The Portland daily press., 1898-08-04


that tn dissmissa is did not bear the Gus
tomary date of discharge. Taking hope
from this fact. the three clerks applied for
reinstatement under rule y, which says
mat no employe shall be bounced without
adequate cause and chance for defence.
MT Vanderlip promptly reinstated
them and there the merry jest ended. In
a nearby otfice-room, which has for its
chlef ornament large geographical globe
set IN the middle of tho floor, sits MIR.
Howell. ano her Of the assistant secreta-
rles. he Is delicate looking man with
a light mustache, and of youthful appear
anoe. No official in the department, how
ever. Is treated with more Difference,
partly because he has charge of the entire
system of the customs. 1t was under
his supervision that the regulations gov
ernipg import duties at Santiago were
framed. Similar rules have been drawn
up with regard to the Philippines. sthough
they have not gone into effect as yet. be-
cause the Americans are not yet masters
of Manila. AS soon as Porto Rico sur
renders to the Yankees, there must be
regulations for the ports of that island
also. People nowadays are constantly
calling upon MIR. Howell for information
about the rates If tduty at Santiago on
poultry. lard and everything else imagi-
nable. 1t ought to be understood that
the customs tariff at Santiago is of the
nature of military tribute. the proceeds
going to maintain the business of the
army inluding the governing OF the city
at Santiago and all sorts of Other ex-
uepses. Thus the United States Govern
Inent is actually obliged to pay the regu-
lar duties upon whatever IL SENDS toSantl-
ago, the military governor OF tho town
collecting them.
There is another assistant serefary, Gen-
eral Spaulding, who in reality ranks the
~, ho Tfaoa of Mr. Gnoa
when the latter is absent lie mas charge
of all business that relates to the move
ments of merchant vessels, Including the
preparations of regulations governing
m aritime traffic in ports newly acquired
through conquest by Uncle Sam. The
responsibility resting upon his shoulders
is very great, inasin UGH as ne grants or
refuses cIearances TO vessels, and permits
or Witbbolds permission for the exporta-
tor of coal and provisions from all
American ports. He determines naviga-
tion charges and grants papers to prizes
of war that are sold under order of the
courts. Part of his work is to help on
the moving of war transports, relieving
them from delays which would be una
voidable for merchant ships under the
law.
The most urgent business of the Treas
ury Department just at present is the
distribution of the new bonds. AS fast
as they are sent over, fresh-printed from
the Bureau of Engraving, they are
stamped with the Government seal in the
division of loans, each one be1ug placed
in turn beneath clumsy looking contrlv
ance that is screwed down upon 1t TO
the register, who is the bookkeeper of the
department., and in his office the records
of names and amounts are made The
register delivers them to an express COM
pany for transmission to the owners. All
of the new bonds will be delivered by this
express company, which will be Obliged
to make the amount good in case any or
them are lost or stolen. Of course, tne
coupon bonds re negotiable by anybody
like SO much currency. The only case Of
a theft of Government bonds from an
express company occurred not long after
the close of the civil war, when car was
raided on the Erie Railroad near To
wanda, PHI. About $40, 600 worth OF $50
notes, equivalent in their nature to
bonds, were lost.
The secretary's Office furnishes lists Of
subscriptions to the treasurer, and it IS
the business of the latter official to see
that the money is all collected and put
into Uncle Sans strong boxes. The
treasurer then furnishes to the register
a list of the paid-up Subscriptions, with
names, and it is the duty of the register
to prepare the bonds and schedules OF the
amounts of interest due then upon them.
Of course, each subscriber will receive in
terest from the date of his payment to
August /, when the loan properly begins.
There will be about $50, COZ interest checks
which will be sent out to the subscribers
together with their bonds. The checks
are now being prepared in the office of
the treasurer; some are Tor as little as
four cents.
The war revenue bill passed by Congrss
made it necessary to provide an Increase
of 500, 0OO, 600 per annum in internal rev.
onus receipts. In order to accomplish
this, arrangements were made for stamp
ing documents and proprietary articles.
Twenty three different denominations of
stamps have been prepared, running IN
value from one-eighth Of cent to $50.
They have been furnished by the Bureau
of Engraving, and since the date of the
stamps have been distributed, including
IbO. 600, COO altered hostage stamps, de-
signed to serve the same purpose. They
are recounted at the Bureau Of Internal
Revenue in the Treasury Building, and
are sent by mail in response to requisi-
tions by collectors all over tie country.
With other extra wartaxes, the revenue
for the first twenty two days of July rose
to $40, 1Si ,246, against $ll, 730, 1874, for the
same period last year.
War. while greatly increasing the rave
nue of the Government, aileIuents expen-
ditures enormously. The7treasury is now
spending money at the rate of 81, 000. 600
a day. A discussion of the war work of
this department. ought not to emit mem
ton of the revenue cutter service, which
has contributed whole fleet to the navy.
IL has turned over fifteen stanoh little
vessels to the navy, together with about
one thousand men. the biggest boat being
the McCullooh, which has displacement
of 1880 tons. Another revenue cutter, the
Hudson, performed one of the most bril-
liant feats OF the war when it dragged the
torpedo boat Winslow out of direful peril.
The prize money division of the treasury
will have plenty TIC do when the navy
furnishes lists of the men and officers who
are entitled to cash for prizes taken OF to
bounties.
RENE BACHE.
ISLAND NOTES.