The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 60, December 30, 1897

It is stated that the Sultan will not recall his troops from Thessaly until the war indemnity has been paid, and that Germany is upholding him in his determination.

The reports of the various officers of our Government have followed the Message of President McKinley.

Every one is somewhat shocked to find that the tariff bill, which was to put such a lot of money in our treasury, has fallen far short of the expected results, and, indeed, has not produced enough revenue to pay the expenses of the Government.

If the receipts from customs are not larger during the next few months than they have been during the last, the country will be $65,000,000 behind at the end of the year, and Congress will have to devise some plan for raising this sum of money.

This means that some new tax will be imposed upon us, for the Government must have the money it needs, and the people must help to make up what is lacking.

The friends of the Dingley Bill hope that the custom receipts will increase, and think that the reason they have been so small is that the merchants brought so much stuff into the country before the bill went into effect, that they have not needed to get fresh supplies so far. In short, they claim the Dingley Bill needs a longer trial.

The enemies of the measure point out that, as a means of providing an income for the Government, the Dingley Bill has been a failure.

We told you about the discussion as to the exact hour at which the bill became a law.

The question is not as yet settled.

The importers, if you remember, declared that the bill only became a law from the exact hour it was signed; the Government insists that it was a law from early morning of the day on which it was signed.

Seventy-three importers have protested against paying duty for all day July 24th, because the bill was not signed until six minutes past four in the afternoon.

It is expected that a final decision will be given shortly, which will put an end to the disagreement.

Side by side with the fact that there is not enough money in the treasury to meet the country's expenses, the armor-plate question has come into prominence once more.

The naval officers and experts are all crying out against the folly of the Government engaging in the manufacture of armor-plate.

The board of naval officers appointed to look into the subject stated, in their report to the Government, that if such a factory is to be maintained, Congress must order the building of three new battleships every year.

The reason they give for this is that specially trained workmen are required to operate an armor-plate factory. They think it would be necessary to provide sufficient work every year to keep the factory going. If the factory were to be shut down and the hands discharged, the naval officers declare that the time and money that would have to be spent in training fresh men to undertake the work then would cost the country more than keeping the works open right along.

The Carnegie and Bethlehem people have succeeded in getting the Government to test one of their plates made by the new Krupp process.

The result of the trial, it is expected, will decide whether the Government shall buy its armor-plate as of old, or enter into the manufacture itself.

If the Krupp process is satisfactory, armor-plates will not have to be made so thick, and the smaller quantity of steel in them will perhaps make them cheaper and enable the Government and the manufacturers to agree upon a price that will be satisfactory to both.

The Secretary of the Treasury has handed in the Currency report mentioned by the President in his Message.

It proves to be very dry reading for all but men interested in the money market, and would not interest you at all.

He suggests a plan, which is supposed to be a very wise one, for removing all uncertainty about the soundness of our money. It is, however, thought that the plan cannot be put into effect at present.

The Secretary of the Treasury has also made a report on filibustering, which is much more interesting.

Spain has accused us of not taking proper steps to prevent these unlawful expeditions.

If she can prove the truth of these accusations, she can demand that we pay her a large sum of money as damages for every expedition that has reached Cuba.

She would be quite justified in making these demands if the United States willingly and wilfully helped Cuba to defy Spain, for every shipload of supplies landed enables the Cubans to hold out so much longer against Spain.

Under these circumstances, it is interesting to learn from the official statement of the Secretary of the Treasury that we have done our duty to the best of our ability.

Mr. Gage's report, like the Cuban remarks in the Message, has an added interest from the fact that it is absolutely true.

Many of the reports we get through the newspapers have to be changed or contradicted, no matter how careful the news-gatherers may have been in selecting their information. This is because the reporters do not have access to the official documents, and are obliged to base their reports upon rumors or uncertain information.

When, however, a report comes direct from the Government, there is no hearsay in the matter. Each department of the Government has the documents relating to its business, and the reports it issues are made from the actual letters that have passed between countries—despatches and diplomatic documents which no outsider can ever hope to see.

Here, then, is Mr. Gage's report on filibustering.

He says that during two years and a half only six American vessels are said to have successfully landed filibustering expeditions from the United States in Cuba. Three foreign vessels are said to have been successful in the same effort.

With the vessels referred to it is said that a dozen harbor tugs, three or four lighters, a few small steamers, and about a dozen small sloops and schooners have been associated.

That only six American vessels out of all our large merchant navy succeeded in reaching Cuba is, the Secretary thinks, a proof of the law-abiding spirit of the American people.

He says that eight revenue-cutters, with 317 men, have cruised 75,768 miles, patrolling the coast to prevent filibustering. These vessels captured seven ships and 115 men, and broke up two expeditions.

He goes into the close examination of sixty expeditions which Spain complains of.

Twenty of these he shows were stopped through the efforts of the Treasury, five by the United States Navy, four by Spain, two were wrecked, and one driven back by storm. One which is laid to our credit the Secretary declines to acknowledge as belonging to us at all.

Of the successful expeditions, Mr. Gage points out that much was due to the weakness of the Spanish patrol. In all the cases where the offenders have been caught, he shows that they have either been punished or are awaiting trial.

Concerning the case of the Silver Heels, the Secretary says that the Collector of the Port of New York informed him that a representative of the Spanish Consul stated to him that he did not desire the vessel to be seized at the dock, but captured after departure therefrom. It was not, therefore, so much negligence on the part of the Government, as speed on the part of the Silver Heels, which enabled her to slip away from her pursuers.

While we are on the subject of the Silver Heels, it will interest you to know that she has been taken into custody.

She arrived at Wilmington the other day, and was at once seized by the collector of that port.

An examination was made of the vessel, but nothing was found on board to indicate that the ship had been engaged in unlawful work.

The crew have been subjected to a severe examination. Each man has had to make a statement before the court.

The master and mate of the vessel swore that the Silver Heels left New York bound for Wilmington, N.C. Her cargo consisted of one hundred tons of coal designed for sale in Wilmington.

On account of head winds she could not approach the coast, but was buffeted about until a few days ago, when she cast anchor in Wilmington harbor.

The two officers declared that no other cargo than the coal had been on board, and that there had been no passengers.

The collector found the amount of coal in the ship that the master and mate swore was there—and so far everything goes to prove that they have been telling the truth.

The statements of the crew have been sent on to the Government, and the vessel will be kept in custody as long as it is necessary in order that a proper investigation may be made.

After thinking matters over, the Spaniards have decided that President McKinley's Message was not so friendly to them as they at first supposed.

They have arrived at the conclusion that the part of the Message which refers to intervention on our part in case Home Rule does not succeed, is highly offensive to them.