The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-12-09

The Country Prosperous.
The fifty-sixth congress convenes in Its
first regular session with the country III
a condition of unusual prosperity. oi
universal good will among the people al
home, and in relations of peace and
friendship with every government of the
world. Our foreign has shown
great increase in volume and value. Ihe
Combined imports and exports for the
year are the largest ever shown by a
single year in all our history:
Agricultural Exports.
Exports of agricultural products were
1874, 776. 142. OF manufactured products VIC
exported in value $3.50, 592. LAG, being larger
than any previous year. 1t Is a noteWor-
thy fact that the only years in all our
history when the products of our manu-
factories sold abroad exceeded those
bought abroad were 1895 and 1893.
Receipts and Expenditures.
Government receipts from all sources
for the fiscal year ended June 80. 1859,
including 81, 19S, Sl4.14, part payment of the
Central Pacific railroad indebtedness, ag-
gregated 500. $50. 004.S 5. Customs receipts
were s2O6. l2S. 4S1. IS, and those from inter-
nal revenue 1913, 49,, 16l.5l.
For the fiscal year the expenditures
were s7OO. 09S. 564 .02, leaving a deficit OF
$50, III. 1896.
strength of the Treasury.
The present gratifying strength of the
treasury is shown by the fact that. on
December /. 1899, the available cash bal
ance was SITS, 004. S37.12 of which Ss39, ~.
sO5.3c was in gold coin and bullion. Tbs
conditions of confidence which prevail
throughout the country have brought gold
into more general use and customs re-
ceipts are now almost entirely paid IL
that coin.
The strong condition of the treasury
with respect to cash on hand. and the
favorable showing made by the revenues,
have made 1t possible for the Sec
rotary of the treasury to take action IN
der the provisions of Section 1864. Revised
Statutes, relating to the sinking fund.
Receipts Exceeded Expenditures.
Receipts exceeded expenditures for the
first five months of the current fiscal year
the secretary of the treasury estimates
that there will be a surplus of approx
mately $40. 0O0, 1000 at the end of the year.
Under such conditions it was deemed ad-
visable and proper to resume compii-
ance with the provisions OF the sinking
fund law, which for eight years has not
been done because of deficiencies in the
revenues.
+ O Suppor the Gold Standard.
I urgently recommend that to support
the existing gold standard, and to MAIN
tain 9TH parity in value of the coins
of the two metals gold and silver and
the equal power of every dollarat all times
in the market and in the aymen of
debts" the secretary of the treasury be
given additional power and charged with
the duty to sell United States bonds and
TO ennlON SUCH OluGT tlleCllNe HltdlS As
may be necessary to these ends. The au-
thority should include the power to sell
bonds on long and short time as con
ditions may require. and should provide
for a rate of interest lower than that
fixed by the act Of January, IA, 1875.
Maintaining h Parity.
We are maintaining the parity of all the
money issued or coined by authority of
the government. We are doing these
things with the means at hand. Happily
at the nraSQnf time We are not rOmnp1lp1
to resort to loans to supply gold. 1t has
been done in the past, however, and may
have to be done in the future. 1t be-
hooves us. therefore, to provide at once
the best means to meet the emergency
VIXEN it arises and the best means are
those which are the most certain and
American Merchant Marine.
marine to the extension of our commercial
trade and the Strengthening of our power
upon the sea invites the immediate action
of congress-. Our national development
will be one-sided and unsatisfactory so
long as the remarkable growth of our
inland industries remains unaccompanied
by progress on the seas. There is no
lack of constitutional authority for legis-
lation which shall give to the ountr
strength commensurate with its
Industrial achievements and with its rank
among the nations of the earth.
Combination and Trusts.
NpIiDiHdliorS Oh capital organized INTO
trusts to control the conditions of trade
among our citizens, to stifle competition,
limit production and determine the prices
OF products used and consumed by the
people,, are justly provoking public dis
c%ussion, and shoul early claim the at
tention of the congress.
Important and Far-Reaching.
The whole question is so important and
far-reaching that / am sure nc part of it
will be lightly considered, but every
phase of 1t will have the studied delibera-
ton of the congress, resulting in wise and
iudicious action.