The World’s Industrial Exposition, held at New Orleans last winter, with the assistance of the Federal Government, attracted a large number of foreign exhibits, and proved of great value in spreading among the concourse of visitors from Mexico and Central and South America a wider knowledge of the varied manufactures and productions of this country and their availability in exchange for the productions of those regions.

Past Congresses have had under consideration the advisability of abolishing the discrimination made by the tariff laws in favor of the works of American artists.  The odium of the policy which subjects to a high rate of duty the paintings of foreign artists and exempts the productions of American artists residing abroad, and who receive gratuitously advantages and instruction, is visited upon our citizens engaged in art culture in Europe, and has caused them with practical unanimity to favor the abolition of such an ungracious distinction; and in their interest, and for other obvious reasons, I strongly recommend it.

The report of the Secretary of the Treasury fully exhibits the condition of the public finances and of the several branches of the Government connected with his Department.  The suggestions of the Secretary relating to the practical operations of this important Department, and his recommendations in the direction of simplification and economy, particularly in the work of collecting customs duties, are especially urged upon the attention of Congress.

The ordinary receipts from all sources for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1885, were $322,690,706.38.  Of this sum $181,471,939.34 was received from customs and $112,498,725.54 from internal revenue.  The total receipts, as given above, were $24,829,163.54 less than those for the year ended June 30, 1884.  This diminution embraces a falling off of $13,595,550.42 in the receipts from customs and $9,687,346.97 in the receipts from internal revenue.

The total ordinary expenditures of the Government for the fiscal year were $260,226,935.50, leaving a surplus in the Treasury at the close of the year of $63,463,771.27.  This is $40,929,854.32 less than the surplus reported at the close of the previous year.

The expenditures are classified as follows: 

  For civil expenses $23,826,942.11
  For foreign intercourse 5,439,609.11
  For Indians 6,552,494.63
  For pensions 56,102,267.49
  For the military, including river and harbor 42,670,578.47
    improvements and arsenals
  For the Navy, including vessels, machinery, and 16,021,079.69
    improvements of navy-yards
  For interest on the public debt 51,386,256.47
  For the District of Columbia 3,499,650.95
  For miscellaneous expenditures, including public 54,728,056.21
    buildings, light-houses, and collecting the revenue