discipline and morals Of the army ART
excellent and marked progress and eflcienc.
are apparent throughout Its entire organiza
ton With the exception Of delicate duties IL
the suppression Of slight Indian disturbances
along our southwestern boundary In which the
Mexican troops co-operated and the compul'
sorry, but peaceful return with the consent Of
Great Britain OF q band Of Cree Indians from
Montana to the British possessions no active
operation have been required Of the army dur.
Ing the past year.
The organized militia numbers 1859 men
The appropriations for Its support by the sev'
eral states approximate s?,S0O0 " annually and
&400,00O Is contributed by the general govern
ment Investigation shows these troops to be
unusually well drilled and inspired with much
military interest, IN In many instances they
are SO deficient In proper arms and equipment
that o sudden call to active duty would find
them inadeQuately prepared for field service.
therefore recommend that prompt measures
be taken to remedy this condition and that
Every encouragement be given to this deserv-
Ing body Of unpaid and voluntary citizen SOL
dIers upon whose assistance we must largely
rely In time OF trouble
During the past year rapid progress has been
made toward the completion OF the scheme
ar mt ad for the orant mn uud urma m a M nj for-
tiflcations along our sea coast, while equal
progress has been made In providing The mate
rial for submarine defense In connection with
these works This improved situation is largely
due to the recent generous re 'ponse OF congress
10 the recommendations OF the war department
The Attorney Generals Department.
l1ie attvfnoy-general presents o detailed ana
interesting statement OF the important work
done under his supervision during the last
fiscal year The ownership and management
by the government OF penitentiaries for the
confinement Of the convicted In the United
States courts OF violations Of federal laws,
which for many years has been subject Of
executive recommendation has at last to
o slight extent been realized by the utiliza-
tlon Of the abandoned military prison at Fort
Leavenw0rth as a United States penitentiary.
This Is certainly q movement In the right d.
rection; but 1t ought to be at once supple
mented by the rebuilding or extensive enlarge
ment Of this lmprovised prison and the con-
structlon OF at least one more, to be located In
the southern states. The capacity OF the
Leayenworth penitenttary is 30 limited that
the expense Of Its maintenance, calculated at
0 per capita rate upon the number Of prisoners
II can accommodate does not make as econom-
lcal on exhibit as 1t would II II we're
larger and better adapted to prison
purposes but am thoroughly CON-
WINGED that economy, humanity AID proper
sense Of responsibility and duty toward those
whom we punish for violation Of federal law
dictate that the federal government have the
entire control and management Of the peniten-
tiarles where convicted violators are confined
1t appears that since the transfer Of the Fort
Leavenworth military prison to Its new uses
the work previously done by the prisoners con-
fined there, and for which expensive machin-
cry has been provided has been discontinued.
This work consisted OF the manufacture OF
articles for army use, now done elsewhere. On
oil grounds 1t Is exceeding desirable that the
convlcts confined In this penitentiary be al
lowed to resume work OF this description.
The Post Office Department.
Our post office department Is In good condi-
ton and the exhibit made OF It's operations
during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1895, II
allowance is made for imperfections In the
laws applicable to 1t, Is very satisfactory. The
total receipts during the year were 49, 400 2Oa 40
The total expenditures we're 1905 600 "a, ex-
elusive of 81, $50 1913 ", which was'earned by the
Pacific railroad for transportation and credit
on their debt to the government There was
an increase Of receipts over the previous year
OF S55lG,tsl9l, or III per cent and an increase
of expenditures Of 1888, isl0,, or 4ii per cent
The deficit was sl,6799,6 10 less than that Of
the preceding year. The chief expenditures
of the postal service are regulated by law and
are not in control OF the postmaster general.
All that he can accomplish by the most watch
full administration and economy Is to enforce
and thorough collection and account
Ing for public moneys and such mlnoy savings
In small expenditures and in letting those con-
tracts for post office supplies and star service
which are not regulated by statute
The average revenue from each pound Of
arst-class matter was % cents. From each
pound of second-class ~ mills (of the second
class 81, 81 was county free matter). From
each pound OF thlrd-class, 1871 cents. From
each pound Of fourth-class. lA.6 cents The
growth In weight OF second-class matter has