Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-12-11

pay about $50, 000 600 per annum in foreign
vessels fer the transportation of our surplus
products to market thus increased. the bal
ance of trade is against us to this amount.
The subject is one worthy of your serious con-
sideration. Cheap transportation is a subject
that has attracted the attention of both pro-
ducers and consumers for the past few wears.
and has contributed to, if it has not been the
direct cause of, the recent panic and stringen-
cy. AS Congress, at its last session. appoint
&c special committee to investigate the
whole subject during the vacation. and report
at this session, 1 have nothing t , recommend
until their report is ready.
There Is one work. however of a national
character, i'll which the greater portion of
the East and the West, the North and the
South, are equally interested. to which /
will invite your attention. The State of
New York has canal connecting Lake
Erie with tide-water on the Hudson river
The State of Illinois has similar one con-
Meeting Lake Michigan with the navigable
waters on the Illinois river thus making
water communication inland between the East
and the West and the South. These great
artlnciai water-courses are the property Of the
states through which they pass, and pay toll
to those States. Would it not be wise states
manship to pledge these States that if thew
Will open these canals for the passage of large
vessels, the Government will look after and
keep IN nayigable condition the great public
highways with which they connect. to-wit ::
The over-slough on the Hudson, the st. Clair
flats, and the Illinois and Mississippi rivers !:
This would be national work. one of great
value to the producers of the West and South,
In giving them cheap transportation for their
produce to the seaboard, and market to the
consumers In the East, in giving them cheaper
food particularly of those articles of food
which do not find foreign market, and the
prices of which, therefore. are not regulated
l.x-f
work are too obvious for argument sub
NIT the subject to you, therefore. without fur
Their comment.
In further connection with the Treasury
Department, | would recommend revision
and codiication OF the tariff laws and the
opening of more mints for coming money
with authority to coin for such nations as NAV
apply.
The attention Of Congress is invited to the
recommendations of the Secretary of War
herewith accompanying. The apparent great
cost of supporting the Academy is fully ex-
planned In the report, and it will receive your
attention. While inviting your attention to
all the recommendations made by the Secreta-
ry of War, there are two which l would es-
peclally invite you to consider: First the i'm
portance of preparing for war in time of peace
by providing for proper armament for our sea-
cost defenses. Proper armament is of vastly
more Importance than Notifications. The lat
ter can be supplied very speedily for Temporal
~ purposes when needed the former cannot
The second is the necessity of reopening pro-
motion In the staff corps of the army. Par
ticularly is this necessity felt in the medical
pay and ordnance departments. At this time
it is necessary to employ by contract surgeons
to supply the necessary medical attention re-
quired by the army. With tho present force
Of the Pay Department, it is now difficult to
make the payments to troops provided
for by law. Long delays in pay
ments are productive of assertions
aud decentralization, and tina law prohibits the
payment of troops by other than regular
army paymasters. There are now sixteen va
cancies in the Ordnance Department, thus
leaving that branch Of the service without
sufficient officers to conduct the business of
tine different arsenals ON a large scale. if ever
required.
During the past year our navy has been re-
iuced by the sale of some vessels no longer
BIT for naval purposes, and by the condemna-
ton of others not yet disposed of. This.
however, has been more than compensated
Tor by the repair of six Of the old wooden
ships, and by the building of eight new
sloops-of-war authorized By The last Congress.
The building of these latter has occurred at
ioubly fortunate time. They are about being
when they will possibly be much
needed. and the work upon them has not only
given employment TO thousands of men, but,
40 doubt. has been the means of keeping
open establishments of other works
1t time OF great financial distress.
Since the commencement of last month.
the distressing occurrences
which have taken place in the
while they illustrate most forcibly
he necessity always existing that nation stu
sted like ours should maintain in state of
efficiency a navy equal to its responsibilities,
mas at the same time demanded that all OF the
effective force we really havo shall be put in
immediate readiness for warlike service.
This has been and is being done promptly
.nd effectively, and / am assured that all the
available ships and every authorized man of
he American navy will be ready for whatever
action is required for the safety of our cities
Dr. the maintenance Of our honor. This. Of
course. will cause the expenditure
Of some of the appropriations which were
calculated to extend through the fiecal year
put Congress will. doubt not, understand
ride adequately, not only for the present
but for the future maintenance
IF our naval force. The Secretary of the
Navy mas during the past year been putting
some OF our most extensive monitors In con-
iition for service, and thus the exigency finds
Is in a much better condition for war than we
,ould possibly have been without his action.
n OO1AptStC CAuhDlt plccCutSO III luC az
comp anying report of the Postmaster General
IF the operations of the Postoffice Depart
nent during the year.
The ordinary postal revenues for the fiscal
rear ending June 80, 1878, amounted to S22,-
}96, 771.57. and the expenditures of all kinds
10 529 0Si ,945.67. The Increase OF revenues
over 1872 was 81, 0s1 20, and the increase
n expenditures S24.G 1886. Independent
If the payments made from special appropria-
ions for mail steamship lines. the amount
lrawn from the general Treasury to meet de-
iciencies was $50, G54. 700. The constant and
,apid extension of our postal service, particu-
arly npon railways, and the improved facii-
les for the collection, transmission, distrbu- |
ion and delivery of the mails, which arc con-
;tantly being provided. account for the IN
.reased expenditures of this popular branch |
If the pubic service. The total number of |
Dostofices in operation on the 30th of June, |
1878, was SO, 244, net increase of 1881 over |
he number reported the preceding year. |
The number of Presidential offices was 1863, |
IN increase of 163 during the year.
The total length of railroad mail routes |
It the close of the year was 63, 457, an increase
If 5, SAG miles over the year 1872. Fifty-nine |
railway postofice lines were III operation on |
he 30th of June, 1878, extending over II, 500 |
niles of railroad routes. and performing an |
aggregate service of 81, 925 miles daily.
The number of letters exchanged with for |
sign countries was z7.459 1876, an increase of |
J. 096, 6S5 over the previous year. and the |
postage thereon amounted to 50 02l $40 Sc !