The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972, March 13, 1910, Image 21

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The Oregon daily journal., March 13, 1910, Page 21, Image 21

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Newspaper Page Text....... , r t, . ' , ;.. THE OREGON SUNDAY JOURNAL, PORTLAND, SUNDAY MORNING. MARCH 13, 1810. BOYS' n - r-m Jif- '.: ,r' , X BOYS' 'S; V ; ' W j school If school j r,:: si i w m i a ' n j suits to j suits . 'J!r4! : I'i'll;! ' ' Jl :' I I, i r i iii ji nn-i linn ii iii " mil ii - i ,rMNb4 It " '-"r -r-r - . .. , . -.. ,. vr""' ' ' -!( in- in iii ii-i i "t ';'iinn''"" UNLESS YOU HAVE SEEN Our Boys' new SCHOOL SUITS at Handsome Home of A. L. Mills at Twentieth and JohnBon Streets. OLD PROBLEM MOD HI Long Accumulated List of "Un available Funds" to Be Wiped From Statute Books by Congress. (fDltJ Prii IhmiI XFlrt.i 'Rhlnglon. Muroh 12. I'ncle Sam has lon stun for millions. For nearly 100 ypars they hnv "rot to" him for varying um in various ways until t lie total has reached a vast amount. Un cle's confesaion will be Inscribed on the utatute books when the "unavailable funds" of the treasury department wlil be wiped out of existence act of ronjrrrss. It will be1 done at t)i pre- wem sesmon ana will end an annoy ance of many year standing. "tTnavall able funds" Is art pntry In the govern ment treasury' records that covers a multitude of slna. It Is a mild word. too. for the facts are that the millions to which It refer are not only unavailable but they are gone forever. Yet the treasurers through a long line of succession have fen held re sponsible for funds stolen, lost, or given away, and, as they have not the cash lo show, they bunch these mythical Rssets of I'ncle S'am under the head of unavailable funds. Never was there a truer word, for never was anything less available. Members of congress became curious about this constantly recurring "un available fund" of nearly $30,000,000 Ii the treasury reports, bnd some of them got the thrifty notion that possi hly it could be reclaimed and convert ed Into harbor Improvements or federal buildings in ambitions country seats. The?e being days of economy when con gress will appropriate only about tl, 000. 000, 000 for next year's expenses a "Find" of J30.000.000 would relieve the pinch of parsimony. An Interesting Rtory. To think was to net. and the treasury department was asked to tell ail about the mysterious fund. It did, and a report Just filed with congress tells where the money was last seen and the interesting story of how it disappeared. Rather, there are a number of stories, ror u appears mat i ucie 5am was stung in small and large lots. For instance, when the civil war broke out, there were some custodians of federal funds In the south who be lieved In secession. H'hci their states went out of the union they went too. Then they were In a quandary, looked at from one angle It would seem that honesty should impel them to turn in the money at Washington.' On the other hand the Union was their enemy, the dogs of war were scattered all over the scenery baying hoarsely nd would not it be treason to give aid and com fort to the enemy by heaving pure yellow gold Into his war chest? "It would," was the answer of the superintendent of the branch mint at Oharlott. N. C. who had J32.000 In tils charge. Far from him to aid the foe and he held onto the money. Kx actly the same view was taken by the superintendent of the. branch mint at Dahlonega. 1. He got ' J27.950.0:!. As to both these Items the report says that they have been "unavailable since the leginnlng of the- war of the rebel lion in 1861." Mine thai date th government funds have also been una vailable as follows: held by the astst ant treasurer of the United States Ir: New Orleans, J31.lti4.0L'; in depositaries. Savannah, Oa.. $205. 7; Galveston. Tex., $862.02; Little Rock. Ark.. $f,S23.50 An Item of $GtS0,891 Is charred aga Inst an assistant treasurer or the l nlteo States at New Orleans who defaulted shortly after the war His shortage ' was over $1,000,000. but part of It was! recovered. The report says that pro ceedings were Instituted against this man and "upon the trial he was ac quitted." A teller In the St. louls sub- treasury was found to be short $61,500 a few vears ago and. upon trial he was acquitted." An employe of the Itos ton subtreasury was tried three years ago on account or tne disappearance of $3000 but he was found not guilty. The total deficit In the bullion ac counts of the San hrancisco mint is $413,657. The first shortage. $150,550, was In 1S56 and tlw melter and refiner cTiarged with It claimed that the gold escaped by volatlzatlon up a badly con structed chimney. He beat the govern ment In a suit brought to recover the amount of the shortage. War Tim Jugglery. Back In war times. In 1X65, a cash ier turned a neat 4rlck on a coiner, re sulting in his financial aggrandizement to, the extent of $20. 000. The coiner delivered to the cashier $120,000 in clste and beautiful double eagles that had never been spent. He charged the cashier with the correct amount. The cashier credited the coiner with $100.- 000. Shortly afterward It was discov ered that the cashier had embezzled other moneys and had absconded. No suits were ever brought to recover, the loss and the Item became a recruit to the "unavailable fund." A clerk took liberties with an as- aayer's report by altering it here and there, his net income from the opera tion being $7735.34. The government never recovered even the 34 cents. In the miiiht of its wrath the nation threw the clerk into Jail and tried him before one of its judges but a jury of solemn vlsaged soverlgns reckoned the prison er rot guilty. Then there came along a coiner who claimed that the wastage In his gold operations from July 1 to August 14, 1869. was $14,317.12. It was not at all reasonable but the government never sued and tacked the Item on the ever Ewelllng "unavailable" account. There Is a deficit of $13,543 in the Philadelphia mint and $76.54it in the Carson, New, mint. The latter sum was stolen by two men between 1S91 and 1894. The Philadelphia sum was due y a clerk who embezzled $113, 485 In 1893. but tire greater part or the amount was recovered. V64 Long Kissing. There are 54 silver dollars that have been In transit between New Orleans and New York for 25 years nd never have arrived anywhere. 1,1s is an astonishing caper to be cut by a lot of gay silver dollars Just out of the mint but the fact can be established by anyone who can get Secretary Mac- Veagh's permission to examine the treasury' records. Its there as plain as handwriting .can make it. The vaults In the mint at New Orleans having become filled with sliver dollars, it was determined to remove as many as possible to the vault in the treasury department. In order to avoid the pay ment of a large sum for transporta tion, bags said to contain $10,400,000 were moved by means of United States naval vessels In September, lS'.B. at an expense which saved the government about $40,000. However, after the ar rival of the silver dollars at the treas ury detriment, they were counted and "shoYts" to the amount of $54 discov ered in til shipment. These were reported to the superin tendent of the mint at New Orleans, with the request to credit the treasurer of the United States in his bullion fund account with that amount. being "shorts" In the $10,400,000 previously charged. Considerable correspondence passed In relation to the matter, but finally the superintendent refused to gtv the credit, and since that time the amount. $54, has been carried as an Item in transit. Heing on the way. and not h.iving art ived the wandering .".4 were naturally "unavailable" and were credited to the appropriate fund. The failure of a national bank e.t Frnnklln. Pa., in 1 S6 com the govern ment $1 X1.377 and a failure at Salem Ala., in 1S67 caused a less of $33,JSJ. Thoso were the only cases In which tlio government has lost money deposlteJ In national banks. The total of the money lost or stolen and charged to the unavailable fund because congress has itt-ver tflievwd the treasurer of liability Is $1,085,154. Surplus Distribution. .- The real big Item In the fund, bow ever, is a tribute to the generosity of congress. In 1836, before river and harbor and federal building bills wne Invented, there was a large surplus In the United States treasury. Congress loaned $28,1 01,644 of the surplus. to the states on condition that it should be returned at he call of the secretary of the treasury. He had not called In 1 837. when the law was changed sn that repayment of the money could be demanded only by act of congress. A majority of the statesmen In the sen ate and bouse come from the states that got the money. of course, they never would vole to make their states shell out, and so the $28,000,000 has remained In the "unavailable fund." Chairman Tawney of the house com mittee on appropriations, at hose In stance the report as to the ghost fund was submitted by the treasury, sail today that it had been determined to wipe the fiction from the books by congressional action. A special bill will be passed makiiK a present outright of the money that was loaned to th states in 1836. They are not going to return.tho money any way and there seems to be no good reason for holding out hope of such re turn in the treasury records. So Uncle Sam will accept the situation and tell them to keep the money, with his bless ing. In relation to the stolen and lost funds, the problem Is not so easy,- bur it will be fixed up In some way In fli sundry civil appropriation bill. The items will be eliminated from the books and treasury reports will no lonii-r count spook money ss a part of the government assets. tariff treaty or the consumatlng of an agreement less formal than a treaty, but satisfactory to both sides. SITE OF ANCIEN T E UNCOVERED I rublihera' PTets Imed Wire) Khartoum, March 12. Professor Bars tang has discovered on the site of the ancient Meroe. the later capital of the Kthioplun monarchs, a sun temple by Krgamenes mentioned by IJlodoruS. orus. The temple Is a unique structure, showing Greek Inspiration, and contain ing sculptures representing King Krga menes' victories, and a triumphal pro cession There is also a list of tr ibes In the districts of the Southern Soudan. The building includes a sanctuary lined with brilliantly enameled tile. The discovery shows that the invention of the Meroitlr script was due to Erga rnenes' alphabet being modeled on the Greek. It also established the values of the Meroitlc letters. Further excava tions, which have been carried out on the Bite of the temple of Ammon at Meroe prove the building was grander than Uf Mennt!c(pated and was re stored by Negeg Amnion. Many In scriptions and statues have been found. You have not seen the BEST VALUES They are NOT indestructible but as near as good fabric and good sewing can make them. BASEBALLS BATS UNIFORMS GLOVES MITS GIVEN AWAY With all Boys' SCHOOL SUITS. 1I0YER Third and Oak First and Yamhill First and Morrison m 3.3, discmuu MONDAY WE WILL INAUGURATE ONE OF THE GREATEST SALES OF LADIES' HANDBAGS EVER HELD IN PORTLAND The department we devote to LADIES' HANDBAGS is an extremely important one with us, and our object in holding this" sale is to acquaint everyone with the enormous line of leather goods we carry and with the remarkable price concessions obtainable at The Owl. We illus trate below just a few of the styles in stock which, of course, can give but a very limited idea of the various leathers, styles and designs. Tin's discount of 3.1 1-3 per cent applies to the handbags illustrated, and also to any handbag in our whole stock. We free to admit that this sale will mean the Us of a good many dollars, but we figure that the advertising obtained and the short space of time it will take to acquaint the people of Portland with our Leather Goods Department generally will bring abundant future returns for any immediate los. TO OFFSET TRADE WAR WITH CANADA SPEND THIS AFTERNOON AT ALAMEDA PARK Meeting in Ottawa 'to Bring About Closer Relations Be tween Countries. Let EVLKY BODY who is AMBITIOUS to REAP HIS SHARE OF PORTLAND'S GROWTH spend the afternoon at A LA ML DA 1 AKk. It will there be clearly lemon strated how one may secure to himself a piece of Portland real estate situated in the most favor ably located, most highly im proved (improvements under way) residence addition in this city. This property IS ALREADY P.UILT ON THREE SIDES, and a dozen homes are sorting, with a score more to begin soon. The BROADWAY CAR LINE is now operating to the EN TRANCE, and construction work; THROUGH the Park has been let to the Barstow Construction Company. The line will be fin ished and ready for operation within (0 days from March 1, when it is tlie intention of the streetcar company to operate R E G i; L A R BROADWAY SCHEDULE TO THE CEN TER OF THIS ADDITION. The above fact alone is suffi cient guarantee of the future of this section. PRICES are bound to AD VANCE in the very near future. Tust take a Broadwav ear and it will carry you tb Alameda Park. N. B.-Don't foreet the SALES MANSHIP CONTEST. More than $15 in gold 'coin to be dis- on the extension of the carline j tributed as prizes. (Publishers' PreM I.-rasfd Wire.) Washington, -March 12. Tim initial steps were taken by the United States government today to avoid a trade war with Canada. This Is the first time that representatives of the United States government have taken the in itiative in smoothing' out tariff diffi culties with a foreign nation. Hitherto the American representatives have as sumed an attitude of might and power and allowed the foreign representative to petition hearings and -make ad vances. - J Charles M. Pepper, commercial ad- -.1 .1... K. . . I . visor eu nil? inurjiu ui iidut; imiuii.,i tn Ka lo. fliin.Flm.nl r, A I J .. . . l ill 1 1 1 r. ninir .i..nt .1117111, aiiu iirni . Emery, chairman of the tariff board. are In Ottawa, C'anada, and will hold ; a serie of hearings with similar rep resentatives of the dominion govern ment to bring about closer relations be tween the two countries. John G. Fos ter,' United States consul to Ottawa, paved the way for the hearings, the firrt. of which was formally held to day. Cynsul General Foster Is chairman and. spokesman of the American dele gation and he has a difficult taVk be fore him. Although the dominion gov ernment has made no overt signs of hostility, nevertheless Its attitude., of Indifference to the tariff board Is rend toVf'ttnstriie. tt as a menace. The pren enrWnegotlations have for their nlti mat view tb formation of a new 'V- rf r-.h. ft V- are I One of the most useful and handy bags made: of black leather, double strap handle, drawstrings, moire lined. This bag has 10-in. frame' and is leather-lined, with gilt trimmings gusset bot tom, double strap handles, fitted with change purse. This 10-in. goat seal leather-lined hag has leather covered frame and pro tected corners and is ex ceptional value. Here is a most serviceable seal goat bag, strap han dle, gusset bottom, leather-lined and fitted with change purse. To rightly appre ciate the money saving opportuni ties this sale af fords, you must come in and see the bags at close range. Sale be gins Monday morning and lasts one week. rich 1 grain bag is lined with tan leather, has gusset bot tom and is fitted with s u bstantial coin purse. Here is a w a 1 r ti' s grain hand b a g, lined with full tan leather; h a s double strap han dle and is fitted with case change purse. All of the clerks in our employ work six days a week, being allowed one day off every week for rest and recreation. ORIGINAL CUT RATE1 DRUGGISTS 7h- and.WASHINGT.ON STS. PORTLAND, ORB. I i 9 ,-, .. ; i S-l-i vc- V.