OCR Text |
Show WASHINGTON' TOPICS. The amount of mwioy both m"tal and paper, that is lo-i by the people of the United States enters in an impoi taut decree into the iiimneiul calculations of the government. A few years ago it was reckoned by a ooriressi- nil com niiitee thai c the iiiiredeeu-rd fraction a! currency outslamlin? -iS.nOO.000 worth had btva k-i r destroyed. According ly this amount waa subtracted from the 10,000,000 previously appropriated for the redemption of these small ''shin plasters," and was transferred to the fund for the payment of pensions. It is now believed by treasury experts that not more'than $1,010,600 worth of the fractional currency lias bean destroyed or lost. They are confident that of the $15,000,000 in such notes as yet outstan ding 114,000,000 ia in the hands of per- sons who hold them as enriosities. Maii are owned by collectors but there are doubtless hundreds of thousands of in dividuals who have retained specimens "jusc for fun," However this may be, only a few dollars' worth of them are handed into the treasury for redemption every year, and Uncle Sam remains just so much ahead. Out of the $20,000,000 worth first issued in 1303, $4,000,0(0 re main outstanding. There were four subsequent i--sues, including 3 cent sad i cent notes which aggregated $4 17,000,-000. 17,000,-000. Of these, 11,000,000 remain unre deemed. Of the 0 cent notes 45 percent are outstanding, of the JO eent notes L'q per cent,, of the 25 cent notes 23 pe r cent aud of the 50 cent notes 11 per cent. Sina 1 copper coins are lost in such enormous numbers that the government is obliged to keep on coining cents at the rate of several millions of them every month. They change hacds so often as to be subject to a mnltitude of accidents and owing to their email value they are not taken care of, This is not a cause of regret to Uncle Sam, insomuch as he buys the pennies in blank from a firm in Conneticut at the rate of 1,000 for 1. Ou reaching the mint in Philadelphia, wheuee all of them are Issued, they have merely to be stamped. There are 110,000,000 old cop per pennies somewbere, Nobody knows what has become of them except that stray specimens tuin np in change. A few years ago 4,500,000 bronze 2 cent pioce3 were set afloat. Three millions of ttiem are still outstanding. Three million 3 cent nickel pieces are sc itter ed over the United States, bnt it is only occasionally that one is seen. Of 800,-000 800,-000 half cents which b?en issued by the government corresponding in value to English farthings, not one has been re turned for recoiaing or is held by the treasury, The new commissioner of Pensions, Judge Loehren, of Minnesota assumed his duties the Erst of the month, and there has been some speculation as to the policy of the Pension Bureau under his administration, It is the general sentiment here that the genuine veteran of the war he who by virtue of long and gallant service in the fisld is entitled to reward has nothing to fo.;r from the presents -administration, but that there will be an earnest and thorough weed ing out of the unworthy. In this connection con-nection Mr, Cleveland's well known views upon the subject of undeserved pension comes in for considerable discussion. dis-cussion. Commissioner Loehren is said by those who know him well to bo a jnst man, but a bold and firm oue, who will not hesitate au instant to rteorn mend the removal from the pension rolls of any nan-o whoso wearer K in in his opinion, drawing government money without a full right to draw it, He n ill bring to his task au intellect ripened by jiauy sears' experience ot the law aad a full sense of the impur Unco of the duty tilnt h-s b1 confided to hiiii. Re is said to feel that his hands arefre'-riu this Uiieciiuu tiiaa woula so tlo-.a who iistd not foiitit for the Union, Lis Vuti years of service and Missptciwus gallantry upon tho battle fie hi 'being matters of army record, as well a? ft' regular general kaosird-e I. U quite fively predicted that tlu pc-u ilia tol's, ljsf-2:i of touching tho high atcr iiu.'U'-iii 18U4, have already t uch d ii iiiid that iioai ilii.i time oa t.tere iviil b: 1 1 iuu:k-d uecie,.-jy in the nu:u bei' of mill's rjiun ;i,e r.d.s and t'e amount of money oevui.) 1 by the gjvt-in mci-t to this puro;,', Xj beiiur in licatious of the 'rcst-md conddt nco in the fiiiai.eiil sittut.on can bo cited than She fact the expor.s of g.ild froia New York have, recently bn constantly c'e;n a: iup. The plain slate roaiat made to the N.-w Y...1. Iiauki-rs by a-i.rMr-.-rv f.i,rli --.l.i miiipars to have .ilav ed ali i.pi,rehirHioa that existed. The statement of Sir. Carlisle that eveiy tffoit of the cdaitnis-ratiou will be e erti'.lin t:iO diree'.'oii t-f il.o ivp:-al o! ihe oh.-raiHU tiive.' law is r. 'antcd hrre .-, in t.s:: ;iai;;re t-f i":i aa-i -.-iiv; r edict. Ia out r sp;-e' til app'i-uals for tfflc-.re tfflc-.re t,f..t. i uiik by Pr.'.-i.leut Clovclai d and that is ly I a ii j au aiwer to '.his putio i irt-i.t to utry apt licaiit. To tvery epidiealioii mat is i.-i-.-iud at the White iliii lieu !;) -vri-tea r.-.ily tit; -e! ty i!, p.'iva'.j .-c:i-'..iy is ro.i r !!. ihiS C....l;..,l-:i-al!011 la CO.. si.h-iab,:: moie Una that vouch uf -U t(.);t, -,e,i!S uu-i If'-. t? wSirii the laie.si.ta gr-a la-.jni'y i t'n ip!i cai.t.: w-i. I ruWJ i-i;.o Ihe. waslr |