Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-12-11


alinterest, but that when completed they will
! b0 OF yaiue commensurate with their cost,
That production increases more rapidly than
| the means of transportation in our country
has been demonstrated by past experience
! That the unprecedented growth in population
! and projects af the whole country will require
! additional facilities and cheaper means for the
! more bulky articles of commerce tOreach tide
water, and a market will be demanded in the
near future is equally demonstrable. L would
! therefore suggest that either committee or a
commission be authorized to consider this
| whole question and report to Congress some
future day. for It's better guidance in leglsla-
ting on the important question.
THE RAILROADS. II
The railroads of the country have been rap
| idly extended during the last few years to
meet the growing demands of producers, and
reflect much credit upon capitalists and the
managers engaged in their construction
In addition to these, project to facilitate
commerce by building a ship canal around
the Niagara Fails on the United States Side,
which has been agitated for many years, will,
no doubt, be called to your attention in this
session, looking to the great future of the
country and the increasing demands OF COM
merce. I'D
It might be well, while on this subject not
only to have examined and reported upon the
various practicable routes for connecting the
Mississippi with tide water on the Allan
tic, but the feasibility of an almost continuous
land locked navigation from Maino to the
Gulf of Mexico Such route along our coast
would be of great value at all times, and of
1nestlmable value in case OF a foreign war.
Nature has provided the greater part of this
route, and the obstacles to be overcome are cas-
lily within the skill of the engineer. / have not
alluded to this subject with the
view of having any further expenditure of
public money at this time than may be neces-.
sary to procure and place all necessary infor-
nation before Congress in an authentic form,
to enable it hereafter, ,ifdeemed practicable and
worthy, to legislate on the subject without
delay.
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT. .. E..
The report OF the Secretary of the Navy,
herewith ACCOMPANYING, explains fully the
condition of that branch of the public service,
It's wants and deficiencies, expenses incurred
during the past year, and appropriations for
the same. 1t also gives a complete history of
the services of the navy for the past year, in
addition to its regular services. 1t is evident
that unless steps are taken to preserve our
navy, that IN very few years the United States
will be the weakest nation upon the ocean of
all great nations. With an energetic progress
sge business people ike ours, penetrating
and forming business relations with every part
Of the known world, a navy strong enough to
command the respect of our flag abroad is
necessary for the full protection of their
rights recommend the careful consideration
by Congress of the recommendations made by
the Secretary of the Navy.
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.,
The accompanying report of the Postmaster
General furnishes full and satisfactory ex-
hibit of operations of the postoffice department
during the year. The ordinary revenues of the
Department for the fiscal year ending June
Both, 1872, amounted to S21 ,915, 1861, and
the expenditures S26, ,658, 1921. Compared
with the previous fiscal year, the increase of
revenue was S187, ,838, ,095, OF 9.37 per cent and
the increase of expenditures S226, ,908, 1923, or
9.29 per cent. Adding to the ordinary revenues
the annual appropriation of 500, 600 for free
matter, and the amounts paid to theisubsi-
| dies on mail steamships lines from
special appropriations, the deficiency
paid ont of the general treasury was 1881
776.595, an excess Of S3S, ,970728 over the de-
ficiency for the year 1871. Other interesting
statistical information relating to our rapidly
extending postal service is furnished in this
report The total length of railroad mail
routes on the 305h of June, 1872, was 81, ,911
miles, SOFT additional miles of such service
having been put into operation during the
! yeal. Eight new lines of railway postoffices
have been established, with an aggregate
! length Of 2 1909 miles. The number of letters
exchanged in the mails with foreign countries
was 24,362, 500, an increase of 4,066,502, or
twenty per cent. over the number in 1871 and
! the postage thereon amounts to $187, ,125, ,725.
/ The total weight of the mails exchanged
| with European countries exceeded 800 tons.
| The cost of the United States transatlantic
mail steamship service was $22, ,030, ,170. The
! total cost of the United States ocean steamship
| service, including the amounts paid to the
subsidized lines of mail steamers, was S102,-
! 702,097. .rf-nr
! The following are the only steamship lines
now receiving subsidies for mail service under
| special acts of Congress. The Pacific Mail
Steamship Company re ceive $500, 900 per an
Francisco, Japan and China, which
will be increased to $1,00OOGO per
annum, and semi-monthly mail on and
after October 1st; the United States and
Brazil mail steamship company receive S15,-
! 600 per annum for carving q monthly mail
| between New York and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;
and the California, Oregon and Mexico
! steamship company receive $4,000 per
! annum for carrying monthly mail
! between San Francisco and Homo
lulu, Hawaiian Islands. Making the total
amount of mail steamship subsidies at pres
ent s725, 900 per annum. Our postal commu-
nications with all parts of the civilized world
| have been placed upon most advantageous
! footing by the improved postal conventions
/ and arrangements recently concluded
| with the leading commercial countries of
| Europe and America, and the gratifying state
ment is made that with the conclusion of a sat
isfactOry convention with France, the details
of which have been definitely agreed upon by
the head of the French Postal Department
subject to the approval of the Minister of Fl
/
treaty for some time to come in respect there
! to reduction of rates on improved facilities
! of postal intercourse.
Your favorable consideration is respectfully
| invited to the recommendations made by the
| Postmaster General for an increase of service
! from monthly to semi-m onthly trips on the
| mall steamship rOnte to Brazil for subsidy, in
! view OF the establishment of an American line
! Of mail steamers between San Francisco New
Zealand and Australia; for the establishment
| OF postoffice savings banks, and for the in
crease of the salaries of the heads of bureaus.
THE FRANKING PRIVILEGE.
have heretofore recommended the aboli-
ton ofthe franking privilege, and see no rea-
son now for changing my views on that sub
| ject. 1t not having been favorably regarded
| by Congress, however, | row suggesta mod;-
tication OF that privilege, to correctits?glaring
and costly abuses.
THE POSTAL TELEGRAPH. l
recommend, also, the appointment of
| committee or commission to take into con-
! slderatlOn the best method equitable to pri-
! vate corporations who have invested theil
time and capital in the establishment of teIe.
graph lines, of acquiring the title to all the
telegraph lines SNOW in operation. and of con.
Meeting this service with the postal service o.
the nation. 1t is not probable that this sub
ject could receive the proper consideration
during the limits of short session of Con
gress, but 1t may be Initiated, so that further
action may be fair to the government and tc
the private parties concerned.
!, THE OCEAN MAIL SERVICE.
There are but three lines of ocean steamers
namely, the Pacific Mail Steamship Company
between San Francisco, China and Japan
with provision made for semi monthly service
after October 1st. 1878 the United States ant
Brazil line, monthly, and the California New
Zealand and Australian line, monthly, plying
between the United States and fore gn ports
and owned and operated under our flag.
earnestly recommend that such liberal con
tracts for carrying the mails be authorized
with these lines, as will insure their con
tinuance, if the expediency of extending The
aid of the Government to the lines of steamer
which hitherto have not received it should b.
deemed worthy of the consideration Of Con
gress. Political and commercial object
make it advisable to bcstow sue aid on lint
under our flag between Panama and Western
and South American ports. By these means
much trade now diverted to other countries
might be brought to us, to the mutual advan
tage of this luutry and those lying in tina
| quarter of the Continent of America.