New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-01
PARKER ANSW Erred.
PerUersion of Treasury Figures
Sho1cn By Mr. Taylor.
rFRoM THE 1Rrpy,ss 1ur:EAu.l

Washington. Oct 3f.-Judse Ps.r.,er's ertraors
binary capacity for making figures tell what il
not so is once more strikingiy illustrated ~
Acting Assistant Secretary Taylor Of the Treas
mr., Department W n singular fatality Ar
Parker invariably selects for purposes Of COM
parison an exceptional year. ana this selection
totally perverts the statistics he attempts 70
utilize For instance. Mr. Parker loni2ar-s TIE
deficit Of the first months u This iiscdl
wear with that Of last year. and argues frUIa
that ss 70 the total probable deficit for the ear
Mr. TAYLOR shows that If Mr.. Parker h2I oeen
more familiar with the figures with which he
attempts to deal he would have been obliged n
frankness 20 show that in numerous previous
years the deficit for the first two months vas
greater than it is this year. In 1899 the d1fcit
for July and August amounted 20 $44S97"to.
as against $24 100000 this year.
Discussing Mr.. Parker's comment OF MS ear
uer statement, Mr.. Taylor said to-day:
I made brief statement a few days ago.
mildly calling attention TO several very apparent
errors his part unintentionai no doubt 6ul
made out of the fulness of his INSTRUMENTATION
in regard to the conduct of certain pubic al
fairs. The Judge has not joined issue eS 20
any of the facts; neither has he admitted his
mistakes but he seems TO have thought some
reply necessary. and 50 he prepared a Speech
mixing up a few of my figures with many others
to which / made TO reference Judge Parker re
ferred again TO the Treasury deficit Of $4,000
600 during the first two months of this hScal
wear and compared IL with the small deficit or
last year for the CorTesp Ouding months Just
why he singled out last year FOR a comparison
1 leave the reader 10 Judge II he had taken
several other recent years he would have FOUND
the deficit larger than this year As sald IN
my previous statement, the drafts upon the
Treasury are always Of necessity the heaviest
during the first months of the fiscal year The
reason is apparent Practically all appropria-
lions lapse on June 80. the end OF the nscai
wear. The new appropriations are not aVallaols
until JuIv l Then every disbUrsing officer
draws for money to meet the obligations LIiaI
begin to accrue during the new year ms year
during the months of July and August SIVi.+tV'-
374 was advanced TO diSbUTS1ng OInceTS- Oll-
siderable of this money is still in their handS %
meet obligations not yet accrued or presented
There are two reasons why the deficit TINS year
was large: First the receipts fell of SStSFI'S'.
and second the demands were unusually 'e-+NH-
Office Department, largely on account 1T the eN-
tension of the free delivery, the navy require
rnents were larger than usual. and the amount
necessary to pay for sites and public uililnEe
authorized and under construction was ilict euSed
several fold previous years The loss or
revenue and these demands easily account i'T
the S24.OO000O deficit which occurred curing
Julv and August but which succeeding T1onthS
are reducing and will wipe out before the Cl'-s
OF the year.
Judge Parker made his comparison only with
last wear If he had himself looked up Tire rec
Ords he would have found. almost WlIAoIJ tN-
wear and often in recent years they have bcvt
as large or larger than this year. II even ai-
pears that during the "eCOnOTn1CaI' aiftiiIlSttd-
ton of President Cleveland, to which ne so az
mirinsIv refers there were heavy deficits In
July and August. 1894 tCleveland). the CenclC
was SIS, $4,000. In July and August $50. Just
there was a deficit Of $23, 10000. T. 1873 the
deficit was S2j.5S0OO0; in 1899. S4tSs9,tt1 80
Judge Parker's comparison. referring only 20 last
year, was hardly fair one