H WILL BE NO DEFICIT.
B DEMOCRATIC SCREAMS ABOUT
H THE FAILURE UNFOUNDED.
H _ Tlic Fonnnl "fcstlnmto" < > C llio Secretary
H of War sIiowh : iu Apparent , Deficit
B for 1808 ot 821,000,000 , liat the Fnctn
H I'olnL to n Probable Surplus In That
B Year of 830,000,000.
H Washington , D. C , December , 1897.
H "And hereafter the secretary of war
B j hhall annually submit estimates in de-
1 tail for river and harbor improvements
1 required for the ensuing fiscal year ,
H to the secretary of the treasury , to be
1 .included in and carried into the sum
H total of the book of estimates. " From
H the sundry civil .appropriation act for
1 the fiscal year 1897.
H . Tlic above quotation from the last
H sundry civil appropriation bill as it
H became a law and stands upon the
H statute books , explains the apparent
H prospect of a deficit in the fiscal year
Hj which is to begin July 1st of next
H A good deal of professed distress has
H been manifested in certain quarters
H over the figures of the report of the
H secretary of the treasury which indi-
H cato a deficit in the next fiscal year.
H The people indulging in these cvi-
H dences of distress will perhaps be
H gratified to know that the apparent
H deficit is only apparent , and that the
H figures when considered in light of the
H paragraph' quoted above , warrant the
B assertion that the fiscal year begin-
H ning July 1st , 1898 , will show a sur-
H plus of $30,000,000 , instead of a deficit
1 $21,000,000.
U The explanation of the apparent de-
H ficit is found in a single line on page
B 12 of the secretary's report. It is as
H H "Public works , war department , 503 , -
H The above is the formal "estimate"
B for river and harbor improvements in
H the fiscal year in question now re-
H quired by the paragraph quoted at the
H beginning of this dispatch , to be in-
B sertcd in the annual estimates snt
H ! to Congress by the secretary of the
1 treasury. Prior to the adoption of
Hj this new requirement the secretary of
H H war made his estimates of the amount
H required for the river and harbor iin-
H ] ) rovement upon the judgment of the
H chief of engineers. Now he is required
Bl to insert in the annual estimates cv-
ery dollar that any and every subor
dinate officer in charge of the various
improvements the country ever may
chose to name as the amount that can
be "profitably expended" during I he
coming fiscal year.
i ! Everybody familiar with the reports
! cf the officers in charge of river and
iharbor works knows that it is the hn-
[ bit to recommend the appropriation of
large sums , usually two or three times
as much as is expected to be obtained ,
for the works of which they arc in
_ _ | charge. This custom magnifies to a
H certain degree the apparent importance
H of the work of which the officer in
H question is in charge , makes him ex-
H tremely popular with the people of ihe
H city or locality in which the work is
H lieing carried on , and where he usually
H resides during the progress of the
H -work itself , and is looked upon as a
H harmless way of pleasing the surround-
H . 'ing public and making the official in
VI question both popular and his duties
apparently important. The result is
that is has been the habit of the war
( department for many years to reduce
| to about one-third of their dimensions
.the estimates made by these subordin
I ate officers.
i An example of this may be found
in the total estimates for river and
. harbor works as sent to congress in
December , 1891 , to cover the expendi
tures of the fiscal year 1893 , in which
, the secretary recommends an appro
priation of $13,20S,393 for river and
harbor works. On the very same
page , however , began a lengthy table
which gave the detailed estimates pre
sented for the various rivers and har-
'bors. the total of these figures being
§ 52,489,950. That table was preceded
by the following note :
1 "River and harbor , showing the
amount that can be profitably expended
in the next fiscal year The following
statement is not furnished as a part
of the annual estimates for the public
H service required by the act of March
H 3 , 1875 , to be presented by the secre-
H tary of war to the secretary of the
* treasury , but is inserted as a conveni
ent and customary summary of items
taken from the annual report of the
chief of engineers for the fiscal year
1891 , showing under the provision of
the act of congress approved March
* 2 , 1SG7 , the amount that can be profit
ably expended in the next fiscal year
Dn each of the works mentioned. "
In the above case it will be seen that
the figures covering the "amount that
can bo profitably expanded in the nrxt
fiscal year" were $52,489,051 , while tiif
amount that was actually estimated
was $13,208,393. The result wi3 that
the total estimates in that year an they
went to congress obtained for river
and harbor improvement only the con
densed item of 513,208,393 , instead of
the elaborate estimate of "profitable
expenditures" amounting to $52,489 , -
950. This has been the annual cus
tom for many years to put into the es
timates simply the amount which in
the judgment of the war department
should be expended. This year , how
ever , the new law enacted by last con
gress compels the secretary to put in
to the annual estimates the entire sum
named in these statements of the
"amount that can be profitably expend
ed in the next fiscal year. " The re
sult is that the sum "estimated" for
the river and harbor works alone in
the next fiscal year is ? G5,400,409.S1 ,
while nobody expects that the appro
priations will be more than one-third
of this sum.
Since the figures of the secretary of
the treasury , including the $05,400 , -
409.81 for river and harbor works , cn-
ly estimate a deficit of $21,047,885mil
since it is absolutely certain that the
actual expenditures for rivers and
harbors will fall nearly or quite $10 , -
000,000 below the enforced estimate , it
is quite apparent that the actual : 'P-
propriations for. the fiscal year will be
$20,000,000 less than the estimated re
ceipts , instead of $20,000,000 more , as
would appear , in the absence of the
explanation offered by this new re
quirement of the law. •
GEORGE WILLIAMS.
SOwlU >
Reaping.
- * '
Reciprocity Prospects.
The Dingley law is only about four
months old. It has not had time to
justify itself as a revenue producer ,
owing to the heavy anticipatory im
ports during the time that congress
was giving it final shape , but its pro
visions have been clear from the day
it was signed by the president , and
foreign countries arc fully advised as
to its bearing and significance. Is
there a single sign of a tariff war
against the United States on the horizon
izon ? Is there not , on the contrary ,
a sign of commercial good will in every
direction ? Foreign governments are
putting the same high value on our
markets that we ourselves in the
Dingley law have put upon them. In
stead of making war on us , they are
making overtures to trade with us on
terms of mutual benefit. The reci
procity clause of the new law promises - :
ises to be one of the most useful fea
tures. Great Britain invokes it in the
interests of her possessions in the
West Indies. Sir Wilfrid Laurier is
now in Washington willing to discuss
terms for increased trade between
Canada and the United States. France
desires to negotiate a reciprocity treaty
and Peru does also. It is not too much
to say , indeed , that the United States
has only to show a willingness on the
subject to extend her trade by means
of reciprocity on advantageous terms
in nearly any direction. Washington
"Star. "
H I THE PERSONAL EFFECTS CLAUSE.
E
I flj Returning Tourist ( before July 24 , Returning Tourist ( after July 24 , (
I Sj 1897) : "Pack it full ; there is no duty 1897) : "No , sir ; not this time. I'll 1
B to pay , and I won't have to buy any- wait till I get back to America , where 1
I H thing at home for the next two years. " the finest and the best fitting clothes 1
I S | In Uic world ars : ade. " A \
inn-.iniiiHiwnj/vwi , - " a-rrw whl.ij'i
REPUBLICAN OPINION.
A good deal of distress has been felt
in the minds of democratic editors for
the past few days over the fact that
the estimates of the treasury depart
ment bent to congress at the opening &t
the session indicate an apparent de
ficit of $21,647,885 during the fiscal year
which ends June 30 , 1899. It is proper ,
to say , with reference to this estimate ,
that a recently enacted law requires
the wur department to put into its esti
mate for the expenditures of the com
ing year all estimates made by subor
dinate officers of needed expendituris
upon the river and harbor works where
they are employed. The result of this
is that tlie estimates for river and har
bor improvements alone amounted to
$65,400,409.00 , which , of course , is from
forty to fifty million dollars more than
will be appropriated for that purpose.
Notwithstanding the fact that these
figures were excessive , the treasury de
partment was compelled under the law
to include them in its so-called esti
mates , knowing full well they were
absolutely excessive , and that the ap
propriation for this work would fall
probably $30,000,00. ; below the figures
named. These circumstances account
for the fact that the official figures es
timate an apparent deficit of ? 21,000 , -
000 , when , in fact , it is expected that
there will be a surplus of at least that
amount in the year in question.
President McKinley is still hopeful
of definite and valuable results from
the efforts in behalf of international
bimetallism which were inaugurated
by the Republican party immediately
following his election. In his message
he discusses briefly the work of the
commission sent abroad for that pur
pose , expresses gratification that our
great sister republic of France was
willing to join with this country in an
attempt to bring about an agreement
upon this subject , and closes his dis
cussion of this question by saying that
he has still reason to hope that the la
bors of this commission "may result in
an international agreement which will
bring about recognition of both gold
and silver money upon such terms and
with such safeguards as will secure the
use of both metals upon a basis which
will work no injustice to any class of
our citizens. "
President McKinley speaks in hope
ful terms , in his message , of the pros
pects regarding reciprocity treaties
with European and American coun
tries. He expresses the belief that "by
a careful exercise of the powers con
ferred by the recent tariff act some
grievances of our own and other coun
tries , in our mutual trade relations ,
may be either removed or largely elim
inated and the volume of our commer
cial exchanges enlarged with advan
tage to both contracting parties. "
"The recent victory of the fusionists
in Nebraska , " said Editor Edward
Rosewater of the Omaha Bee , "was in
no sense a victory for Bryanism. It
was a protest of the voters against the
disgraceful boodlerism that had char
acterized state and municipal officials
who happened to lie Republicans. The
state treasurer , the state auditor and
the city treasurer of Omaha had all
been guilty of purloining the public
funds , and the Republican party had
to suffer for their sins.
"The voters thought that the best
way to rebuke such conduct was to de
feat the party to which these men be
longed , and there was no thought of
any other issue. Mr. Bryan , of course ,
claims the fusion success as a personal
triumph , but those who know the real
conditions in Nebraska laugh at his
pretensions. The Republican party has
undergone its ordeal , and henceforth
it will push to the fore. The people of
Nebraska are with it on all the leading
questions , and it is certain to come
back into power. "
Since protection is ordained to stand
as our national policy for an indefinite
period , will our free trade contempo
raries contend that the tailors and
other makers of and dealers in gar
ments , are less entitled to share the
benefits of that policy than their fel
low-citizens engaged in other kinds of
business ? Is there any more reason
why A should bring in a year's stock
of clothing for himself and family free
of duty than for permitting B to bring
in an importation of wines , olive oil ,
cheese , or pickles ?
The free trade newspapers are sneer
ing at the small amount of revenue
collected under this clause of the tar
iff. The Springfield Republican , for
instance , says : "Some $74,200 in cus
toms duties was collected during Oc
tober on the personal baggage of re
turning American travelers who land
ed at New York. At this rate the
yearly revenue from that source would
be less than $900,000 , against Mr.
Dingley's estimate of $10,000,000. "
Well , a yearly revenue of $900,000 is
by no means a contemptible item. But
that , considerable as it is at a time
when revenues are behind expenditures
is no gauge of the effect of that tax.
There is every reason to believe that
but for the personal baggage tax many
millions' worth of goods would have
been brought home in trunks , free of
duty , that have come and will con
tinue to come as freight. This ishe
chief benefit of that provision. It
subjects to the duties imposed the
vast amount of wearing apparel that
under previous tariffs escaped taxa
tion. Washington Post.
Not a Bail Showing *
The customs collections at the port
of San Francisco for the month of Oc
tober were $432,167 , or $140,000 more
than they were in September. Not a
'
bad showing for the third month of
the Dingley Bill. \
,
FOE BOYS AND GIRLS.
SOME GOOD STORIES FOR OUR
JUNIOR READERS.
The Crooked Sweet Pea Stem Spcrt
on the Ice IVhlrllfflf ; Skntlnp H'liy
a Horsn Hate * a Camel Joining tlio
Salvation Army.
A rollowr'a Mother.
FELLOWS moth
er , " said Fred , the
wise.
With hi3 rosy cheeks
and hia merry
"Knows what to do
i If a fellow sets
hurt
By a thump or a
bruise , or a fall in
the dirt.
"A fellow's mother
has b a g a and
slrincs ,
Kags and buttons , and lots of things.
No matter how busy she Is , she'll stop
To see how well you can spin your top.
"She does not care not much , I mean
If a fellow's face Is not always clean ;
And If your trousers arc torn at the
knee ,
She can put In a patch that you'd never
see.
"A fellow's mother is never mad.
And only sorry if you're bad ;
And I will tell you this. If you're only
true ,
She'll always forgive you. what'er you
do.
"I'm sure of this , " said Fred , the wise.
With a manly look in his laughing eyes ,
"I'll mind my mother quick , every day ;
A fellow's a baby that don't obey. "
Selected.
The Crooked Sweet Tea Stem.
In the queen's garden was planted a
long row of sweet peas which grew
and blossomed as only sweet peas in
a queen's garden could grow and blos
som. How lovely they were , and what
a delight were they to the queen.
One bright June morning three tiny
buds commenced to feel their way out
to the sun , and that they might see
;
the queen when he passed by. But
long before it was time for the little ,
'
buds to bloom , they were caught by .
one of the tendrils of the vine which j
held them fast , so that the stem on
which they grew was bent all out of
shape.
One afternoon the gardener passed
by , and he saw the little crooked stem.
"Oh , " said the flowers , "he will snip
us off and throw us away ; for would
not the queen feel sorry if she should
come along and find us growing here ? "
And this the gardener was just
ready to do when something attracted
his attention , so that he forgot all
about snipping them off , and for a
time they were safe.
Just at sunset the queen passed by.
"Oh , " cried the poor little flowers , "let
us hide , so that the queen cannot see
our deformity. "
But the queen did see them. "What
sweet little flowers , " she exclaimed ,
"and this evening in my hair will I
wear you. Would God that my crown
were one-half as fair as the sweet
faces of these lovely flowers. "
All that evening tne good queen
wore the happy little flowers , and
then , when she retired for the night
she placed them in a tiny jeweled
vase , that they might keep sweet and
fresh for the morrow.
"Oh , " exclaimed my poor little de
formed boy , "is that a truly true
story ? "
"Almost , " I replied.
"Tell me the true part of it , " he
asked eagerly.
"You are the little sweet pea blos
som , my boy , and mother is your
queen. "
How the little lad's eyes shone when
he joyfully cried out , "Oh ! Oh ! Oh !
and the queen loves me. I knew she
did. I am so glad , mamma. "
"Yes , " I replied , hugging him close
to mother's breast , "I do love you.
But Jesus loves us more than we can
possibly love each other , and He has
seen me , and He has seen my darling
boy , and * we know Him ; so that by
and by He will come and take us home
to dwell with" Him ; there all the
crooked shall be made straight , my
precious boy. " "Oh , how lovely , " ex
claimed the little lad.
Bay City , Mich.
Joining the Salvation Army.
Mary B. would like very much to
join the Salvation Army , but her fam
ily and friends oppose her so violent
ly that she has not the courage to take
the step. She knows that her whole
heart and soul are absorbed in their
work and feels that there is no field
in which she could be so useful to the
world and so satisfactory to herself.
It is almost a matter of conscience
with her , but she has been brought up
to the habits of the strictly obedience
to her parents. She is only twenty
years of age and some of her people
advise her to wait a year or so and
see if her present enthusiasm con
tinues. If so she will be of age and
can do as she pleases ; if not the ques
tion will settle itself. Answer : The
counsel of your friends is eminently
wise and proper. Young persons often
take violent fancies and become filled
with philanthropic ideas that they
abandon as they grow older and see
more of the world. The best course
for you to pursue is to keep your
heart full of benevolence and good
works , and if , when the year or two
of waiting has rolled round , you still
desire to become a Salvation Army
lassie , the editor will wish you God
speed.
Seven-Year-Old Hero.
New York Telegram : Monday sev
en-year-old Abraham Eckerson of
Guttenburg , N , J. , was playing soldier
uw.r.imhimw.w\JM.u \ iwinii 'i ' iicjfiwihitwh'i ' hw.ihumi
with his flvo little brothers and sin
ters in the kitchen , when they wore
suddenly confronted by seventeen
writhing , hlsaing copperhead snakes.
The largest , three foot long , led the
rest , and wa3 making toward the
children when the boy saw it. Ho also
saw the danger of his companions
and screamed at them to run out of
the room. They were so frightened
that they could scarcely move hand or
foot. Abraham drew his wooden
sword from his belt , and , jumping in
the front of the rest , struck the big
copperhead a stinging blow. It recoil
ed , bleeding. He then advanced on
the enemy and felled three more of the
snakes that seemed ready to spring at
the children. The whole body of
snakes retreated as Abraham wielded
his weapon. In the meantime his com
panions were screaming as loud as
they could. Their cries brought in
Mrs. Eckerson , armed with a poker
and a powerful dog , Rex. While the
Newfoundland dog jumped and gnaw
ed at the wriggling mass Mrs. Ecker
son thrust the children from the room.
She then returned and killed the rep
tiles that still showed life. When the
good work was over Mr3. Eckerson
fainted from fright and excitement.
The snakes are supposed to have been
thawed out of a log which Had just
been hauled from the woods and plac
ed beside the fire.
"Why a Ilorso Jliitm a Cimel.
Animals have their likes and dis
likes as well as men , and they are
quite as hard to explain. A cat nat
urally dislikes and fears a dog. The
elephant hates mice and dogs. Horses
loathe camels , and will not stay in the
same block with them if they can help
it. It Is hard to give a cause for these
aversions. Why should the horse dis
like the harmless camel and be fond
of the dog ? It must be that the horse
has a dormant sense of beauty and of
humor. The ideal of the horse is
grace , combined with strength. He
disapproves from the bottom of his na
ture of the hopelessly vulgar , awkward
and ' unesthetical camel. The bear , he
sees at once , though clumsy , is unpre
tentious , truthful and not devoid of a
sense of humor. The dog he recog
nizes as a good fellow , companionable
and unselfish. A strong bond between
the dog and the horse is that they are
both fend of sport , whereas a camel
would not go an inch to see the best
race that was ever run.
Sport on the Ice.
One of the most exciting of winter
sports is the sled merry-go-round. It
is built very much like an ordinary
boy's whirligig , only it is placed on
the ice. And for genuine fun it cannot
be equaled.
Any boy can make a sled merry-go-
round. All the material necessary is a
stout post , long enough to reach
through the ice and find a secure rest
ing place in the mud or sand in the
bottom of the pond. It should reach
about three feet above the surface.
When it is put in place a hole may be
cut in the ice just large enougn to ad-
rait it , and a heavy mallet will drive
it into place in the bottom of the pond.
If it is left over night the water will
freeze close around it and hold it solid.
In the top of the post a large , round
bolt or spike should be driven. The
whirligig part of the merry-go-round
is a long plank or scantling with a
hole in the middle just large enough
to fit over the bolt or spike. When
this is in place the merry-go-round is
complete. Before it is used , however ,
it is well to grease the top of the post
and bolt so that the plank will slip
around easily.
Any number of exciting games may
be with the sled
played merry-go-
round. Perhaps the best of these is
the sled contest. Two stout sleds are
attached to the ends of the plank by
long ropes. A boy sits on each of
them. Then half a dozen other boys
i
WHIRLIGIG SKATING.
stand near the post and set the plank
to turning , exactly as in a whirlgig.
Of course the sleds travel at exhilarat
ing speed , swinging out at the ends of
the ropes and slipping and sliding over
the smooth ice faster and faster , until
the rider rolls off like the end boy in
cracking the whip. The boy who can
stick to his sled longest is the winner
of the game.
Another exciting game is played
without sleds. Skaters take hold of
#
the ropes , ana see how long they can
hold on after the merry-go-round is
started. And sometimes , when they le :
go , they are whirled rods away across
the ice.
Any boy who is getting up a skating
rink for the winter should not fail to
have a sled , merry-go-round as one of
its attractions.
Truth is the band of union and rhe
basis of human happiness. Without
this virtue there is no reliance unon
language , no confidence in friendship ,
no security in promises an- * oaths
Jeremy Collier.
, i iii mi minima in mi iiini i i mi i i iimi i imiii in H
Scrcfula and rj |
All other blood H
Diseases arc promptly H
And Permanently Cured M
By Hood's Sarsaparilla , H
If you suffer from H
Any form of Blood H
Disorder , you should , M
Take Hood's and H
Only Hood's ; ' - M
- - ' - - ' - - ' ' ' " " * s M
Inventors at ftho Trans-MlnHlM8lppl Vxvwr M
sltloiu \ H
The United States Patent Oilier will M
expend $20,000 in making a display of B
models at the Trans-Mississippi and H
International Exposition , to be held at < 4 M
Omaha from June to November , 189S. / H
To bring this exhibit up to date , inventors - ( 1
ventors will be invited to exhibit H
their meritorious invcntiomi. and In fl H
this connection , Inventor Thomas A. a H
Edison has pledged himself to make H
an exhibit of one of his latest iuven- M
tions. Inventors having models of | H
clever inventions , should address f M
Sues & Co. , Patent Experts , Omaha ' * * H
in charge of the section of inventions , |
for free information. H
The monument which the members J H
of the "Iron Brigade" will erect to * H
the memory of General John Gibbon H
in the Arlington cemetery across the H
Potomac from the national capital H
is rapidly nearing completion. A j H
bas-relief of General Gibbon anpenrs M
on the front of the granite and the i f
whole will be one of the handsomest H
monuments in the cemetery. |
FARMER'S HANDY FEED COOKER. fl
We desire to call our readers' attention - H
tion to the Farmer's Handy Feed H
Cooker , which is sold at the low price H
of $12.50 for 50 gallon capacity H
By feeding poultry and stock with H
cooked food during tlic winter months , M
at least one-third of the food is saved ; | H
also having stock in a healthy condlp
tion , preventing hog cholera among J
your hogs , and insuring the hens laying - H
ing freely during the winter months H
when eggs are always wanted at high. ' H
prices. This Cooker will pay for it3eit fl H
in one week's time and is without H
doubt the best and cheapest on the |
market just what its name implies , a H
Farmer's Handy Feed Cooker. Upon M
ap.iVation ] to the Empire Manufacturing - M
ing Co. , G15 H street. Quincy. 111. , a cat- M
alogue. giving a full description , may H
be obtained. They arc made in all sizes. H
Diggs They say that it is lawful |
for a man to gamble his wife away in H
Siam. Biggs A law like that would |
be of no benefit in this country. Digs j H
Why not ? Biggs It would be iin- H
possible to find a man to take the bet. t H
Do You D.im-u To-Night ? |
Shake into your Shoes Allen's Foot- J M
Ease , a powder for the feet. It makes H
tight or New Shoes feel Easy. Cures H
Corns , Bunions , Chilblains and Sweating - H
ing Feet. At all Druggists and Shoo M
Stores , 2.1c. Sample sent FREE. Ad- l M
dress , Allen S. Olmsted. Leftoy , N. Y. I H
Recent insurance statistics chow H
that if the wife dies first tli'j hurv ( > nd j H
on an a\cragc survives nine years , | H
while if the husband dies first the ] |
wife survives eleven years. i H
TO CL'KC A COI.D IK ONi : DAT. H
Take Laxitive Urorno Quin'r.e TaM ts. All M
Druggists refund the money if it tails to cure. ! ! 5c |
Ruskin's sixty-four books bring him H
in $20,000 a year. H
Man is creation's masterpiece ! But m H
who says so ? Man ! * H
Smoke Sledge Cigarette : , - , 20 for > cts. k H
Swinburne , who writes very littleI I H
makes $3,000 a year by his poems. H
In Greenland potatoes never get H
larger than marbles. j H
$ lhi Go to your grocer to-day H
vL and get a 15 c. package of j H
( $ $ |
vh It takes the place of cof- H
W * fee at the cost. H
| 8 ? Made from pure grains it H
5fk is nourishing and healthful - |
% ful- H
\ Accept no imitation. H
KT \ < ? ' --i SSS ? d
a Ely a Hills double QLJC ! : : H
Write CAPT. O'FARRELL , Pension Agent , |
1425 New York Avenue. WASHINGTON , D. C. j H
When Answering Advertisements h'iatily H
Mention This Taper. 1