The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-12-07


pairing and rehttine our monitor feet.
the navy has been gradually 40 brought
up lliat though 1t does not maintain its
relative position among the progressive
naVles OF the world, it is now in condi-
ton more powerful and effective than it
ever has been in time of peace. The
complete repairs of our five heavy IRON
clads are only delayed on account of the
inadequacy of the appropriations made
last year for the working bureaus of the
department, which were actually less
IMAM those before the war, notwithstand-
ing the greatly enhanced price of labor
and materials, and the increase In the
cost OF the naval service, growing out oil
the universal use and great expense Of
steam machinery. The money necessary
for these repairs should be provided at
once, that they may be completed with
out further unnecessary delay and ex-
pense. When all this is DONE all the
strength that there is in our navy will be
| developed and useful to its full capacity,
and 1t will be powerful for offensive and
also defensive purposes, should the ne
cessity for that arise within reasonable
distance from our shores. The fact that
our navy is not more modern and pow
erful than it is, has been made cause of
complaint against the Secretary of the
Navy by persons who, at the same time,
criticise and complain of his efforts to
bring the navy that we have to its best
and most efficient condition; but the good
sense ofthe country will understand that
1t is really due to his practical action that
we haye at tlis time any efficient naval
force at command.
THE POSTAL SERVICE.
The report of the Postmaster General
shows the excess of expenditures, inclu
ding expenditures on account of previ-
GUS years, over the receipts for the fiscal
year ending June 30th, 1885, to be 81
ISL 1886. The estimated expenditures
for the fiscal year ending June 80 1878,
are 1886, ,723 ,432.43; the estimated revenue
for the same period is $50 645, l6500,
leaving an estimated excess of expendi-
ture to be appropriated as deficiency of
So ,078 267.43. The Postmaster General
like his predecessor, is convinced that a
change in the basis of adjusting salaries
of postmasters of the fourth class is nee
essary for the good Of the service, as we'll
as for the interests Of the Government,
and urgently recommends that the COM
pensation of the class of postmasters
above mentioned be based on the busi-
ness of their respective offices, as ascer-
tanned from the sworn returus to the au
dtors
A few postmasters in the Southern
States have expressed great apprehen-
sion of their personal sa ETY., on account
of their connection with the postal SER
vice, and have specially requested that
their reports of apprehended danger
should not be made public, lest it should
result in the loss of their lives, but no
positive testimony of interference has
been submitted, except in the case of
mail messenger at Spartanburg in South
Carolina, who reported that he had been
violently driven away while in charge
of the mails, on account of his political
affiliations. An assistant superintendent |
of the railway mail service investigated
this case, and reported that the messen-
ger had disappeared from his post, leav-
ing his work to be done by a substitute.
The Postmaster General thinks this case
sufficient suggestive to justify him in re-
commencing that more severe punish.
ment should be provided for the ofense
of assaulting any person in charge of the
mail, or of retarding or otherwise OBJ.
structing the service by threats of per.
sonal injury.
A very gratifying result is presented
in the fact that the deficiency of this de-
partment during the last fiscal year was
reduced to $4, ,08l. .79O19ss against $6,l69.
938SS the preceding year. The differ
ence can be traced to the large increase
in its ordinary receipts, which greatly |
exceeded the estimate therefor, and a |
slight decrease in its expenditures. The
ordinary receipts of the Postoffice De-
partment for the past seven fiscal years |
have increased at an average Of over |
per cent per annum, while the increase
of expenditures for the same period has
been about 55 per cent per annum, and |
the decrease of the deficiency in the rev. |
enues has been at the rate of nearly two |
per cent per annum.
OUR ADVANCE IN AGRICULTURE.
The report of the Commissioner Of Ag-
riculture accompanying this message will |
be found one Of great interest, making,
as it does, the great progress of the last |
century in the variety of products of the |
soil, increased knowledge and skill in
the labor of producing, saving and man
ipulating the same to prepare them for
the use Of man, in improvements in ma
chinery to aid the agriculturist in his la
bors, add in knowledge of those scientific
subjects necessary to thorough system
of economy in agri' ultural productions,
namely: chemistry, botany, entomology,
etc. A study of this report by those in
terested in agriculture, and deriving their
support from it. will find it of value in
pointing out those articles which are
raised in greater quantity than the needs
of the world require, and must sell there
fore, for less than the cost of production,
and those which command profit over
the cost of production, because there is
not an over production. / call especial
attention to the need of the department
for a new gallery for the reception of the
exhibits returned from the Centennial
Exposition, including many exhibits do.
mated hy very many foreign nations, and
to the recommendations of the Commits
sioner of Agriculture generally.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. =
The reports of the District Commits
siohers and the Board Of Health age just
received, too late to read them to make
thereon, and are here
with submitted ..
THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION
held in Philadelphia this year, in COM
memoration of the one hundredth ami
versary of American Independence, has
proven great success, and will no doubt
be of enduring advantage to the country.
It has shown great progress in the arts,
sciences and mechanical skill made in
single century, and demonstrated that we
are little behind older nations in any one
branch, while in some we scarcely have
a rival 1t has served, too, not only to