Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-12-30


IL o'clock with the diplomatic corps at
the head of the line. AT one o'clock the
doors will be thrown open for the gen.
eral public.
The government winds up the calendar
year 1908, with a badly shrunken
pocketbook. Since the fiscal or BUSH
ness year began on the first Of last July
It las spent about $65, 900, 900 more
than il has made. This is the showing
for only bat the gear, and by the end of
the financial twelfth month, it will be
considerably mora than 800, 600, 900.
S ectetsry Cortslyou estimates that 1t
will be $1l4. 900, 900. Last year, the
deficit vas only $5S, 600, 900 for the II
months and the year before there was a
surplus of about 0,000, 900. Next
year, If the government is prOportioDats-
IL as eAtravagsnt, the deficit will be
q ring with til 5000. 600, 900 mark,
and tbereis ct the present day only some
$16l, 600, 900 cash balance in the treas
ury. The frat session Of the 18th congress,
appropriated, iu round numbers $780,
600 600; the secOnd session of the 69Ih.
spent 1928, 900, 600, and the first session
Of the Goth Cong ress ua1e appropriations
totalliDg more than S698, OOO, oOO.
The present Congress is the second Ces-
sion of the 60. b and there is no reason
to believe that it will develop any un-
expected economical streak that will
bring the appropriations for two years
under the billion line. So much for the
dark side of the cloud. The bright side
Is the hope of better business, better
crops, restored confidence through sll
the qualifications OF trade. and, more
than anything else, the ways and means
committee aud its new tariff bill. Bust
ness and crops will do little, but the
WAYS and means committee may, in fact
must, do wonders. 1t is cup to" that
committee to provide the sinews OF the
nations prosperity, the money that the
government needs to carry on Its bust.
ness, and there is hope in the minds Of
fosnciers that 1t will fulfill expecta
tons. Congress makes the appropria-
tions and the ways and means commit
tee finds the money TO pay the
bills. Just at present the com
mittee has q hard task on its hands
Coffee and tea, which do not now pay
any duty at all, will probably be called
upon to help the Treasury out OF its
present hole. A duty of five cents a
pound would issrgued, bring In rev.
euue Of $40, 100000 or $50, OOO,O 900
Practically everybody 10 the county
drinks coffee, tea, or both, and the reve-
que to be derived from this source is,
therefore, certain one and as perma-
nent ss 1t is sure. Another scheme
the ways aud committee is consider
ing il a bank check tax. 1t was restored
to during the Spanish war and proved q
million getter beyond expectations.
The Treasury expects bank stamp
will bring In $40, 900, 600 more. Sill
third suggested revenue producer,
but one that will probably not be adopt
ed, is that OF an additional dollar a bar
rel on beer. This vas tried during the
Spanish var, and Melted the government
about $SO,000,0OO annually. IT the
tariff and the internal revenue fail to
make enough money to pSy the govern
ments bill, the secretary of the Treasury
has it always in his power to issue boude
to 'raise the wind" Bat this is bad
medicine from a political standpoint,
and more than one party has gone down
to defeat 10 the past because OF its fond.
ness for bond issues during times Of
peace.
Those members of the minority Of the
wsys and means committee Of the House
Of Representatives, now 10 the city, are
caucusiDg daily on questions Of tariff
schedules but they will take no 6usl &C
ton until the republican members OF the
committee report the tariff revision bill.
Mt. Underwood made this announce
mant at the White House. He ex-
planned that it was too early to announce
any definite conclusions but said the one
fact that there would be heavy reduc-
tions in iron aud steel schedules seemed
pretty we'll assured. He said there was
no reason why the committee should
have any further hearings or investigate
the affairs Of the United States steel cor
poration for while that might be inter-
estiDg it could add nothing to what the
committee did not already know.
Alta meeting today Of the executive
committee of the American Natiora
Red Cross it was decided to contribute
So, 900 to the Italian Red Gross, for the
relief of the earthquake sufferers in that
country. This amount was taken from
surplus remaining 10 the treasury from
the San Francisco relief fund. 1t wss
stated at the meeting today that the sur.
plus from the San francisco fund
amounts to 5000, 900.
A fraud order vas issued today against
Thco. Kbara, of Boston, who has been
conducting a number Of companies 10
various cities In the country for the al
legged promotion of device to be used
as a moving sign Ia street cars.
Leroy Cannon, the American who is
under arrest at Salvador for alleged rev.
oIutioDary disturbances, has been re-
leased under a general amnesty procls.
nation, according to dispatches received
at the Navy Department today.
VIVA. may be construed as the swan
song over The postal savings bill, vas
sounded at the White House today by
Senator Carter, who has the measure 10
charge. He is very much discouraged
over the outlook OF securing any acton
at this session of Congress, as had been
hoped by tbs administration. A num-
Der Of senators have announced their