The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-01-25
Chat Of the Capital
Washington Gossip. Political and Other
wise. for the Readers Of the Globe.

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WASHINGTON, D. c., jan a. (spe-
cial)-Great Britain shows a nose
ahead at the 1899 quarter pole in the
neck-and-neck race between the United
Kingdom and the United States for SUI
premacy in the worlds export trade Do
nestle exportsefro the United Kingdom,
in 1899. according to official reports just
received by the treasury bureau of sta
tistics. were 81 ,2S7 ,971, 900, while those from
the United States were s., 253, $500 max
ing difference of $4,000, 900 In favor OF
the United Kingdom in the years ex-
portation Of domestic products. Com
pared, however, with relative conditions
In 1873 the record of 1899 must prove quite
gratifying to the average American citl-
zen. In 1875 the exports of domestic mer-
chandise from the United Kingdom were
81, 0S7, 497. 900, against $497,2 1877 from the
United States, her excess over the United
States at that time being $3.50, 2S3, OOo,
against $4,000, GEO In 1899.
From 1875 to 1899, Great Britain's domes-
tic exports increased from 81, 0S7. 497 900 to
81, 81, 900, or 10 sper cent, while those
from the United States increased from
$497, 263, 737 to ST. 53 900, an increase OF
152 per cent. Adding to the domestic eX-
ports Of each country those brought IN
from other parts of the world, and re-
exported, we find that the total exports OF
the United Kingdom, including "domes-
tic, foreign and colonial were, in 1875,
ST. $40 465 900. and in 1885, ST. $40 $685. an in
crease Of 20 per cent, and those from the
United States including domestic and
foreign were, in 1875, $51o,94 422, and In
1899, 81, 275, 1866 an increase OF 15o per
cent. -
Turning to the import side Of the ac-
he infArAQt1nQ.
Great Britain's imports In 1875 were 81
319,779,0O0. and in 1899, $3.50, GOO. wh1ie
those Of the United States. which. In
1875, were $685. 152, 1886, were in 1882 $i9S, :
| 1874, 620.. A comparison Of the import
| figures with those of total exports shows
! an excess Of exports from the Unlteo
| States In every Year during the last
| twenty-five years, except 1888, and In the
| case of the United Kingdom an excess OF
! imports in every year during the period.
In the case Of the United States the ex-
| cess of exports over imports in 1875 was
| 81, 794 1856, and in 1899 it was SAFE. 652. 02l,
| while in the case Of the United Kingdom
the excess of imports over exports was,
in 1875, $449, S14 900, and in 1892 sos, 3D.
! During the twenty-five years under con-
| sideration the foreign commerce account
| of the United States shows total ex-
| cess of exports over imports amounting
| to $3.50. So, 900. while that of the United
| Kingdom shows an excess Of imports over
| exports amounting to $l4, 46s, Oo4,oOo
| =
| In the urgency deficiency bill. passed
| by the house, the secretary OF the treas
| ury has an item for increasing the size
| of the vaults for the storage of incom-
| plete national bank currency Comptroller
! of the Currency Dawes says the increase
| in the size of the vaults for the storage
| of incomplete national bank currency is
| an absolute necessity. He says 1t Will
| enable the bureau to respond to the de-
mand of the banks and business COM
munity for circulating notes In case or
sudden need. With the present inadequate
facilities for storage, a sufficient amount
| of Incomplete currency cannot be kept
on hand, and, as 1t requires from twenty
five to thirty days to complete an order
| received from bank for bank note
plate printing, the public and the. banks
are frequently put to great inconvenience
by this necessary delay.
In the panic of 1893 the suffering and
damage to which the business community
ana the banks of the country were put,
because of the fact that there had not
been provided a few feet additional or
| needed storage room, can be inferred from
| the fact that of the total orders for cur
| rency during the panic, amounting to
| $42, OOO, 900, over $11,0OO.O00 were counter
manded, the crisis of the money panic
| having passed before the twenty-five days
necessary for the preparation OF tne cur
rency had expired.
Mr.. Dawes says that with the additional
| storage room the bureau will be enabled
| To keep on hand sufficient stock of IN
| complete currency. so that orders from
the banks can be filled upon receipt and
without delay.
pIxy
| full, is maxim to which John l.. Smith.
meyer will heartily attest. Mr.. Smith
| never was the architect who designed the
| beautiful new congressional library, prob
ably the most ornate building OF the KIND
in the world, and the United States mas
never paid him for the work. Mr.. Smith
meyer, with his partner, Paul j. Felz, oe-
voted his time and energies In the making
| of plans and drawings for a building for
| the library of congress. These architects
prepared some ten different plans, the
| first being in competition with twenty
seven other competitors They were
| awarded the first prize In this compel1-
| ton.
The other plans were of various styles
| Of architecture for which they were call
| ed upon from time to time by the COM
| missions and committees Oh congress. Inc
plan finally adopted by act of congress OF
April Is. 1885. and readopted in 1859, was
! for the present building In the Italian
Renaissance style Of architecture. The
| claimants make no demand for compensa-
| tton for any of their work except TINS
one plan.
Mr.. Smithmeyer in 1874 gave up his prl-
waite business as an architect, ana Until
| 1886 devoted himself almost exclusively TO
| work on plans for the library puildlns,
| During this period Mr.. Smithmeyer and
his partner, Mr.. Pelz, put their hands
| into their pockets and paid their own ex-
| penses.
| In 1882 Mr.. Srnithmeyer Travelled extern
| s,veIy over this country and In Europe,
| visiting library buildings in New York,
Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Chicago,
Liverpool, London Paris Berlin, VIENNA
Dresden -Leipsic and Hanover, at the re-
quest Of the Joint select committee OF con-
| gress. for the purpose of obtaining 1nfor-
nation in respect to the requirements Of
the great library buildings Of the world.
The act of 1886, adopting the plans OF the
| claimants. created q commission to carry
| into execution the construction OF the
building. Work was commenced on the
| same in 1886.
| The actual cost Of the building Is now
| ascertained to be a little more than $6,o
OOO Two and a half per cent OF this sum
would be the fee for the plan under the
rules of architects and would amount to
s16a. 500 Deducting from this s., 800 for the
| specification, and there would remain
| Ska 200 as the measure of this claim under
| the rules governing the profession. or
| thia amount. s48, 900 has been paid to the
| claimants under a judgment OF the court
| of claims. It is for the remainder (SllS'-
200) that they now memorlallze congress.
j. s. Van Antwerp.