The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-01-08
FINANCES OF THE COUNTRY.
STATEMENTS OF THE DEBT,
REVENUE, AND EXPENDI-
TURES.
Retrenchment Practlced All A long
the Line-Decrease in the Pub
lie Debt-Production of Gold
and Silver-Coinage

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2.-The compar-
alive statement of the receipts and eX-
ppnditures of the United States for the
month of December, 1896, and for the
first six months of the fiscal year eud-
ing June 30th 1897, has been given out
for publication.
For the first time in quite long Pc
Rod surplus of receipts over eXpendi-
lures is shown. This applies to the
month of December, aud not to the
half year. 1t amounts to 81. 044. 440,
and is accounted for by the receipts
from the recent sale of first mortgage
bonds of the Central Pacific, Union
Pacific, and Kapsas Pacific Railroads,
and on smaller interest payments re-
quired.
The deficiency for the six months
ended December 3lst, 1896, amounts to
S37 902, 396 During that period the re-
cpipts were as follows: Customs, $751;
S2l $50, as compared with So, 34l ,273
for the same period in 1895; internal
revenue. $77,72l ,74l, against SIC 1884,
465; miscellaneous receipts, Sll 1854, I79,
against S. ,3l4; total receipts for
the half year, $l57, 507, 403-a falling off
of Sl0,06O, $50, As compared with the
last six months of 1895.
The expenditures for tie six months
ended December 3lst, 1896, were: Civil
amt miscellaneous, $4,000, 474. against
$44, 953, 437 for the corresponding pc
Rod of 1885; war, S27 sol 745, against
$50 597, 02l; navy, Sl7,4S0,075, against
Sl4 al 400; Indians, IS, 1871, Isl, against
s. $50 1873; pensions, S7l $3.50, los, against
ST., 254, 1877; interest, SIS, 7SS, 44S, against
Sl7,042, 800; total expenditures for the
last six months of 1896, Sl95, 100000
against SlS2 962, $50.
For the month of December, 1896,
the receipts amounted to S25, S57. ia,
again-t $26, 2SS, 937 for December, 1895;
EXPENDITURES, S23, Sl2 664, against S25,-
Sl4,3l7 for December, 1895, distributed
as follows: Civil and miscellaneous,
81. ASH, 720, against So, l06, 1877; war, 3d.
SS7,275, against 81 ,553, ll3; navy, 81
542, 23S, against S2,5l2 S95; Indians,
$685., l39, against S963,67l; pensions,
81 l.43l 1881, against Sll 366, S25; interest,
S437, $50. against $322,0l3.
The deposits in the National bank
fund during the month amounted to
THE DEBT STATEMENT
The debt statement shows net de-
crease in public debt. less cash in
the Treasury during December, of 3d.
S39, ST., As. The Understanding debt
increased $40 The nOn-interest-bear-
ing debt increased $l23, 534, and ca h
in the Treasury increased 81, 96S, AS.
The balances of the several classes OF
debt at the close of business December
3lst: Understanding debt, $S47, 1884,
600; debt on which interest has ceased
since maturity. 81, 1888, 070. 20; debt ear
ing no interest, 1872, 502, 20l.l4; total,
81, 249, 96l 40
The certificates and Treasury notes,
offset by an equal amount If cash in
the Treasury outstanding at the end
of the month were 81 ,221 249, 96l 40,
decrease OF 5000, $50. The total cash in
the Treasury was 1858, 463, 55l'02; the
gold reserve was 100000, 900; net cash
balances, Sl2S, $780, ,95.
III the month there was an increase
in gold coin and bars of $5677, S8l. Is,
the total at the close being $40, 203,-
$50 81 OF silver there was a decrease
of S64 1856 20. OF the surplus there was
in National bank repositories SIG, 1885,
1853. Is. against Sis ,S32, S94.57 of the pre-
Vious month.
THE COINAGE.
The coinage executed at the minis of
the United States during the month of
December amounted to $7,0l7, 4l9. In
detail the coinage consisted of double
eagles, numbering 205, $50; eagles, 15,-
534; half eagles, 16,046; quarter eagles,
6,5S7; total value of gold pieces coined,
S4,363, l65. Silver dollars, 1,7O0250:
silver half-dollars, 96S, $50; quarter-dol-
lars, l,096, $50; dimes, 1875, 306; total
silver Coinage. S2,55l, 963 10. Flve-cent
nickels. $3.50, Cos; one-cent pieces, g.
49,, Cpl; total value of minor coinage,
SlO2, 266.6l.
From information received from Of
ficers of the mint service and other
agents employed tie collect the stalis-
tics of the production of gold and silver
from the mines of the United States
during the calendar year 1896, the Di-
rector of The Mint estimates the pro-
duet of gold to have Appropriated $751;
SOC, 900.
The product of silver in the United
States i'll 1896, from the information
now at hand, is estimated to have
been from 52,000,000 to 53.500,000 fine
ounces, a decrease Off 100000 to $780,
900 ounces from that of 1895.