Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-12-09
Exhaustive Treatment Of Cur.
rency Affairs. Immense
Gold Production
MARINE HOSPITALS
Reorganization ofDistrict In the
Customs Service Advocated.
Public Buildings

WaoIillSuiOuN, ~ VI Dec. 9.--
From the sixty page report Of Sec
retary Shaw Of the treasury, made to
the nifty eight congress yesterday
afternoon. and which was furnished in
full to the Optic by the Associated
Press, only brief extracts on d few
subjects can be made. Speaking Of
coinage, the report says:
The Coinage.
The elimination Of the coinage of
subsidiary silver was. In measure,
removed by act of March 3, 1903.
which permitted the bullion purchased
under the act OF 1900 to be used as re-
quired. When this bullion is exhaust.
ed, which will be before the end of the
session OF congress. no further coinage
.of subsidiary silver from the new bul-
lion can be made without legislation.
Since 1898 1t has been possible to
keep the mint at New Orleans i'll oper-
alton only BY transferring from the
mint at Philadelphia q large quantity
OF silver purchased under the act OF
1880. Az this bullion will soon be
exhausted, there appears 10 be no
course to pursue but to close the
New Orleans mint entirely Or to reduce
II to an assay ONCE after June 80. 1904.
as recommended by the director Of the
mint. The deposits of gold 1t Nav
Orleans are rot sufacaent to Jus
tify any other course.
Including the seigniorage Gn silver
dollars. subsidiary SILVER coin, and
minor coin, the total earnings and
gain Of the m.nt service during the
year exceeded the expenditures by
s6,s94. .44sl3.
The original deposits OF gold at the
several mints and assay Offices az
gregated $i27,OO4. .442.9I. The origi-
nal deposits OF silver amounted to
$lS.23l, ,319.09.
For the calendar year 1902 the pro-
duction OF gold in the United States
is estimated al sS000O,o0o and the in
dustrsal consumption at s2ao00,00
For the fiscal year 1908 the ret ex-
ports Of gold were s2l0s.5eS. The
value OF gold bullion In the mints and
assay Offices June 30. 1908. was $751;
5li,571, and OF the gold coin In the
country si,O92,oi1,1S5. making a total
Of $l,249. .552,75s.
AT the request Of the secretary Of
war, temporary certificates of indebt-
tdness, authorized BY the act approx
I'd March 2, 1908, we're prepared by the
government of Philippine Islands. and
certificates TO The amount Of $1,000
200 were furnished.
Customs.
Inspection Of the following liable VIII
show nm urgent necessity for the re-
OF the customs az the
districts. As will be seen b. tails table,
here are IS districts wher. Il costs
more than one dollar to collect . dol
ar. II Is unnecessary to present any
argument on this subject. Leg ela-
ion 10 put all custom districts ON
BUSINESS basis Is an imperative duty
Q the country nj large. Undoubtedly
'ustoms officers viii necessarily be
etained at ports where the collection
Il the revenue is meager They
hould, however, be only sufficient In
lumber to afford proper protection 10
he revenue. Independent ports with
arge establishments. many employees,
nd the incidental expenses. which
ONE as matter Of course, should
e converted into supports tributary
0 some larger self.sustainins port.
he reduction In the expenses 81 main
enance and the consolidation of the
eceipts in one district would permit
he government to have every customs
IstrIct on a self-sust ming hasIs at
sast.
Marine Hospitals
The service controls and operates
Q hospitals. OF which % are owned
y the government. In addition 10 the
,ariue hospital and dispensssy trsat.
,entnent A relief station wAs entAh-