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I.ANOASTEE DAILY fcNELLI&NOEB; TUESDAY, DECEMBER ,. -ISSS.
Lancaster Jntelligenccr.
TUESDAY EVENING DZC. 5, 1882,
The Annual Reports.
The president's message and the re
ports fli His cabinet officers sent to Con
cress and given- to -the country at this
season appear in, full in the morning
papers of to day and will be read by few
persons at the great length at which
they are printed. There is nothing
eventful in our relations witli foreign
countries, the United Slates being at
present as nearly as possible! in that de
lightful state comprehensively described
by a former president, " at peace with
all the world and the rest of mankind."
Mr. Blaine's attempt to embroil us with
the South American states, and possibly
Englaud, failed and gets a parting kick
from the successor to Garfield. By far
the most interesting domestic subject
that engages public attention is the sur
plus of our revenues caused by burdens
of taxation that oppress the people, ob
struct business and tlireaten the pros
perity of the country. We are raising
money at a rate far beyond our wants
and beyond even the necessities of the
redeemable national debt. The presi
dent reviews the secretary's report in
this matter and accords with his sug
gestions, which we print and which are
elsewhere commented upon. It is nota
ble that with all the campaign tariff agi
tation of the opposition and the cries of
Democratic " free trade " and " attack
upon American industry" the Repnhli
can federal tduimistratiou makes bold
demand for a reduction of duties.
The report of the tariff commission is
presented simultaneously with the other
public documents, and it points the way
to a general reduction of from 20 to 25
per cent, in existing custom rates. The
commission reaches the conclusion now
so patent to the best intelligence of the
country, that " high duties have a ten
dency to create prejudice, to encourage
unsafe investments of capital, to cause
a plethora of certain commodities ; that
thetimo has come when a reduction
from the high war rates can safely be
made, and that the increase in the pro
ductions by the older industries is suffi
cient to admit of a reduction without
impairment of ability to compete." Leg
islation in accordance with this view
cannot be long delayed, though in effect
ing it Congress will find, as the commis
sion did, that the selfishness of human
nature leads the representatives of every
industry to think that theirs is the one
which still needs protection.
One of the most important points
suggested in the state papers of
this year is the reduction of let
ter postage to two cents per half
ounce. Cheap postage is a characteris
tic of advanced civilization and it is a
universal benefaction. Our postal de
partment is gradually becoming self-
supporting and as it approaches that
stage there should be reduction of rates
where it is most felt and most needed.
Tho present rate or carrying letters is
too Inch and has been maintained too
long. Besides, a reduction will so large
ly stimulate the mail service as to soon
compensate in part if not altogether for
the reduced revenues.
The only pait of the message which is
not a careful following of the lines
marked out by the department reports
is that which relates to the civil service;
and while it is prolific of the usual com
plaints that it is impossible for the chief
executive to give personal directions to
the 100,000 appointments for which he is
responsible, it is barren of suggested
remedies for the evils which arise and
prevail under our present system. The
president is unquestionably right in his
declaration that "it matters little to the
people at large what competent person
is at the head of this department or that
bureau if they feel assured that the re
movai or one anu me accession or an
other will not involve the -retirement of
honest and faithful subordinates, whose
duties are purely administrative and
have no legitimate connection with the
triumph of any political principle or the
success of any political party or fact ion.'
But nobody seems yet to have devised a
means to reach this end which is accep
table to our lawmakers and above the
suspicion of a jealous people The pres
ident constructs for himself a defense
against the charges of the Garfield fac
tion that he has been the creature of the
Stalwarts in striking down the friends
of his predecessor ; to shield himself
from this accusation he shows conclu
sively that the percentage of his remov
als wasfar less than Garfield's. But we
presume he doesn't expect anybody to
concede that any principle of civil ser
vice reform characterized an adminis
tration in which Blaine was the ruling
spirit. There is a mild hypocrisy in Ar
thur's affected disapproval of Hubbcl
ism.
Tariff and Taxes.
The suggestions of the secretary of the
treasury in regard to the financial affairs
of the country seem to be wise. He
advocates a reduction of taxation and
makes plain the necessity for it in the
exhibition of the fact that the revenues
are far in excess of the necessary expen
dilure. There will be no disagreement
with him on anv hand in this recommen
dation, though there is not unanimity as
to bow the reduction of taxation should
be effected. The manufacturing inter
est generally favors the abolition of the
internal revenue, expecting thereby
greater protection from the tariff that
will need to be levied on imposts to raise
the required revenue ; but it is a question
whether the manufacturers do not make
a mistake here. What liiey want is a
tariff rate high enough to forbid foreign
importations of their wares ; and if
they are given such a duty it will follow
that no revenue will be derived from
such source. The secretary recommends
the retention of the tax on tobacco and
spirits ; and there can hardly be a ques
tion that revenue can be raised from
these articles of luxury with far less in
jury to the country than from other
more innocent and necessary things.
In fact, it may even be said that
the tax upon them is beneficent,
since.it tends to limit their use. There
are certainly many things objectionable
in the way in which the internal revenue,
is collected, but ithould be quite "prac
ticable to collect in a proper "way-a doe
rate of lax upon liquor and, .tobacco,
and it would be a matter ofregret if
these benign subjects of taxation should
be permitted to go untaxed from any
difficulty experienced inthelevy. There
are many articles now subject to duty
which should be put upon the free list,
and sugar, which is one of the heaviest
tax producers, is one article which
should not be taxed severely, if at all.
That the tax upon some manufactures
can be greatly reduced is shown by the
fact that Bessemer steel rails, wmen, are
now subject to a duty of twenty-seven
dollars a ton, are manufactured and sold
here at forty dollars, a price far below
that at which they can be imported.
Tho high duty upon them has resulted
in a large revenue to the country because
of the fact that until lately the facilities
of the home mills were not equal to the
home demand. There will never again
be any national revenue from this
source, and probably the surplus of
the revenue, which now rises up
to trouble tho secretary, will not
long continue to be as excessive
as at present. The reduction of revenue
resources should be made cautiously, in
view of the stimulation which the busi
ness of the country has lately experienced
and which now seems to be quieting
down. The tariff comission recommends
a twenty or twenty five pi-r cent, reduc
tion of duties. What is needed is not a
general reduction upon tho list, but
rather the increase of the free list
Articles which are necessary and that are
not largely manufactured here should
come m iree; articles oi luxury wuicu
are easily smuggled should be admitted
under a duty light enough to take away
the temptation to smuggle. The collec
tion of revenue by a tariff upon imports
is a cosily way of raising it, and is only
justified by the need that exists of pro
tecting the country's industries. Duties
which do not have this effect should be
abolished.
Thkue is a Stalwart grin at tho neat
way in which the president has met Half
Breed allegation concerning tho sweeping
removal of Garfield men from office.
TiiEin: is a well defined suspicion that
tho Langtry-Labouchero quarrel was only
another of those cuto advertising dodges
of Mr. Abbey's.
Tiik Wilmington Every Ecening berates
tho opera house orchestra of that placo
for playing lively music between the acts
of a soul harrowing performance. Tho
cheerful strains of a Strauss waltz, it
says, grated harshly on the ears of tho
neonlc whose feelinjrs had just been se
verely wrenched by witnessing a painful
scene enacted upon the stage with realistic
effect. No doubt tho Dead March from
Saul, or something like it, would havo
bettor suited our solemn contemporary and
the sympathizing Wilmingtonians.
The theatre nuisauoo young man is bo
coming as bad as tho cigarette fiend and
should bo made to feel the samo kiud of
discipline. Lot our girls baud themselves
into an organization and agree not t; at
tend the theatre with any young man who
will not promise to remain in his seat
until the curtain has fallen. Ono of tho
annoyances of tho theatre is to havo a
stalwait form riso up before tho view
duriug tho last scene of a play and begin
to crowd itself into an overcoat. The
man who does this not only advertises his
own lack of breeding, but obstructs the
viow of people sitting behind him. He
should 13 reformed.
PERSONA..
Gex. Geoiiqe C. Thomas, aged TO years,
a native of Elizabeth, N. J., died at his
residence in Georgetown, D. C, on Satur
day night.
Rev. C. A. Pihcf, from Michigau, will
hold a series of meetings in the English
language at tho German Baptist meeting
house on Mulberry streot, commencing
Wednesday evening.
Joseph Weber, for many years editor
and publisher of the Northern Adtocale,
at Clarcmont, N. H., died suddenly on
Sunday evening while attending a prayer
meeting in tho Methodist church.
IIox Nelson II. Vajjvookihs, of
Athens, O., died yesterday. Ho was ro
cently a member of Congress and served
several terms in tho LegUlatuiu as
speaker of tho House of Representa
tives. Daniel W. Sellers, a leading Demo
cratic lawyer of Philadelphia, has been
appointed solicitor by the new Republioan
sheriff-elect, Keim. of Philadelphia. The
office is worth $2,000 a year, and tho in.
cumbcut has great influence.
Dr. Frank H. Hamilton, one of the
Garfield physicians is seriously ill in New
York, lie suffered a hemorrhage of tho
lungs on Saturday night and has had
several since. Tho latest reports are such
as to excite serious apprehensions on the
part of hut family and friends.
William II. Butler, aged 21, commit
ted suicide yesterday at Baltimore in a
house of ill famo, by shooting himself
through the heart. He was originally
from Norfolk, Va., son of Rev. Butler, an
Episcopal clergyman, graduate of college
and was melancholy because his father had
discarded him.
Mrs. Harriet Beeciieu Stowe expects
to pass the coming winter on her planta
tion at Mandarin, Fla. Her orange grove,
which was set out when she established
herself there not long after the war, num
bers something over 100 trees, and from
seventy five of them she now reaps an in
come of $1,500 a year.
John Humphrey Notes, the founder of
the Oneida community in Now York, who
Aid tho state about a year sinco to escape
indictment is now an exile. The last heard
of him ho was at Clinton, Canada, near
Niagara Falls, living with his wife, al
though three others of the community
women went with her when she joined
him.
Miss Makoaret Mather, the Chicago
actiess, mado her first appearance cast of
the Alieghanies in Shakspjarc's Juliet,
supported by Mr. Milnes Levick, Young
Salvini and a good company, in Baltimore
lascnignt. ine auaionco was numerous
aud elite, and the applause generous and
general. The young lady made a very
favorable impression.
John W. Dorsey, aged 25, a son of
Judge Dorsey, of Howard county, Md.,
fatally shot himself yesterday in his
boarding house at Baltimore, with suicidal
intent. The father of a young lady
whom he had been addressing objected to
their proposed marriage, and this is be
lieved to have caused the rash act. He
was of prominent and wealthy family con.
nectionsand was left a large fortune, but
speculation lost it.
DEPARTMENT EEP0ETS.
SEC. rOLiiERS Y1KWS AT L.KKUTU.
Tk Kocrmona Surplus Threatening l'opnlar
frOHietltj- Some ot trie Other
KeporU.
Tho telegraphic summary of the presi
dent's message printed in tho Intelli
gencer yesterday presented its most sa
lient points. It also briefly stated tho
leading features of the department re
ports. Hut the annual budget of the sec
retary of the treasury, by far the most
important of these annual doeuments, has
some points worthy or popular attention,
and copious extracts are herewith pub
lished from Mr. Folger's annual report :
The Secretary of tbe Treasury'n Recom
mendations. There ate now in the treasury unused
assets to a large amount, and tho daily
receipts into the treasury from customs
and internal revenue taxation aro about a
million and a quarter. It is plain from
this, and the statement with which this
report begins of tho estimated expendi
tures for tho next fiscal year, that tho re
ceipts from revenue are, and are likely to
be, in excess of the needs of tho govern
ment. From the inequality between daily
largo receipts and comparatively small
daily disbursements thcro comes an evil
effect upon tho business of tho country.
The collections by government aro taken
out of the money market in sums and at
dates which havo little or no agreement
with tho natural movement of money, and
are returned to it with the samo inadapta
tion to commercial or financial require
ments. Occasionally the largo disburse
ments of tho government l.avt created a
plethora of uioue ; more frequently its
largo and continued withdrawals of money
have caused such a scarcity of floating
capital as to check the proper movement
of legitimate business. It is not only that
tho amount in tho tieasury is so much
kept from the uso of community ; tho
fact becomes an incentive and an aid to
men who, for their own ends, conspire to
keep from that use other largo sums. Wo
have believed that tho laws of tho states
against primogeniture, tho entail of es
tates, and tho accumulation, of personal
property, stood in tho way of heaping up
wo.ilth in single hands, and gathering ia
single hands tho power over others that
croat wealth gives. But so it is that to
day there aro men so rich that, by con
spiring together, they can at will put and
hold hand on near as much money as gov
ernment can lay band to, save by tho uso
of its credit. The power thus had is used
from time to time. It results, that violent
aud sudden contractions and expansions
afiiict tho business community, and the
government is an unwilling aider and
abettor therein. It has como about that
tho treasury department is looked to as a
great, if not a chief, cause of rccurriug
stringencies, aud tho treasury is called to
for relief. Every secretary of the treasury
for years past has had it brought clearly
to his mind, and official expedients have
been used to remedy tho evil. Little
of lasting value has been accomplished
thereby.
There is no advisable and lawful mode
of disbursing an existing excess of assets,
but that of the payment of tho public
debt. Tho debt is substantially of two
principal kinds that payable at the plea
sure of the government, that payable at a
fixed date in the future. Tho former is
also of two kinds that bearing interest at
three aud a half per cont. and that at three
per cent. The latter mny not be called in
lor payment while any of the former is
outstanding and uncalled. So is the law
of its creation.
Of tho foimcr thcro aro outstanding and
uncalled over seventy millions. The in
terpretation put by the department upon
tho various laws out of which that debt
has arisen, requires that a call for it for
payment must fix for the maturity aud for
tho cessation of interest a date three
months off. This somewhat hampers the
department in so making calls as to keep
up a timely succession. For calls at three
months off thcro must cither bo the funds
in hand therelor at tho time the call is
made, or there must bo arclianconpontho
probable prospective receipts.
To wait before making a call until tho
funds are in fact in hand would bo to in
crease tbe evil of which I am speaking.
To call in relianco upon receipts to como
needs caution, lest by changes in business
currents or business prosperity they may bo
lessened, and thus embarrassments ensue ;
so that, practically, tho department cannot
with prudence work in this matter up
to what may turn out to be its full ability.
Whether the three per cent, bond will le
quire the samo length of call tinio has not
yet been determined. Nor is a call al
ways effectual in briugiug in the debt for
payment.
The monthly statements of the public
debt show that of matured obligations on
which interest has ceased there are out
standing over eleven millions and a half,
some of it from tho year 1S37. Doubtless
some ot this has been lost or destroyed,
and will never bo brought for payment.
lint bonus wnicn aro in late calls come
in
slowly. Thus, of the calls preceding 'the
nor ill nF miiIi li'itrn hOArt cstmn lort
payable at option of holders without re-
bato of interest aud which were, in all.
for $55,000,000, thero is outstanding $35, -000,000
and over.
Bonds of tho othor principal class are of
several kinds, all payable at a future date
and all aro now at a high premium in the
market. If it were good policy for the de
partment to buy theso at their premium,
it could by so doing easily free the treas
ury from its excess of assets. Various
causes put these premiums at a height
almost unexampled.
It is true that capitalists may buy them
now, and they will, if tho present stato qf
things continues, by the time they fall
due and payable, aud are paid to them at
their face have realized some interest
upon tho purclnso price. At the present
premium on most if not all of them that
will bo short of three per cent. Calcula
tions show that at these premiums a pur
chase will not havo yielded at tho end of
their term three per cent, on the money
paid for them.
The government, by the purchase of
them, might, in effect, take an equal
profit. But it can save to itself three and
a-half per cent, by calling bonds of that
class. Ilenco, I do not perceive how a
secretaiy could justify himself to tho
country at large in paying the government
debt at ruling premiums when there is no
requirement of law to bo answered, and
no convenience or pressing need of the
government to be met, unless there is a
great emergency, and general financial
disaster is threatened, which only extreme
measures of governmental intvrfeienco can
turn aside.
It is true that this department has here
tofore, and as late as March 30, 1881, pur
chased bonds and paid for them the face
value and a premium thereon. The pur
chases on that day wero over five million
and a quarter dollars, and the premium
paid nearly forty fivo thousand dollars.
But the purchase was for the sinking fund
ana tne law oi mat iuna required a pur
chase, and there were no government bonds
redeemable at pleasure to the payment of
which an excess of assets might be ap
plied. In former years there were largo
and continued purchases of bonds at a
premium, but they wont hand in baud
with sales of gold at a creator premium
and the government made a profit by the
transaction, and then, tub, was for a time
the requirement of tbe sinking fund, and
there were no bonds payment of which
ight be made in invitum.
Tbo anticipation of payment of called
bonds without a rebate otthe interest up
to the day named in the call rests upon a
different basis. A prepayment of interest
upon the public debt is sanctioned by ex
press provision of law. (See resolution No.
25, of March, 1864, and the U. S. Rev.
Stats., 3G99.) A rcferenco to tho debates
in Congress when that resolution was
undor discussion shows that the motive
for the adoption of it was that the treas
ury department might at any tima break
a tightness in tho money market by put
ting out money idlo in its vault.
Tho power thus given has of late been
used for that purpose. Though this does
not givo a gain to the holders of the bonds
it puts no loss upon the government. The
treasury uses for the prepayment money
that it needs not for uso in other ways and
yields no interest, aud which it must at
last use for paying just what it pays in
advance, aud to no more than the amount
that it mnst at last pay. In paying a high
premium, however, it pays what it is
bound ever to pay, and it is not a certain
event that it will ever make itself whole
again, and to tho extent of some part of
the premium, it extinguishes no debt.
It is doubtless good policy to extinguish
the long bonds of tho government rather
than thoso payable at its pleasuro, for the
timo is at hand when, with tho present
rate of receipts and tho present rate of
payment of the public debt, all tho bonds
subject to optional timo of payment will
have been called in. Then, if thoro be a
surplus in tho treasury, there will be no
outlet for it save by purchase at largo
premium of long bonds, or tho disburse
ment of it through appropriations for pur
poses beyond tho ordinary and economical
needs of the government. It is, there
fore, for Congress to consider tho pro
priety of empowering this department to
buy the long bor.ds at a high premium.
If it shall deem it. pnlitio to m ko goiieral
purchase; ot bonds at sueh premium for
extinguishment, it should by law givo to
this department express authority so to do
aad thus adopt that policy.
Thero havo been other suggestions of
modes of freeing tho treasury of an excoss
or assets. Tho national bank act, section
33 (United States Revised Statutes, sec
tion 5133), provides for the designation of
national banks as depositaries of public
monoys, security beiug taken in a corres
ponding deposit of United States bonds.
All moneys received for customs must bo
paid into the treasury, and no part of them
can bo placed in national bank denosi-
taries. It is seen that if they, or any part
of them, wore deposited with national
bank depositaries, they would soon find
their way back into the currents of busi
ness in loans and discounts, as do now tho
receipts from internal revenue taxation.
There aro in tho treasury over fifty
millions of dollars, being tho fivo nar cent.
fund for tho redemption of national bank
notes, and tho fund for the redemption of
notes of national banks that have failed.
These funds havo not been treated by tho
department as " public moneys " within
tho intent of the sections above cited, and
havo been kept in tho treasury. If Con
gress should give an interpretation to the
words "public moneys" which would
take in these funds, and they bo put on
deposit with the public depositaries, tho
samo resnlts would follow as above sug
gested as to customs receipts.
The figures aro given which show an esti
mated surplus of public moneys for the
fiscal year ending Juno 30, 1883, upon the
basis of existing laws, and including the
sinking fund, of 75,577,043.73.
Unless some disturbing cause comes in,
not now foreseen, that surplus will in
crease from year to year as the interest on
the public debt decreases. For without such
cause the revenues from all sources will
not be diminished if tho laws productive
thereof remain unchanged. As so great an
annual surplus is tho direct result of tho
existing revenue laws, what will bo tho
financial condition of the country if theso
laws remain unchanged aud taxation be
not reduced ?
Iu connection herewith should be homo
in miud the increasing expenditure for
ppnsion?, as likely to affect in some degrco
the increase of surplus.
Thcro aro 269,678 claims pending, of
which 197,023 are for arrears requiring, if
allowed, for tho first payment, $200,000,
000. There are now due and payable at
the government's pleasure $155,356,330 of
3 per cent, bonds and $259,370,500 of 3
per cents.
Tho amount of fuuded debt redeemable
at any timo before Septemb?r 1, 1891,
which will remain unpaid on the 30th of
Juno, 1883, is about $300,000,000, and
upon tho foregoing estimates for tho fiscal
3 ear endiug June 30, 1883, the whole
fuuded debt now redeemable could bo
paid beforo Juno 30, 18S6. This would
leavo as tbo surplus for moro than fivo
years the amount of SGOO,000,000, undis
posed of iu tho treasury, unlcsa, yielding
to the temptation of seeming wealth, ex
penditures bo largely increased. Tho
amount of the loan redeemable in 1891 is
oniy $230,000,000, and as has been stated,
no other loan becomes rodeemablo until
1907, co that the surplus under tho condi
tions supposed will rapidly increase until
that date. The amount of tbe loan of
1907, as already appears, is less than $740-
000,000, so that, wero it all redeemable
tho whole public debt could be paid from
a sarpius as great as estimated early in tho
v. . -w aa . aa. a
This amount of sumlusis not conlem
plated by the secretary with satisfaction ;
and as relief he recommends a reduction
taxation. He believes in retaining the tax
on liquors and tobaccos, and releasing
all other subjects of internal taxation. He
also favors a reduction of customs duties
aud upon this subject says :
Iu reading the testimony beforo tho
tariff commission it is to be observed that
with scarcely an exception, the represen
tative of every industry, while conceding
that a general reduction of the tariff is
proper and necessary, has claimed that its
peculiar product can submit to no reduc
tion of the protection now afforded.
While tho views of the manufacturers aro
to be weighed, it is manifest that thoy
will never bo ablo to agreo upon a reduc
tion of the tariff duties.
All agree that a revision of tbe tariff is
necessary. The aotion of Congress in ere.
ating a commission for that purpose ren
ders discussion on that point unnecessary.
The action of that commission in detail is
not yet known to this department. What
ever may be its recommendations, they
will, no doubt, receive respectful consid
eration.
Tho secretary of the treasury, however,
cannot feel that he is relieved of the re
sponsibility because of that commission.
Ho deems it proper, therefore, to make
somo recommendations upon the sub
ject. The whole amount of revenue from cus
toms for tho fiscal year ending June 30,
1882, has already been stated at some
thing more than $220,00,000. The classes
of merchandise paying the largest amonnj
of duties from customs are the following,
in tho order named : Sugar and molasses,
wool and manufactuies from it, iron and
steel and tho manufacture from thorn,
manufactures of silks, manufactures of
cotton, amounting to about one hundred
and thirty-seven and a half millions.
A substantial reduction upon each of
tho class of articles named is recommend
ed. And it is believed that tbo time has
arrived when a reduction of duties on
ncaily all the articles in our tariff is do
manded and is feasible.
In addition to this, a careful revision of
tho tariff should bo made with a view to
placing upon the freo list many articles
now paying a duty. It appears that tho
largest amount derived from any class of
products, under the customs tariff, is that
from sugar.
Sugar is a necessary of life for all classes
in this country. Tho avcrago duty on it
is equal to two and a naif cents per pound,
and to nearly 'fifty-three- and a half per
cent, ad valoreiu: i Tho amount of cane
sugar produced iu thiseotmtry Is estimat
ed at cloven per cant, of tho whole quan
tity consumed, and it is apparent that
nearly tbe whole amount of revenue from
this source is paid by tho consumer, the
competition by homo production not be
ing sufficient seriously to affect" the price.
The progress of industry in the produc
tion of sugar from sorghum and the beet
is not forgotten. It is entitled to consid
eration. It is believed, however, that a
substantial reduction of tho duty upon
sugar may be mado without injustice to
the producer of it iu this country.
Upon wo-jI aud iron and steel, and their
manufactures, a largo reduction must bo
mado to materially ieseen the revenues
derived from them, as tho amount of im
ports will increase an tho duties are less
ened. It will probably b 2 found that iu
general the reduction can chieily be mado
on tho raw material or coarser manufact
ures ramer uian iuoo upan wnicn a
greater amount of labor has been ba
stowed. The duties on manufactures of
silk, it is bslicved.tnay b.ireducsd without
injustice to manufacturers in this country.
The culum tariff is found to ha complex
and inconsistent, r.nd it ia no doubt trim
that in r.i(fet of the coarser clasces of cot
ton fabrics our manufacturers can com
pote with the world without protection.
Wines and spirits, winch afford tho largest
amount of duty naxt to tho five
clashes enumerated, being ait'.elosof lux
ury, may well bear any rato Of duty
deemed necessary for tho revenue.
Without going further into details, the
secretary earnestly leconnnendsa careful
revision of tho tariff, with a viow to sub
stantial leductions. Tho accomplishment
of this is recommended to the present Con
gress, which has been fully awaio of the
approaching lin.mci.il situation, as it is
now presented, aud has fully discussed the
subject in some of its healings.
Tho tcmaindcr of Secretary Frlg?rtio
port rulates to routine affairs of the de
partment the foreign comineieu statistics,
cattlo quarantine, tho life-saving tervico,
tho coast survey, steamboat inspection,
emigration, public buildings, &c
NKWS UF THE DAY.
Acci(U-:its and incidents I'rcm Ail l'u.-lo
Tho chair stock shop of A. is A. G.
Waite, at ilubbardstou, Mass., was onrned
on Satmday. Los.--, $2,000.
C. II. Linde, a young gambler from Rio
Grande City, was shot and killed at Eagle
Pass, Texas, by Clay Dryc, in a gaming
houso.
Mill No. 2, at Harrisvillo, X. II., owned
by Gowing & Grew, of Boston, and oper
ated bv Craven & Willard, burned yester
day Loss, $100,000.
At Buffalo, N. Y., Thomas Malouey aud
William Grief, laborers, quarreled about
money matters, when Mahoney struck and
killed Grief with a hammer.
Napoleon Balcom, a French Canadian,
aged 42 years and uumarried, was found
dead in his barber shop in North Brook
field, Mass., with his throat cut, having
committed suicide.
Richard Steers, of Dutch Hills, L. I.,
made an attempt at self-destruction by
swallowing Paris grcen,but became dissat
isfied with tho tardy effect of it and killed
himself by putting a bullet iu his
brain.
The National Butter, Cheese and Egg
convention aud tho Union Dairy fair was
formally opened at Milwaukee yesterday.
The cash prizes aggregate $5,000, and
there aro two gold medals and diplomas
for dairy products.
Fire at Batcsvillo, Ark., destroyed P.
C. Smith's storehouse and content, and
the Batesvillo hotel and contents, also be
longing to Smith, whose total loss is $28,
000. Mr. McDowell, the hotelkecp.'r, lost
$2,000 on furnituto.
Tho Crescent hotel, at Plum Creek,
near Brandon, Manitoba, with its contents
was destroyed by fire yesterday. L-mis
Duncan, the manager's brother, while at
tempting to save his property, pei ished.
The lire was caused ly the upsetting nf a
lamp.
Mori is Zicke:-ntaii, aged 22 yeais, a
Russian Hebrew refugee and locksmith by
trade, committed suicide in New York by
hanging himself iu tho hallway of a boaid
ing house in Hester street. Despondency
at being unable to fled employment was
tho cause of tho act.
Charles E. Taylor, manager of the
Western Union telegraph office at Frauk
forr, Ivy., and Frank Montgomery, maua
gcr of llio to'ephouo company, had an
altercation in which Taylor was shot iu
the left arm aud Moutgomeiy received a
llnsh wound iu the right arm.
A tiro in the diy goods storo of Alexan
der Fields & Co., at No. 233 Grand strcet
New Yoik, did $25,000 worth ot damage.
Tho adjoining building was damaged $2,000
Tho occupant Henry Kerr, faucy goods
dealer loses $2,000. Another file atNo.
119 Fulton street occupied by Messrs.
Keep's shirt factory ; Wdliam Leahy,
hatter; Egciton & Co., printeis, aud G.
Garafalo, jewelry, did $10,000 damage.
Lcs-es equally divided.
i
TUE DKAMA.
A Familiar Face In a new Role.
Thcro was a rather slim audience iu
Fulton opera house last night to witness
tho production of the familiar play of
" Hazel Kirko ;" the succcss'on of at
tractions which aro now crowding upon
each other being evidently too much of a
good thing, and there nor. beiug enough
patronage among our play-going public to
go around. Miss Belle Archer, who was
Belle Mackcuzio before she married
the big handsome fellow who with special
regard to tho fitness of things played tho
part of her husband last night, was en
altogether witching Hazel, her face
having lost none of the chaim
that set half the young fellows in town
wild about her when she sang " Pinafore''
here; and if tho lady doesn't fully sizo up to
tho dramatic possibilities of the part, she,
did givo such a sweet and pleasant imper
sonation that one couldn't understand bow
old Kirke could possibly be so cruel and
hard-hearted as to drive the poor little
thing away from him. Miss Archer's act
ing, too, is full of promise and with further
schooling she may roach distinction in
her profession. Wheatleigh's Kirke and
Fankau's Pittaeus aro familiar here by
reason of having been seen before. Tho
other members of the cast didn't amount
to a great deal, nor was tho presentation
as a wholo nearly bo strong as those which
the Madison Squara people have custom
arily given us.
FATAL KAILKOAD AUClDKNT.
Cam Wrecked and Brakeman Killed.
An axle under a Philadelphia fe Read
ing II. R., on the Pennsylvania railroad
car, broke as the Middletown shifter en
gine 157. was crossing from south track
to the tube workssidiugat Middletown, at
5:45 yesterday afternoon throwing two
cars off the track, blockading both tracks
of tho Pennsylvania railroad, and fatally
injuring a brakeman named Geo. Millard,
who was thrown from tho cars and found
lying under the lumber. With the as
sistance of tho tubo work mill employee,
and the crew of tho shifting engine, Mil
lard was exti icated from under the lum
ber aud taken to his homo opposito to
where the accident occurred. Both his
Ie;s wero tenibly crushed above the knee.
Tho company physician was summoned
and did all in his power to relieve tho
young man of his sufferings, but he died
at 9:12, being rational until tho last mo
ment, and telling how the accident
occuned. He was a single man and lived
with his parents in Middletown. He was
20 years old, and had been in tho employ
of the railroad company for fivo years.
TOBACCO.
THB MABKET IW THIS -COD.NTY.
Ttin Croiior 'SO Still Goios UCT Not JIoc!i
Doing lu tho New Crop Waiting tl.o
Action or CongrcM.
Tho past week has been rather quiet,
yet the sales of r80 tobacco will foot up
samething over 400 cases, still shonim;
that notwithstanding all the effort j to pull
it down it will still sell. Of course prices
havo been private ; in faot tho trademark
of all tobacco now seems to be two letters
"P. T." which is not soagrsoable perhaps
to outsiders, but wo do not see why dealers
iu the weed cannot do business privately
as well as other dealers.
In '81 we have heard of no transactions ;
but a packer told us a few day sinco that
he had two buyers for his paeking in ono
week. There is no doubt 'SI will move
off lively if '80 once gets out of the way,
which will not bo at a very distant day
should it continue even as it has been
going for the last few weeks.
Wo arc constrained to think thcra is
more business being done in "80 than is
generally known, at least wa know of one
instance in which a local packer sold 550
cases outside of 800 insido of a f ow weeks,
none of which has been made public aud
at the packet's own solicitation we will not
givo names.
Buying of the '83 has for some reason
suddenly ceased. Unfavorable weather, it
is tme,ba3 been to some extent tho cause,
but last week the woather was no worse
than the week previous, when many sales
wero made. Iu all probability no inten
sive buying will be done until after a good
damp spell, lsuyers prefer seeing the
goods in a soft condition and groweis have
no objection.
Tho revenue bill now is a big question
agitated in tobacco circle, what will bo
ilouo duriug tho coming session of Con
gress is eagerly looked for. Upon ono
thing nearly all agree : that is, the total
iibohliou ol taxes ; no tinkering with it ;
if it is to be kept on at all, keep it whom
it is. Any rcduotions iu tiic taxes
will entail tho same officers, and the samo
government books will have to ba kept by
dealers and manufacturers ; a total repeal
will do away with all this.
In somo cases we find manufacturers
of cigars aro against tho repeal or any re
duction of taxes. This we think is a mis
take ; a reduction in priee of course will
follow, but the increase in tho demand
will moro than repay it, and all will then
stand on tho samo footing. As it now is
a dealer, who is not square has the better
of the honest man all the time ; and what
a deal of trouble will be spared by tbo
abolishment of all taxes now in vogue.
XaiiXKANSlTOIfVKMt!H.
Simie InterfgtlDS Data Concerning the Great
Kveut.
Au esteemed correspondent sends us the
following elements, computed especially
for tho Intklligenceu from the precepts
and tables of tho astronomical works of
Claudius, Franoiscus, Millet, Decbales
and Charles Leadbetter. While they may
be fallible in somo respects, on account of
the difficulties in calculating sines and
tangents of very small angles of elonga
tions causo almost inevitable errors, they
may nevertheless be of sei vice to amateur
astronomers and others who are inter
ested in tho transit of Venus, which takes
place on Wednesday.
Equal time of true conjunction at Lan
caster, Pa., 1882, December G, 11 o'clock,
3G minutes, 88 seconds a. m. ; equation ot
time added, S min., 41 sec; mean anomaly
of snn, 154 deg., 24 min., 43 see.; mean
anomaly of Venus, 125 deg., 43 min., 53
sec; heliocentric longitude of Venus, 74
deg., 2S min., 40 sec; geocentric placo of
sun and Venu 254 deg., 23 min., 40 sec;
anomaly of commutation, 180 deg., 0 min.;
0 sec; horary motion of sun, 2 min., 32
sec ; horary motion of Venus, 4 min., 2 sec,
hourly motion of Venus a sun, 1 min.,S0 sec;
uodo of Venus, 75 deg., 32 min., 23 see ;
argument of latitude, 333 deg., 56 min.,
10 see. ; reduction, 7 sec. ; inclination or
heliocentric Iat. s. descending, 3 min. 4G
sec, central ingress or beginning in iho
morning, 8 o'clock, 52 min.,J52 sec ; mid
dle of transit in the afternoon, 12 o'clock,
0 min., Hi sec. ; central egress or ond.
afternoon,"; o'clock, 7 min., 31 sec. ; total
duration, G hours, 14 min., 89 sec.
Venus will enter the sun's disc at a point
42 deg. 43 min. 39 sec, cast of the nadir
and emerge at the point 51 deg. 05 min.
48 sec. west from the sun's nadir.
At the iniddlo time of tho transit of
Veuus she may bo soen in tho sun not
much unlike a patch on a lady's face, aud
tho sun is then vertical to the south iu
latitude.
Tho next transit of Venus will occur
when tho roses will bloom in June, A. I).,
2,004 ; provided the earth and Venus
will icmaiu undisturbed in their respec
tive orbits moving forth.
COLUMBIA HEW.
from Our KesaiarCorretponaent,
Au officer took two drunks down this
morning.
The stores aro commencing to Lava a
holiday appearance.
Buyers and seller were scarce at market
to-day. Butter 85 eents a pound, eggs 35
f cents per dozen. Vegetables were scarce.
- While cutting wood with a hatchet
j yesterday afternoon Thomas Webb kad
tbo little linger of his lots band taken
off.
Tho death of Henry, an 18 year old son
of Henry Young, of Washington borough,
occurred iu that place yesterday. Ty
phoid pneumonia was the cause of -his
death.
' Hazel Kirks" will bo presonted hcie
ty-morrow night by tho Madison Squaro
theatre company. Tho principal artists
aro well and favorably known. Admission
35, 50 and 75 cents.
Mr. A. M. Reese's dancing school opens
next Friday evening at the armory. A
largo number of members have been se
cured and there is now no doubt of its
success.
A farmer lost a fine 18-pound turkey at
market this morning. The basket in
which the fowl was confined fell from the
market wagon, the cover burst and tbe
turkey escaped. It has not been heard
from uincc.
Borougb i'ertooala.
Mr. Charles Darly, of Baltimore, is
visiting friends on Cherry street.
Miss Hattie Miller, on Locust streot, is
entertaining Miss Johanna Michael.
Mrs. John Miller, who has been visiting
Mr. S. H. Miller, returned to her home in
Philadelphia this morning.
Mr. Bernard Malone is home on a visit
to his family. He is one of the builders
of the new Pine Creek railroad.
A Brakeman Fatally Injarad.
While two cars which were loaded with
lumber were being shifted at Middletown,
last evening at 0:30 o'clock a Pennsylvania
railroad brakeman named George Millard,
received injuries which resulted in his
death in a few hours. Millard was stand
ing with a foot on each car, when they
parted, throwing him across the track.
The wheels passed over his legs where
they join the body, and also disemboweled
him. The unfortunate young man was a
resident of Middletown.
Tha Lyi
The White Rock Iyceum opened its fall
campaign on Friday 1st inst. with a large
attendance. Among the many interesting
features of the evening's programme was
a warm debate on the question "Resolved,
that the signs of the times indicate tbe
downfall of the American republic"
During the discussion theJbo8ses came in
for a full share of attention The Iyceum
adjourned to the Sth inst, when woman
suffrage will be discussed.
O. U. .. 37.
DuUlcittou ortlio Xtw Council Xtouui.
Last evening Cocestoga Council, No. 8
dedicated its new aud elegantly furnished
room in tho Inquirer building in a becom
ing manner fne room being opjnoii
about 7 o'clock, a large number of citizens
took advantage of tho occisioa anil in
spected ono of the finest lodge room in
tho stato. At S o'oioek, tho timo of meet
ing, tho doors were closed ro the pablu.
Tho meeting was then taken charge of ty
tho natioual and stato officers, with Dr.
M. Z. Z-'uderliug, as councillor; Walter
Graham, V. C. ; William Fester. Ind. ;
A. St. Ulair G.irman, Ex. ; Juo. Krider,
treasurer ; Satn'l Aehbrige, jr., P. C; A.
F. Raw, Sen. E. 0.. ius:do Pro. Wr..
Baker ; outsido Pro. Edw. S. Smeltz. Au
interesting feature of the evening was tho
initiation of John K. son of Edw. E.
Snyder, by tho above otlieers. After tho
business of the evening was transacted, au
able and interstiug address w.is mado by
Ex. S. C, Juo. Eckstein, or Philadelphia,
who then presented to the council a hand
some pair of marblo gaveis, blocks; and
mallets, made by Cnpp3 & Calley, of
Philadelphia ; ho was followrd by Dr. M.
Z. Zonderling, of Kensington, tha present
stato councillor of Penusyivauia, who
hkwiso mado a very ablo addicss aud w!i
presented a largo and eleg.iris Biblo to th
council, a gift of Geo. W. Ciiilds, esq., ..
Philadelphia.
Next cimo addrets.s by Ex S. C, W.: .
Fcaster, of Philadelphia; State C. S-.v ,
Walter Graham, of Philadelphia; tx
Natioual C, John Server, of Philadclphii ;
P. C, Samuel Ashbridge, of Philadelphia ;
ex S. C, John Eckstein, of Philadelphia ;
State C. Trcas. John Krider, of Philudi.!
phia ; P. C. Gilbert dirtiF, of Philadel
phia; P. C. Amos Siack, ot Philadelphia :
ex-S. C.Edw.E. Si-!.".-, of this city;
Stato C E J ii .Mto'i stil, of Harris
burg ; P. C. (Juo. il. Dearie aud others of
Bryu taawr; P.C., L" A. Iluber.ofRefttm ;
Rev. J. Hamilton, o! Uuftou ; Dr. J. Oliwr
Philadelphia; P. v .l.s, .'. Voitr.4,ofthis
city; National Uep, Wfii.im Biker, of
Philadelphia ; P. C, L-a.c Heed, of Ptu!
adclphia, and others from Bryn-M.iwr,
Strasburg. Manheim, Reftou, Quarry villo
Mount .loy, Harrisburg and Phila.h-I
phia.
A portion of tho scriptmc wero read by
Dr.Zenderling.whc then declared thu room
dedicated to the puipo.;n intended, aft;r
which tho visiting brctluen were esortd
to tho parlors of John CornLitid, ;i-.:.lh;uii!
somely entertained.
The different articles weie fiirnislnd by
the following persons : Dng! ;ss pjrfor
atod chairs for members, aud wahtut
officers' chairs by Keystone S'.hooJ ai.d
Furnituro compauy, of Philadelphia ; (L.
C. Eby, agent,) carpets and matting by .1.
B. Martin & Co., frames for chasten; Iy
Walter Heinitsh, desk and closet for tee
rotary and office desks for anteiooiu by
Widmyer & Ricksecker. gas fixtures l.y
John L. Arnold, pedestals by Win. ('.
Wetzel which were handsomely finished
in paint and oil by Edw. Bookmyor, car
penter work aud closets iu anteiooiu by
AdamAuxer, iusido shutters by Peter
Stormfeltz and painting by H. Cordes
Great credit is duo thoiuciubcisof tho
committee who labored hard within tho
past two or threo months to havothe room
finished and who succeeded so well. Tim
committee consisted of Edw. E. Siij!t,
I). II. Hartman. jr., E. S. Smeltz, .Jm.
Milleysack 11. Rudv, A. Anxer and Jolni
Rudy.
cuuut or uvjisiux n.KAs.
Two Cases Aualtms tbe Vrcllurr tho ,l;try.
15EFOKE .ILTJGE I.IVIXCSTOX.
Henry Kafroth vs. Michael L'ii!in.i:i.
This is an action brought ( recover :i
balance alleged to be due the p'aintifl on
two due bills, which were pi von on M.iy
1, 1875, and October, 1875. Tho lirst ikih
was for $1,900 and the latter for $128 7'.
On the first it was admitted that j(500 had
been paid in March, 1870. Subsequently
$771. (JG was paid iu fifteen naymotitx,
making an aggregate of $1,371.00 and
leaving a balance unpaid of $957.1".
For tho latter amount this suit is
brought.
The defeuse was that- the wholo amount
bad been paid in full. Defendant had not.
received credit for the two payments, oi:o
for $500 and another for $80J, which Ua
made ; ho owes tho plaiutilf nothing. I.it.
instead ho is iu hi? (defendant's) deht.
Tbe jury rendered a vetdict iu favor ot the
plaintiff in the sum $1308.69.
BEFORE JUDKE IWTTnitSON.
Frederick Flettcier. for tho use of
Ottilia Flettercr vs. Mary Breiter, sei fa
to revive a judgment for $G00 entere J to
January term, 1S74.
From the plaintiff':; side of the caso it
appeared that ilcmy Bieitcr, agent of his
daughter Mary, in Marcii 1S7G. induced
Mrs. Otillia F.'ottcrer to enter satisfaction
upon this judgment, c'aitning that ho
conld then raise the money to
pay off this iitdcbtnes of Mary,
Breiter, which ho could not io
if satisfaction was not eutered dot;
she did this, but neither Henry nor M.uy
Breiter paid off tho amount of tho judg
ment as promised. Henry, subsequent t.
the entry of satisfaction, paid Mrs. Flat
terer $150 in' several small iustailincLts,
and rofused to pay any moro, he claiming
ho had paid her in full. In 1378 Mr.
Fletterer was granted an a'.iis rule to sttiks
off the satisfaction ani opn up the ju la
ment; she made affidavit that the entry
of satisfaction was obtained from her by
fraud, and iu November, 188!, thu nilu
was made absolute, and a scire facias
directed to be entered to try what amount
was due on the judgment. After luueh
delay tho case now comes up for trial.
Tne defense was thai tho wholo amount
or at least the greater p irfc of the judg
ment had been paid by Henry Bricter to
Otillia Fletterer, accoiding to promise.
On trial.
Cases Continued.
The case of James II. Swain vs. Maty
Swain, Bubpcana fordivorce, wascontinuril
on account of the pending of a rule for a
new trial in a charge of adultery of whieh
the defendant was convicted at the Octo
ber quarter sessions.
The case of Simon Smith vs. The Fidel
ity beneficial society of Lancaster, sum
mons in debt, was continued on account
of tbo absenco of au important witness Tor
the plaintiff.
MASOKIC.
Klectiou of Officers A. yioe Kar.fiucr.
On Tuesday evening Limberton luluo
No. 470, F. & A. M., of this city, elect- d
the following officers t. r.erro for the en
suing Masonic year :
W. M. J. Willis Westlake.
S. W. John R. Jlorrn.
J. W. David II. Wylic.
Treas. Henry E. Slay maker.
Sec Henry R. Fahnestock.
Trustee Dr. Wrn. N. Amer.
Rep. to G. L. Wm. A. Morton.
After the election the otlicers were duly
installed by D. D. G. M., B. Frank Breno
man The following appointments wem
mado by W. M. AVcstlako :
Chaplain Lucius 31. Haitly. .. .
S. D. Harvey N. Hurst. ?
J. D. Harry B. Cochran.
S. M. C -Ernest Zahm.
J. M. C Henry B. Htehman.
PursuivantLeven It. Rote.
Organist John B. Kevmaki.
Tyler Goorgo Lntz.
At tbe closa of tho ceremonies tho mora -bers
and visiting brethren participated ia
a banquet prepared in Copland's bes
ttyle.
. Police cues.
The mayor sent two dmnk and disordt rly
persons to jail for 10 and 15 days respec
tively, and discharged two others on their
payment of costs. One poor traveler was
lodged, breakfasted and sent on his way
rejoicing.
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