The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-12-11


strongly urge upon Congress the duty of
making, at their present session, the neces-
sary provision for meeting these liabilities
The public debt on the 1st of July, 1853,
the commencement of the present fiscal
year, was $50, 1905, 977.67.
During the first quarter OF the present
wear, the sum of 81 ,000, 900 has been nego-
tated of the loan authorized by the act OF
18th June, 1853, making the present out
standing public debt, exclusive of treasury
notes, s35, 1877 &C. There was on the
1st of July, 1853, of treasury notes issued
by authority Of the act of December %,
1857, unrcdeemed, the sum Of $l9.154, 500
making the amount Of actual Indebtedness,
at that date, S5t.9l0,7T7.66. To this will
be added SIC, 1000, 900 during the present
gscal year--this beng the remaining half Of
the loan of $50, 600, o, not yet negotiated.
The rapid increase ofthe public debt, and
the necessity which exists FOR a modification
Of the tariff, to meet even the ordinary ex
penses Of the government, ought TO admo-
nish US all, in our respective spheres OF du
", to the practice Of rigid economy. The
objects of expenditure should be limited in
number, as far as this may be practicable,
and the appropriations necessary to carry
them into effect, Dug lit to be disbursed un-
der the strict-st accountability. Enlighten-
ed economy does not consist in the refusal
10 appropriate money for constitutional pur
poses. essential to the defence, progress and
prosperity of the republic, but in taking
ear. that none Of this money shall be vast
ed by mismanagement in its application to
the objects designated by law.
Comparisons between the annual expen-
diture at the present time, and what II was
| ten twenty years ago. are atog@ther- tal
! lacous The rapid increase Of our country
I in extent and population, renders a cores
ponding increase Of expenditure, to some
: extent. unavoidable. This is constantly
creating new objects of expend ture, and
: euTnentirg the amount required for the old.
. The true questions then, are, have these ob-
iects been unnecessarily multiplied: or, has
the amount expended on any or al! Of them,
been larger than coInports with due ecoEo
: NV Ia accordance with these prinoiples
the heads Of the different executive depart
nents Of the government; have been instruct
ed to reduce their estimates for the next ifs
ca year to the lowest standard consistent
with tho efficiency Of the service, and this
duty they have Performed in spirit Of just
economy. The estimates Of the Treasury,
Wa. Navy and Interior Departments. have
each been in SEINE degree redu"ed; and IN
let's sudden and unforeseen emerge cv
should arise, Il Is not antici ps,-j that de
fc:crrv will exist in either within the pres
ent or mex. fiscal year. The Post 0.tice
Department is placed in peculiar position,
different from the other department, and TO
this shall hereafter refer.
invite Cong TO institute rigi scru-
tiny to ascertain whether the expense. in
, al, the departments cannot be sill further
reduced; and promise them al tho ad in
nv power in pursuing the Investigation.
transmit herewith the reports made to
me by the Secretaries of War, Of the NAVY,
of the Interior. and Of the Postmaster Gen
eral They each contain valuable iuiurIaa-
ton c'il important reccomeu iaiions, to
which invite the attention Of Congress.
H. nv last annual message took occ&s-
ION to recommend the Immediate eonStruc-
ton Of ten small steamers light draughi
for the purpose of increasing TIE efficiency
Of the navy. Congress responded To the
recconunc lstion by autaoriz "a the con
,,rurt.on Of eight Of them. The process
which has been made in executing this au-
thoritv is stated in tie ri port OF he Score
tary oftie Navy. | cencur with him in
opinion, ,ha. greater number Of this class
OF vessels is necessary for the purpose Of
protecting in more Efficient manner the
peraonS and pToperty OF Am-:.cgn citizens
on the high seas and in foreign countries, as
well as in guarding mors oGectua-.y cur own
coast. | accordingly rtrroin;u nj the pas
sage Of an act for this purpose.
lie suggestions contained in the report
OF tbs Seer e,a'y CT The interior, cSpcClaIy
those in regard to the disposition ofthe pub
lie domain. the pension and bounty land
system. the pui.ry iowatcs lhc i.oisre. and
tn aue1dmrn, II Uu~ :st - .aw- arc wOr-
= -Fs -. - .r'
g-c= $.
IT, Post CEae = ;-r;--a. occupies
position very q ii-r,ui from dat &C ne CHI
rr plrtments. Fer many years ], vas
tn policy o! the ;. ycrum-nttC ren,isr this
v.sif sustaining dtral m-n,: and if this
cannot BOW be accomplished n the present
cordtion of the county. ~ ought to make
as near an approach l. :, a may be pEac;i-
cable.
The Postmaster General is placed in a
most embarrassing position by the existing
laws He is obliged TO carry these into Ell
feet. lie has no other alternative. He finds.
however, that this cannot be done without
heavy demands upon the treasury over and
above what is received for postage; ana
these have been progressively increasing
from year to year until they amounted, fer
. the last fiscal year ending on the 30th OF
u
half OF dollars: whilst it is estimated that,
FOR the presen, fiscal year, they vii. amour;
, to 81. 200, COO. These sums are exclusive Gf
the annual appropriation of $7on,0o0 for
"compenSa.ion fer mail service performed for
the two hsuSes of Congress and the other
departments and officers Of the government
in the transportation of Tree mat er"
The cause OF these large deficits is main
II attributable 10 the Increased expense Of
transporting the mails. In 1892 the sum
paid tor this service was but fraction over
our..nillions and quarter. Since That year
- has annually increased unit, 1898, it has
reached ne than eight millions and
quarter a: d for tno service o. 1919 1t IS es-
tirgated that i! will amount - more ''a1 ten
millions OF dollars.
The receipts of the Post Office Depart
ment can be made to approach or equal its
expenditure, only by means OF the legisla-
ton Of Congress. In applying any RENE
dy, care should be taken that the people
shall not be deprived Of the advantages
which they are fairly entitled to enjey from
the Post Office Department. The principal
remedies recommended to the consideration
of Congress by the Postmaster General, are
to restore tie former rate of postage upon
single letters to five cents; to substitute for
the franking privilege the delivery to those
now entitled to enjoy it, Of post office stamps
for their correspondence, and to direct the
department, in making contracts for the
transportation Of the mail, to confinc itself
to the payment of the sum necessary for
this single puspose, without requiring it to
be transported in post coaches snd carriages
of any particular description. Under the
present system, the expense of the govern
Ynpnt greatly increased ty reouiripcr hat
the mail shall be carried in such vehicles as
will accommodate passengers. This will be
done without pay from the d. partment, over
u h. Urn xrol