Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1903-12-07

nal faSmOn Dy tne events VI tHc past
year.
Government Receipts and Expenditures
From all sources exclusive of the
postal service, the receipts of the gov
eminent for the last fiscal year aggre-
gated $3.50, 396,674. The expenditures
| for the same period were $506,099,007,
The expenditures for the same period
were $500, 099,007. the surplus for the
fiscal year being $54,297,667. The indi-
/ ca tons are that the surplus for the
present fiscal year will be very small,
if indeed there be any surplus. From
! July to November the receipts from
customs were. approximately, nine mil
! lion dollars less than the receipts from
the same source for a corresponding
portion of last year. Should this de-
crease continue at the same ratio
! throughout the fiscal year, the surplus
would be reduced by, approximately,
thirty million dollars. Should the reve-
nue. from customs suffer much further
decrease during the fiscal year, the sur
plus would vanish. A large surplus
is certainly undesirable. Two years
ago the war taxes were taken off with
the express intention of equalizing the
government receipts and expenditures,
and though the first year thereafter
still showed a surplus, it now seems
likely that a substantial equality of
revenue and expenditure will be at
tanned. Such being the case it is of
great moment both to exercise care and
economy in appropriations, and to scan
sharply any change in our fiscal reve-
nue. system which may reduce our in
come. The need of strict economy
in our expenditures is emphasized by
the fact that we can not afford to be
parsimonious in providing for what is
essential to our national well-being,
Careful economy wherever possible,
will alone prevent our income from
falling below the point required in or
der to meet our genuine needs.
Needs of Financial Situation
The integrity of our currency is be-
yond question, and under present con-
ditions it would be unwise and unnec-
essary to attempt a reconstruction of
our entire monetary system. The same
liberty shorld be granted the secretary
of the. treasury to deposit customs re-
ceipts as is granted him in the de-
post of receipts from other sources
In nv message of December 2. 1902,
called attention to certain needs of the
financial situation, and / again ask the
consideration of the congress for these
questions.
Conference Between Gold Standard and
Silver Standard Countries
During the last session of the con-
gress, at the suggestion of a joint note
from the republic of Mexico and the
Imperial government of China, and in
harmony with an act of the congress
appropriating $4,000 to pay the ex-
penses thereof, a commission was APP
pointed to confer with the principal
countries in the hope that soma plan
might be devised whereby a fixed rate
OF exchange could be assured between
the standard countries and the
silver standard countries. This COM
mission has filed it's preliminary report,
which has been made public. I Deem
it important that the commission be
continued, and that a sum of money
be appropriated sufficient to pay the
expenses of its further labors.
Merchant Marine
A majority of our people desire that
steps be taken in the interests of
American shipping, SO that we may
once more resume our former position
in the ocean carrying trade. But hith-
erto the differences of opinion as to the
proper method of reaching this end
have been so wide, it has proved impos-
been so wide that 1t has proved impos-
sible to secure the adoption of any par
ticular scheme Having in view these
facts, I recommend that the congress
direct the secretary of the navy, the
postmaster general, and the secretary
of commerce and labor, associated with
such a representation from the senate
and house of representatives as the
congress in it's wisdom may designate,
to serve as a commission at it's next
session for the purpose of investigat-
ng what legislation is desirable or nee
essary for the development of the
American merchant marine and Ameri-
con commerce. and incidentally of a
national ocean mail service of ade-
quate auxiliary naval cruisers and nav
al reserves. While such a measure is
desirable in any even, It is especially
desirable at this time, in view of the
fact that our present government con-
tract for ocean mail with the American
Line will expire in 1905. Our ocean
mail act was passed in 1891. In 1895
our 2O-knot transatlantic mail line was
equal to any foreign line. Since then
the Germans have put on 32-knot
steamers. and the British have con-
tracted for 24-knot steamers. Our
service should equal the best. If it does
not the commercial public will aban-
don it, If we are to stay in the bus
mess it ought to be with full under
standing of the advantages to the
country on one hand. and on the other
with exact knowledge of the cost and
proper mthods of carrying it on. More
over lines of cargo ships are of even