Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1904-12-12

Secretary Shaw emphasizes the need
for a systematic and economical re-
organization of the customs service.
Internal Revenue.
The receipts from internal revenue
taxes as shown by collectors reports,
were $232,904,OO4, net increase over
1903 of $2,163,O79. The following items
show increases: Distilled spirits,
$3,856,543; manufactured tobacco, ST.
14O,998; fermented liquors, $1,535,602
adulterated butter, $1,755. The fol
lowing items show decreases: Oleo-
margarine, $252,6S5; filled cheese,
$4,000; mixed flour, 1929; process or
renovated butter, $1O,524; banks and
bankers, $780, miscellaneous, $4,104,-
| SIT. The total expenditure for the
maintenance of the internal revenue
service for 1904 was $4,619,3 300.
Customs receipts for the year were
$23 100000 less than in the previous
year. While there was further re-
duction during the early months of the
present year, these receipts are now
increasing, and there is no reason TO
believe the revenues for the year from
this source will be less than in 1904
The falling off in 1904 over that of the
previous year was due more largely
to abnormal conditions in 1908 than
to depression in 1904. There was col
lected, for instance, in duties on iron
and steel and manufactures thereof
$17, 100000 during 1903, and only $9,-
10000 during the last year. This diff
ference is accounted for by demand
for. iron and steel products in excess
of the capacity of American factories
during the former year, which is not
likely to be repeated.
Three other causes contributed to
the falling off of customs revenues in
1904. First, the abolition of the war
tax on tea, which caused loss of over
$2,0O0,O00; second, the abolition OF
the countervailing duty on sugar
which resulted in an estimated reduc-
ton of over $30O,0OO; third, the rec
iprocity treaty with Cuba, which
caused a loss to the customs revenues
of the United States estimated at
$685. 900 on sugar and $2,215,000 on
tobacco. 1t is also worthy of note
that there has been constant increase
in the relative proportion of free over
dutiable goods. The total imports OF
merchandise during October, 1904, was
little over $92,000,000 as against a
little less than $S2,OO0,O0 in the same
month of the preceding year, but prac-
tically this entire increase was in free
imports. During the first ten months
of the present calendar year, free i'm
ports increased in round numbers
500 100000, while dutiable imports de,
creased $26,OO0,0O0.
Contagious Diseases.
During the year smallpox was re-
ported from 81 states and territories,
with total of 25,106 cases and Lib
deaths. During the previous year,
42,59O cases and 1,642 deaths were re-
ported. From September "a, 1903, to
March 10, 1904, there were reported in
Laredo, Tex, 1,O14 cases of yellow fe-
yer, with 107 deaths; in Minera, up to
November %, 1908, 1877 cases with II
deaths; in San Antonio, from October
p to November %, 1903, 43 cases and
16 deaths. The results obtained by
drainage, mosquito destruction, ana
screening of water containers show
that this disease can be controlled by
measures directed exclusively toward
the destruction of mosquitoes.
Lifc-SaVing Service.
The documented vessels which suf-
fered disaster within the scope of the