New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-01
AN EXCELLENT SHOWING.
GOVERNMENT RECEIPTS AND EXPENDI-
TURES FOR DECEMBER.

4 DEFICIT OF LESS THAN hale MILLION TIE
p1xGLEY LAW As A REVENUE PRODUCER
SOME PERTINENT COMPARISONS
by TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUNE.l
Washington. Dec. 31.-For the first time In
many months the current receipts Of the GOV
eminent from customs. internal revenue and
miscellaneous sources have nearly. if not quite.
eoualled the current monthly expenditures. The
total receipts in the month e December amount
ed 10 SAL 4O4 794. Of which Sl6164,3 23 was from
customs SD 621 $40 from internal taxes. and
s2019.150 from miscellaneous sources. The total
expenditures amounted to S41 SCI 900 in round
figures 81 which 500 800 900 was on account OF
the Army and Navy. and Sl1.l72.0OO for pen
elons. leaving an excess of expenditures amount
ing 70 only SAG 2O6
The total receipts in the first six months Of
the current fiscal year have amounted TO S24o.-
e6l 800 as follows: Customs S96 045s39; inter-
nal revenue s13s394. $40 miscellaneous. Sill
b2l7l1. The total expenditures have amounted
70 $500 .667504 leaving an excess OF expendi-
lures over receipts amounting to Ss3, IOo,6li
The December figures held out prospect that
the gap between receipts and expenditures for
the last half Of the fiscal year. despite the heavy
interest payments. Will not be as wide by many
millions as for the first six months
The most encouraging and satisfactory feature
~ the December statement to everybody except
ultra tariff reformers" vii! be the remarkable
showing Of receipts from customs under the
Dingley tariff
REMARKABLE CUSTOMS RECEIPTS
For he first time since 1892 the December re-
ceipts from customs-the heaviest for any
month under the Dlngley law-have exceeded
sltWOWO In that year the total amounted
70 S1636s, 1914 this year II amounts to S16.-
l64325i In December. 1895. more than year
after the Wilson German tariff became opera
tive. II amounted 10 SD lO9 172 and In the cor
responding month % 1895 to only $40 AZ
In December 1898 a year after the election or
tariff reform" President and Congress, the
total amounted to only So 153 215, but In that
year The receipts were undoubtedly affected by
the general prostration Of business. as they were
IN The last half Of 1897 ny the enormous volume
OF imports In tho first half OF the year In antlci-
patton Of the enactment OF tariff for the pro-
lection % American industries. The December
receipts from customs that year amounted 10
only S11 $50 1SS-more than So 900 900 less than
IN the current month-snd the total customs re-
ceipts FOR the last half OF the calendar year were
more than S45 ZOO les than in the first half
Inc difference between the totals for the first
naf and second half OF the calendar year 1876,
When the Wilson-Gorman law was in full opera
uon and undisturbed ny extraneous matters
amounted 10 $1,000 600 in favor Of the last six
months
IL is somewhat remarkable that the customs
receipts for the calendar year 1898 have exceed
90 me total for the fiscal year ended June 80
1887 despite the Unprecedented increase OF the
volume Of mportations in the last half Of the
'a'ter year. In anticipation OF the enactment Of
new tarin law and the heavy reduction OF
customs revenue In the first half Of the current
Sa'ehdar year on account OF the war with Spain.
FURTHER INCREASE EXPECTED.
experience has taught Treasury officials that
.''er normal conditions the revenue receipts In
:. e last half Of fiscal year uniformly exceed
o"s OF the first half by some millions Of dol
"ne OF them said to Tribune correspond
Today shat he expected the customs re-
s.'p's OF tho next three months to be largely In
s'' OF those Of the last three months. and