The age-herald., 1900-04-08
THE SURPLUS IS
 NOW INCREASING For First Nine Months Aggre-
 gated 302,0O0. WAR TAX CAN BE REDUCED Secretary Gage Will Furnish Informa- ton Before Anything Gan be Done Towards Repeating Any
 Portion of the Law
WAR TAX CAN BE REDUCED

Washington, April 7.-(Special. 1.-The sur plus in the governments revenues for the first nine months of the present fiscal year aggregates $54, 300 900. At that rate the sur plus for the whole fiscal year should amount to $72 402, ,666 The chances are, how ever, that the total will be nearer eighty than seventy millions, for the surplus for April was $16, LOGO, showing that for the latter part of the fiscal year the average monthly surplus is to be greater than it was for the first half of the year. With prospective surplus of over seventy mill Hons, due both to somewhat reduced ex penditures, but chiefly to increasing rev enues, caused by the countrys increased prosperity and the growing imports of raw materials for the use of our own manu- factures, as we'll as of luxuries, the pur- chasing power of the people having in- creased, it is very evident that the war revenue taxes can be safely reduced.
 The resolution of inquiry which passed the house, directed to the secretary of the treasury, at the suggestion of Chairman Payne of the ways and means committee, shows that the republican leaders are giv- ing attention to this important subject, as did it's consideration by the president and his cabinet last week. Chairman Payne wants Secretary Gage to give him all de- tails concerning the amount of revenue produced by the war revenue acts, specify ing from what sources 1t is obtained, and such information is absolutely necessary before anything can be done toward re- pealing any portion of the war revenue act. As this act brings in about hundred millions annually, and the surplus in the government revenues Is not likely to ex- ceed eighty millions for the year, it is manifest that, at present, it is not safe to repeal the entire act, which would be the easiest thing to do, and most satisfactory from a political standpoint.
 Surplus is Unfortunate
 But surplus of seventy or eighty mill lions year is unfortunate because of the money 1t locks up in the treasury. It Is hurtful industrially financially and poiti- cally. Then, too, the war revenue taxes are inconvenient and irksome If it were not for the conflict of interests, for the demand of the brewers that the beer tax be reduced to what it was before the Span ish war, for the unpopularity of the docu- mentary stamps, for the nsstance of the druggists that they be relieved of the tax burdens, of the theatres, concert halls, bil- Hard ->Sms, brokers, bankers etc., that the stamp taxes all be removed, it would be less difficult to settle this matter. But as 1t is congress cannot proceed to re- duce the war taxes without irritating some interests, and just before @ presidential election, this is, naturally, regarded as un- wise. It is probable, as these dispatches have heretofore indicated, that notwith- standing the consideration of the subject by the president and individual members of congress, nothing will be done. If it is it will be because the necessity of reducing the revenues seems so imperative as to make that course less dangerous than to have the whole revenue question opened up with all its irritations and dangers.