Evening star., 1925-04-18
FEDERAL EXPENSES
RISE DURING MONTH
Three e-Quarters Period Total,
However, Is Less Than
in 1924.
BY CHAs. r. sHAEFFER.

BY CHAs. r. sHAEFFER.
Cost Of operating the United States
Government in March, 1925, totaled
s3So,12S,656. an increase of approx.
mately 1000, 900 over the previous
month, according to detailed statement
made public by Secretary Mellon.
An increase of about s9i 10000 in
interest on the public debt, disbursed
on March 10 last, is n ma jor con-
trlouting factor to the huge apprecia-
ton. In February last this item re-
CURED only 02.2o5, whereas In the
past month II amounted to $9S,713, ,909.
other items making up the gain in
cluded about $4,000 900 increase in
postal deficiency, and a gain OF more
than S6.000,00 in refunds OF internal
revenue.
For the three-quarters period of the
present fiscal year Government re-
quirements have totaled s2,552 .499, ,339,
a savings Of approximately sS3 5000
900 over the s2.635. .535 .S05 expended
In the corresponding period of 1924.
Insurance Sales Gain.
Sales of life insurance in the United
states during March were higher by
per cent than in the same month
of last year and were greater than
IN any previous month except last
December, the Life Insurance Sale9
Research Bureau Of Hartford ana
nounces. The total for the month
was $103 100000 which is the figure
or the combined sales for a group OF
companies which do about So per cent.
OF the total business in the country.
keane on Special Committee. =,
Michael keane of the T. T. Keane
Co., Inc, of this city. has been ap-
pointed TO membership on the COM
rnittee of trade extension of the In,
stitute OF American Meat Packers.
according to a list of the committees
just made public by Oscar G.. MAYER
or Chicago, president.
The Institute is the trade. research
and educational association OF the
American packing industry.
Dun Reviews Business.
There are various good points in
the business situation. r. G. Dun &
Co. finds, but evidence of contraction
OF activity in some directions has be-
come more distinct a further de-
crease in production has occurred in
certain of the principal lines, as in
iron and steel and textiles, and prices
Tor different commodities. particularly
for metals, are still declining
The current readjustments in manu-
facture are not surprising after the
yet they show that outputs have been
exceeding consumption and that de-
mandS have not increa Sed to the eX-
| tent anticipated. With adequate sup
plies readily obtainabe in most in
stances, there has been no incentive
for buyers generally to operate very
far ahead and the easing of prices has
accentuated the disposition to limit
orders chiefly to immediate or nearby
needs.
Railway equipment orders fell off
this week, the total reported by Rail-
way Age having an aggregate value
of approximately $1.750.oo0 and in
cluded 20 locomotives ordered by the
Seaboard Air Line from Baldwin.
Local Stocks Strong.
The tenor of price movements on
the local stock exchange this morning
was distinctly upward. Potomac Elec-
trio Power 6s scored a full point ad-
vance to LOG. while Norfolk & Wash
ington Steamboat netted a gain of 3
points TO 24S, new all-time high for
the issue
Preferred stock of the National Mort
gage and Investment Corporation
netted a quarter point advance over
its previous sale, exchanges of 235
shares resulting in a rise to sa, its
best figure in months. Mergentha!er
was quiet AZ $50, but Lanston was
higher at 81. Railway preferred was
active on small sales at 81 upward to
S1ss. and Capital Traction sold at
9212. Gas continued weak at Sc.
Unlisted Securities Prices.
The following latest bid and TASK
ed prices are quoted for the guild
ance of holders of miscellaneous is
sues: