The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1876-12-14
ne to decay. Yet the most has beer


done that was possible with the means at
command ; and by substantially rebuilding
some of our old ships with durable material,
and completely repairing and reftting our
monitor feet, the Navy has been gradually
so brought up that, though it does not
maintain its relative position among the
progressive Navies of the world, it is now
in condition 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 depart
ment, which were actually less in amount
than those made before the war, notwith-
standing the greatly enhanced price of
labor and materials, and the increase in the
cost of the naval service growing out of 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 without further
Unnecessary delay and expense. When this
is done all the strength that there is in our
Navy will be developed and useful to it's
full capacity, and it will be powerful for
purposes of defense, and also for offensive ac-
ton, should the necessity for that arise with
in reasonable distance from our shores
The fact that our Navy is not more modern
and powerful 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 endeavors to
bring the Navy that we have to its best
and most efficient condition, but the good
sense of the country will understand that
it is really due to his practical action that
we have at this time any effective naval
force ut command
THE POSTAL SERVICE.
The report Of the Postmaster General
shows the excess of expenditures, exclud-
ing expenditures on account of previous
years, over receipts for the fiscal year end
ing June 30, 1876, to be S4,151 1888 &c.
Estimated expenditures for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1873, are $50, ,723, ,432 43.
Estimated revenue for the same period is
of expenditure to be appropriated as a
deficiency of S6,07S,267 48. The Post
master General, like his predecessor, is
convinced that change in the basis of
adjusting the salaries of Postmasters of the
fourth class is necessary for the good of the
service, as well as for the interests of the
Government, and urgently recommends
that the compensation of the class of Post
masters above mentioned be based upon
the business of their respective Offices, as
ascertained from the sworn returns to the
Auditor of stamps cancelled.
OBSTRUCTION IN THE SOUTH.
A few Postmasters in the Southern
States have expressed great apprehension
of their personal safety, on account of their
connection with the postal service 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 Spartan
burg, in South Carolina, who reported that
he had been violently driven away while in
political affiliations An Assistant Su-
perintendent of the railway mail service
investigated this case, and reported that
the messenger had disappeared from his
post, leaving his work to be performed by
a substitute The Postmaster General
thinks this case is sufficiently suggestive
to justify him in recommending that a
more severe punishment should be provided
for the offense Of assaulting any person in
charge of the mails, or of retarding or
otherwise obstructing them by threats of
personal injury.
DECREASED DEFICIENCY LAST YEAR.
A very gratifying result is presented in
the fact that the deficiency of the depart
ment during the last fiscal year was re-
duced to s4,081790 Is, as against So
169, 1888 SO of the preceding year. The
difference can be traced to the large in
crease in its ordinary receipts, (Which
greatly exceeded the estimates therefor, }
and slight decrease in its expenditures.
The ordinary receipts of the Post Office
Department for the past seven fiscal years
have increased at an average of over eight
per cent. per anDum, while the increase of
expenditures for the same period has been
about $50 per cent. per annum, and the
decrease of deficiency in the revenues has
been at the rate of nearly two per cent.
per annum.
THE AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Commissioner of
Agriculture, accompanying the Message,
will be found one of great interest, show
ing, as it does, the great PROCESS of the last
century in the variety of products of the
soil, increased knowledge and skill in the
labor of producing, saving, and manipulat-
ing the same to prepare them for the use
of man, in the Improvements in machinery
to aid the agriculturist in his labors, and in
a knowledge of those scientific subjects ne
cessary to thorough system of economy in
agricultural production, namely, chemistry,
botany, entomology, &c. A study of this
report by those interested in agriculture
and deriving their support from it will find