Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 118, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 September 1903 — WASHINGTON GOSSIP [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WASHINGTON GOSSIP

The profit mad* by the government in the coinage .of pennies pays the entire expense of the mints and the cost .of making all the other metallic money issued by the United States. Last year the total expense of the mintage system was $1,910,390. The seignorage, which is the difference between the value of the copper bullion and the value of the pennies after they are coined, was $1,919,370, leaving a balance of SB,BBO in favor of the pennies. We do not coin any more copper cents, however; nowadays the pennies are made-of bronze, a mixture of copper and tin. L/ast year 87,376,722 pennies were issued from the mints. That is about the annual average. The demand is steady and regular, and keeps pace with the growth of the population nowadays. The reduction in the price of newspapers throughout the country some years ago also caused an increased demand for pennies, but it was not so great as that from the department stores. Pennies reach the public through the sub-treasuries and banks like other coins, being pasted over the counter on application, but will be shipped direct from the mint to those who apply for large quantities. Of the 87,000,000 pennies whiqji Went into circulation last year New York State absorbed 10,000,000, Illinois 7,000,000, Ohio and Pennsylvania 6,000,000 each, Massachusetts 5,000,000, and so on. Many years ago, when things were cheaper, the mints used to coin half cents* but none have been issued since the* Civil War. There are 7,895,-' 222 outstanding, but probably most of them are lost or in the hands of coin collectors. Of the large, clumsy copper 2-cent piece which was formerly issued 28,717,414 are still outstanding. You sometimes see them nowadays, but not often. There used to be 3-cent pieces also, made of rdlver originally, but afterward of nickel. None have been coined since the Civil War, but 20,930,519 are still outstanding, although most of them must be lost or destroyed.

Internal commerce conditions throughout the United States are quite satisfactory. Receipts of live stock at five markets this y#nr to the eud of July amounted to 17,734,847 head. La*»t year 17,232,004 head were reported to the corresponding date, and 18,500,383 head in 1001. In 1001 a total of 374,976 cars of stock arrived at the same five markets, 805,419 cars in 1902 and 341,802 cars in 1903.. The total receipts of the stock for this year were divided as follows: At Chicago, 8,577,847 head in 170,565 cars; Kansas City, 2.050,337 head in 54,210 cars; Omaha, 2,831,458 head in 49,225 care; St. Louis, 2,001,945 head in 37,773 cars; St. Joseph, 1,773,260 head in 30,029 cars. July receipts of cattle at Chicago this year were the heaviest since 1892, with exception of thosq of July, 1901. The increase in natives as compared with range and Texas stock was characteristic of July arrivals. The state of the provision market as indicated by stocks on hand at the five cities on Jjjly 31 is significant of lowering prices. On that date in 1901 there were 297,801,345 pounds of cut meats reported on hand. In 1902 the corresponding reserve was 209,859,087 pounds, compared with 262,438,440 pounds, in 1903. Backwardness of the season is reflected in the figures of wheat receipts during July, the first month of the new crop year. At the four winter wheat markets of Kans»s City, St. Louie, Toledo and Detroit 11,344,168 bushels were received in July, 1901, as compared with 11,695,087 bushels in July, 1903.

As a result of an investigation of the question, Acting Secretary Darling of the Navy Department lins concluded that there is no occasion for any action by the Navy Department at this time on the proposition that all employes of the Navy Department and navy yards be required to take the oath of allegiance to the United States. He found upon inquiry ’that only citizens of the United States and only such non-eitizens as have been honorably discharged from the army, navy or marine corps are eligible for employment in the naval establishment. These requirements he considered suffrcieiy; guarantee of the loyalty to the United States of the men in the employ of the civil naval establishment

Acting Secretary of the Navy Darling has decided that for purposes affecting deserters from the United States navy, the Spanish war ended Dec. 10, 1898, the date of the signing of tihe treaty of peace. This conclusion disagrees with a ruling of the War Department to the effect that the war was not closed for administrative purposes in that department until April/ 11, 1899, the date of the exchange of ratifications of the treaty. s The secret service has received a new counterfeit S2O national bank note, on the Mechanics’ National Bank of New Bedford, Mnsr. The series is of 1882, check letter B, charter No. 743. Bruce, register; Wyman, treasurer of the United States. It is a good photograph on plain paper, no fiber, numbers, seal and panel of black tinted with thin colors. -« » 4 ' ■ ■ Acting Secretary of War Oliver has extended ■the time for making answer by the St. Louis Merchants’ Bridge Company until December nqxt Secretary Boot made a demand upon the bridge company to show esuse why the bridge should not be forfeited to the general government, and the company was ordered to make a reply. Col, Andrew Geddes of lowa, chief clerk of the Department of Agriculture, has resigned his position. The court of claims Imm recently awarded him $12,000 back pension pay, with ad allowance of $2,000 a year, and the law forbids him holding his petition and accepting the pension. * ‘ C. W. Fletcher, who carried the mail from' I aka to Pratt, Kan., is reported as hsring disappeared with SI,OOO belonging to C. M. Clarke, a merchant of Inks. Fletcher drew the .money on Clarke’s order.