The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-07


The total number of Chinese persons
admitted to the United States in the
last fiscal year was 1885. OF this num-
Der 5213 We're of the exempt class, prin-
cipally merchants. students, etc; 425
were so-Called artists, actors, artisans
and laborers, admitted for the Trans
Mississippi and international exposition
at Omaha, and 1857 were returned reg
istered laborers. There were also S65
who passed through the United States
under bond in transit to other coun-
tries. Two hundred and eighty Chi
nese were refused admission. The
number of Chinese persons arrested for
deportation because unlawfully in the
United States was 1856 OF this num-
Der 220 were deported, by due process
of law, at a total expense of $24, 3294,
The aggregate expense incurred in the
enforcement of the Chinese exclusion
laws was S84, 45374.
Concerning the establishment of an
American merchant fleet, the secretary
says: A positive policy which shall
create anew an American seagoing
merchant fleet is not intrinsically more
difficult to establish than has been the
recent rehabilitation of the American
navy or than. a third of a century ago,
was the establishment of transcOnti-
mental railroad communication. 1t will
undoubtedly require at the beginning,
and for some time to come, the APP
preparation of appreciate sums of
money, though very much less than our
annual expenditures in times of peace
for naval construction and mainten-
ance but from the nature of the situa-
ton, these expenditures, if adequate at
the outset, can be decreased, and, as
is usual with properly adjusted eXpendi-
lures for the improvement of means of
transit and communication, will bring
in an early and steady return on the
investment. The secretary recommends
the restriction of the trade between the
United States, Porto Rico and Hawaii
and the coasting trade of those islands
to vessels of American registry
Secretary Gage discusses at consid-
cradle length the reasons why the bank
ing system should be reformed, reasons
which, he says, call for the elimination
in a safe and proper way of the injurl-
Gus interference in our currency sys-
Tenn by the legal-tender paper money Of
the government
The secretary says that the report of
the commissioner of internal revenue
possesses peculiar interest, indicating
as it does, the operation Of the war
revenue act of June IS, 1898 1t shows
quite clearly that the aggregate reve
nue. to be derived therefrom will form
a smaller total than was estimated by
the more sanguine of its supporters.
The commissioner estimate of $780,
900, coo from this source seems to be
fairly justified by the results to the
treasury during the period from July
/ TO the present time. His report goes
also to show the friction and embar-
easements which have arisen from the
need of interpreting obscurities in the
act ITSELF and the application of such
Interpretation to specific cases coming
under the same general head, yet differ
entiated from each other by more or
less important particulars. Many COM
plants have arisen from those unrecon-
ciled to such interpretations or applica-
lions, and, granted a well-balanced re-
lation between revenue and eXpendi-
lures. it might be well to consider the
propriety of repeating some of the more
veXatious features Of the act. Until
more settled conditions, however, as
| to extraordinary expenditures for the
army and navy are reached, even such
repeal can not be recommended by this
| department. Some verbal amendments,
making more clear the intentions of
congress, are to be desired and repre-
;. sensations in this direction may be
made the subject of a separate COM
munication to congress at an early day.