Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 December 1887 — REPORTS TO CONGRESS. [ARTICLE]

REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

Commissioner Colman’■ Account of the W«k in the Agricultural Department The Comptroller of the Currency Recommends a Revision of the Banking Laws. AGRICULTURE. Mr. Colman's Report—Progress of the Work of Exterminating Pleuro-Pneumonia. The annual report of the Commissioner of Agriculture says that the Governors of thirtyone States and Territories have accepted the rules and regulations of the Bureau of Animal Industry in regard to pleuro-pneumonia, and premised the assistance of local police officers to secure their enforcement. In addition the Legislatures of Rhode Island, Virginia, New York and Illinois have enacted laws providing for co-operation. The worst-infected counties, the report says, and those from which there was most danger of the spread of the disease—viz., those in the neighborhood of New York, Chicago and Baltimore—have been placed in quarantine and no cattle allowed to leave them without a permit issued after a special examination. By this means new outbreaks have been almost entirely prevented. From the beginning of the work for the eradicatiou of this disease, in August, 1886, to Oct. 31, 1887, the inspectors of the bureau have inspected 1 >,337 herds, containing 117,480 animals, in districts where the plague was supposed to exist Among these there were found 798 infected herds, containing 10,766 animals, of which 2,235 were affected with pleuro-pneumo-nia. These figures do not include 2,873 head of cattle in the distillery stables of Chicago, nearly halt of which were diseased. The number of animals found affected by this disease and the number of infected herds were much greater than had been anticipated, and the work for its control has subsequently required a correspondingly larger force and greater expenditure of money. The progress made, however, has been very satisfactory, and the appropriation has been found sufficient to meet the demands made upon it. The Commissioner expresses regret at the unavoidable loss inflicted on the farmers of Illinois by the cattle quarantine, and adds : “There has not been a time in years when this malady has been confined to such restricted areas as at present, and, consequently, the conditions are very favorable for its complete eradication. If the State authorities continue their co-operation as at present, which there is every reason to expect, and if an appropriation is made by Congress equal to that of the present fiscal year, and with authority fcr its similar use, it is believed that this dangerous plague can be exterminated by the end of the next fiscal year." The Commissioner says it is yet too early to make an official statement of the results in detail of the present year’s experiments in the development of sorghum-sugar manufacture, but that enough is known already to enable this country to anticipate an early success of the enterprise. The experiments in silk-reeling have not yet reached the point of paying their own expenses, but that was hardly to be hoped for with a plant so limited. Another year’s experience, it is expected, will show what can be done under favorable conditions. The commissioner recommends that the public printer be authorized to furnish to the agricultural press of the country, at the mere cost of labor and material, electrotypes of such illustrations of the department as the editors may desire, and that the duties of the seed division be transferred to State and Territorial experiment stations. The commissioner disapproves of the efforts to make his department an' executive department with a cabinet minister at its head. He says that the building of reservoirs among the Rocky Mountains for the storage of an immense volume of water now wasted should command the early attention of Congress.

THE NATIONAL BANKS. ♦ Annual Report to Congress of the Comptroller of the Currency. The annual report of the Comptroller of the Currency shows that the total number of national banks organized up to Oct. 31 was 3,805, of which 625 have gone into voluntary liquidation, 119 have failed, leaving in operation at that date 3,061. The total number of new banks formed during the last year was 225; total number closed during the year, 33, of which 25 went into voluntary liquidation and 8 failed. The gross increase in national bank capital during the year amounted to 836,894,77 a, of which $3,868,005 represents an increase of capital by banks existing Nov. 1, 1886. There was, however, a decrease of capital of $6,322,45 , of which $4,087,450 was the aggregate capital of the thirty-three banks which went into voluntary liquidation and failed, and the remainder represents a decrease of capital by banks still in operation. The net increase of capital for the year is therefore $30,572,325. On the other hand, there is a net decrease of $50,495,590 in the circulation represented by bonds. The decrease resulting from the surrender of circulation by banks st[ll in operation is $57,770,475, and the decrease caused by banks going into voluntary liquidation and failing is $1,274,380, making a gross decrease of $59,044,833, offset by a total increase of $8,549,265, which consists of an increase by the formation of new banks of $4,592,090 and an increase of circulation by previously existing banks to the amount of $3,957,175. In the cases of four of the five banks which failed the creditors have received principal and interest in full, and in case of tne fi th the total of dividends amounts to 81 per cent. The total amount of money paid in dividends during the last year is $2,106,203; whole amount paid to creditors of insolvent banks since the system has been in operation is $29,434,936, upon proved claims amounting to $46,938,388; total assessments on stockholders, $9,945,250, of which gross collections have amounted to $4,682,563. The Comntroller submits a codification of the banking laws. He recommends that the minimum amount of bonds to be deposited by a bank as security for circulation shall be 10 per cent, of the capital of banks not over $2 >O,OOO, and $25,000 for banks of which the capital exceeds $250.000; also that the semi-annual duty on circulation be hereafter charged only on the amount issued upon bonds deposited in excess of the minimum amount as above; also that the national-bank notes be counted as a part of the lawful .eserve of banks. The existing laws as to the responsibility of officers of banks are modified by this code so as to avoid existing eustacies to their prompt enforcement. The restriction on banks as to making loans in excess of ten per cent, of capital to any one party is modified in respect to loans upon collateral security, and the total limit is raised to twentyper cent, of capital and surplus. The provisions as to reserve upon deposits are modified so as not to include Government deposits, and the provision as to State taxation of national banks is also modified,