Evening star., 1898-04-26
Bill Reported to the House by Mr..
Dingley.
EXPLANATION OF IT'S PROVISIONS
To Be Taken Up for Consideration
Tomorrow.
AR NJ Y REORGANIZATION

Arrangements for the consideration of
the war revenue MEASURE were made at
the opening Of the session of the House of
Representatives today. There was no
clash The leaders both sides had pre-
vfously reached complete agreement. and
the House was only asked to ratify it. AS
soon as the journal was read Mr.. Dingley,
chairman of the ways and means commit
tee. reported the measure to the. House,
and il was ordered printed and referred to
the committee of the whole on the state
of the Union.
Chairman DinsIey's Report.
Chairman Dingley of the ways and means
committee submitted with the war revenue
bill the following report:
The precipitation on the United States
of war with Spain has rendered it neces-
sary to Immediately provide ways and
means to meet expeditures on the scale
demanded by modern naval and military
operations.
Such an unwelcome demand on our re-
sources comes a time when under the
workings of the tariff act of July "A. 1897.
we had begun to overcome in large mea sure
the injurious effect of anticipatory importa-
tions and had already received in the
months of February and March revenue
more than three millions in excess of or
dinary peace expenditures for these months
(four millions of the expenditures appear
ing in the March statement having been
made on the account of preparations for
national defense under authority of the
joint resolution of March 81, and that. too,
with large falling off of customs revenue
the last ten days of March. in consequence
of the disturbance of trade arising from
threatened war.
There. is doubt that if peace condi-
tons had continued the estimate of the
Secretary of the Treasury that the revenue
for the next fiscal year would reach $780,
OOogo-exclusive of postal receipts-S63,-
UO0ooV in excess of the revenue for the
fiscal year 1896, and more than that sum in
excess of what the revenues for the next
fiscal year 1897 would have been if it had
not been for anticipatory importations in
the last four months of the latter year to
avoid the increased duties of the new tariff
would have been more than realized and
these receipts would have fully met the
expenditures for the next fiscal year if 1t
had not been for the increase caused by the
difficulties with Spain, inasmuch as the ex-
pendtures for the fiscal year 1886. exclusive
of postal expenditures paid by postal reve-
nue.. were only $50. .Oo0, GOO, and for the
fiscal year 1891 only 1866 900 600
These difficulties, even before war con-
ditions arose had so stirred the public mind
as to demand largely increased appropria-
tions for enlarging the navy and for na-
tional defenses. The destruction of the
United States battleship Maine, in the har-
Dor OF Havana. on the 18th of February
last so intensified the situation that Con-
gress. a few weeks thereafter realized the
necessity of taking prompt measures to
prepare for any exigency, and by joint reso.
luton appropriated $50 100000 for national
defense.
pom the authority of this joint resolu-
ton about S35.0OO.0OO of this appropriation
have already been practically used although
payments have as yet been made for only
part of this sum; and liabilities for the re-
mainder of the appropriation will have
been incurred within two weeks
AN examination of the condition of the
treasury will make it apparent that no
time should be lost in providing ample
ways and means for carrying to a success
full conclusion the war in which We are now
engaged.
Condition of the Treasury.
''The apparent cash balance in the treas
ury when the joint resolution appropriat-
Ing SJO,UOO.O00 for national defense was
passed was about S.e225 900 0DO including the
$1UO0OO0 gold redemption fund. or $l25-
OO0.0OO excluding that fund. But this bal
ance was only apparent inasmuch as $13.-
OOo.G00 consisted of fractional silver, largely
uncurrent. and minor coins, leaving only
$1120pooO But of this amount $14 900 900
consisted of receipts from sale of Pacific
railroad. held in the treasury for the pay
ment of that amount of Pacific railroad
bonds due January 1 next and So, 900 900
OF the bank redemption fund.- held for the
payment Of the notes of national banks
failed. in liquidation of reducing circuIa-
don Deducting these amounts. and the
actual available cash in the treasury at
that time belonging to the government. ex-
elusive of the greenback redemption fund.
was s6-,,0oO.OOO.
"lnasmuch as a working balance of about
S4O!a0.o0 is required to property carry on
the operations of the government there
remained only S25,0UO,O00 belonging to the
government available for the use in meet
ing the SoOU~- 100 appropriation. 1t will
De necessary in order 10 meet all of the
expenditure under the $50 0,0O0 600 appropria
tion-all of which will have been expended
WITHIN Few weeks-to use SO 900 900 of
the bank redemption fund, a part of which
must be replaced before the close of the
present calendar year.
lnasInuch as the difficulties with Spain
have plunged the country into a war whose
magnitude and length cannot now be in
AolttdSItu- IL Is necessary that
measures should be Immediately taken tn
provide ways and means to carry on naval
and military operations on a scale and with
a promptness which will exert an import
ant influence in shortening the conflict. As
the expenses of the preparations for de-
tense that have been going on for nearly
Two months are at the rate of $1,000 OO
per month. or 500. $50. go per annum. and
the expenses Of actual war will be much
more. your committee are of opinion that
the necessities of the country as well as
the early successful conclusion of the war
call for such ample provision both by tax
alton and authority to make loans. for
means TO carry on naval ana military cpe-
iatio1s. as Will impress the great powers of
Europe as well Spain with the conyic-
ton that the people Of the United States
are united I'm the determination to prose-
cute the war a scale and with a yipo,
that make proIongation of hostiIties use
less.