Evening star., 1897-03-16
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
Information and Suggestion That Were
Given to Congress.
Deficiency OF Revenue shown aud a
New Tariff Rill Urged to he
Promptly Passed.

| which was first made known to the nlhlic
| through the medium OF The Evening Star
| extra. which was promptly issued and fol-
| lowed Immediately the regular issue of the
| paper The Star extra on the street
and Was read by nearly all the citizens of
| Washington before any other publication
OF the message was made other than it's
| delivery to the two houses of Congress In
this respect The Star distanced all its COM
| petitors, and is always the case was
| the flrst TO furnish the news. The message
| was follows:
| Tc the Congress of the United States:
Regretiing the necessity which has re-
| CURED me 10 call you together. feel that
| your assembling in extraordinary session is
| Indispensable because Of the condition in
| which We find the revenues of the govern
inent- 1t rs conceded that its current expen-
| ditures are greater than its receipts and
| mat such condition has existed now for
| more than three years
| With unlimited means at our command
| we are presenting the remarkable spectacle
| OF increasing our public debt ny borrowing
| money TO meet the ordinary outlaws in
| cldem upon even an economical and pru-
| dent ADMINISTRATION OF the government An
| examination of the subject ,iiscloses this
fact in every detail and leads inevitably 10
| the conclusion that the condition OF the
| revenue which allows IL is uniustifiable and
| should be corrected.
| Some Compa risons.
| We find by the re ports of the Secretary OF
| the Treasury that the revenues for the
| fiscal year ending June 30 lS.2 from all
| sources were s4c5. Sos 26o22 and the ex-
| penditures for all purposes were sil5a53.-
| SG.o6 leaving an excess of receipts over
| expenditures of s?9l4. i:,3.66. During that
| fiscal year s4o.51o. i61.9s were paid upon the
| public debt, which had been reduced since
| March ], 1889. SeJooI6 S.1 and th. annual
| interest charge decreased sl1.6sI. 576.Go
.ae, ~.
| sources during the fiscal year ending June
| 80 1888. amounted to sl6l. 7l6 ,6l ~ and its
| expenditures to S45?,31i, 80 81. showing an
| S2.3il .614 -
| Since that time the receipts of no fiscal
| year. ana with but few exceptions of no
| month of any fiscal year, have exceeded
| the expenditures.
| The receipts of the government from all
| sources during the fiscal year ending June
| 30 1894. were s272. S,,2 49s - and lis ex-
| penditures s4I2. .Gp5. 15s. 81 leaving a deficit
| the first since the resumption of specie pav-
| ments. of s6i. sa3. e,n.5S Notwithstanding
| there was "A decrease of SIG. 1tig 1.S ~ i'm tho
ordinary expenses of the government, as
| compared with the previous fiscal wear It's
| income was still not sufficient to provide for
| ITS daiiy necessities. and the gold reserve
| IN the treasury, for the redemption of
| greenbacks. was drawn upon 10 meet them
| But this cld not suffice and the govern
ment then resorted to loans TO replenish
| the reserve.
1 f.F
| were issued, ana in November following a
| second issue Of So,gn.ro was deemed
! necessary. The of s1I1 III 1.,1 Was
| realized by the sale of these bonds but The.
| reserve was steadily decreased unril. on
| February $, 1S3o third sale of si2 3l5 400
in bonds for $50, ,116,2ii announced TO
Congress.
| The receipts of the government for the
| fiscal year ending June 30. 1885. were S39o.-
| 313 80. and the expenditures sI:,3 In
iW is. showing deficit of s42. sos, ,223. Is.
| further loan Of slp.1n.um was nego-
| tated by the government In February,
| 1896 the sale netting Sill lee. .2i6. and swell
| ing the aggregate of bonds issued within
| three years to s262 .313. 400.
| For the fiscal year ending June 30 lSgG
| the revenues of the government from all
| sources amounted to S4'g, ,475. 4os. 1s while
| its expenditures were s43i67s 65i Is, or an
| excess or expenditures over receipts of
| 25,st3. 245. 40. In other words the total re-
| ceipts for the three fiscal years ending
| June 30, 1876, were insufficient by sl31 .sll,-
| .46 to meet the total expenditures.
The Present Fiscal Yenr.
| Nor has this condition since improved
For the first half of the present fiscal
year the receipts of the government, ex-
| elusive of postal revenues were sl57 D7-
o3.76. and its expenditures, exclusive Of
postal service. sl35, 41o.ooo.22 or an excess
| of expenditures over receipts of So ooe,-
| a96. &C.
In January of this year the receipts ex-
| elusive of postal revenues. were S24,3l6,-
| :94.o5, and the expenditures, exclusive of
postal service $40. .e'3. .SS:'.29 a deficit OF
| s5.95 "A for the month In February of
1 this year the receipts. exclusive Of postal
| revenues, were s2i. f,si..e,1.;.S and expendi-
| lures, exclusive of postal service. Sos 1885,
| oa6.66. a deficit of 81 :,.,l o59 -. or a total
| deficiency Of sls6.o6l ..sso. ~ for the three
years and eight months ending March ].
| 1897.
| Not only are we without a surplus in the
| treasury, but with an increase in the public
| debt there has been a corresponding in
crease in the annual interest charge from
81, SeS, SS3. 20 in 1Si2, the lowest of any year
| since 1862, to S3i.3s1 ~ 60 in 1S9G, or an
| increase of Sll. .4.,3. Ala. 40
| 1t may be urged that even If the rev.
| enues of the government had been suffi-
| cient to meet all its ordinary expenses
| during the past three years the gold re-
serve would still have been insufficient
| to meet the demands upon IT. and tnat
| bonds would necessarily have been issued
for its reple. e.ion.
Be this as it may. 1t is clearly manifest,
without denying or affirming the correct
| ness of such a conclusion. that the debt
would have been decreased In at least the
amount of the deficiency and business
confidence immeasuraDly strengthened
| throughout the country.
| Existing Conditions should be Cor
| rerted.
Congress should promptly correct the ex-
| listing condition Ample revenues must be
1 SOpple1 not only the ordinary expenses
of the government, but for the prompt pay
ment of liberal pensions and the liquida lion
of the principal and interest of the public
debt
In raising revenue duties should be so
levied upon foreign products to preserve
the home market, far possible to
our own producers; to revive and increase
manufactures. to relieve and encourage
agriculture, to Increase our domestic and
foreign commerce. to aid and develop min
Ing and building, and to render 10 labor in
every field of useful &C cupation the liberal
wages and adequate rewards TO which skill
and industry are justly entitled.
The necessity in the passage of tariff
law which shall provide ample revenue
need not be further urged. The imperative
demand of the hour is the prompt enact
ment of such a measure. and to this object
1 earnestly recommend that Congress shall
make every endeavor. Defer other husi-
ness until this is transacted; let us first
provide sufficient revenue to faithfully ad-
minister the government without the con-
tracing Of further debt or the continued
disturbance of our finances.
WILLIAM MCKINLEY.