Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1876-12-09

It's full capacity, and all will be powerful
for the purpose of defense, and also fol
offensive action, should necessity for thai
arise within reasonable distance from oul
shores, and the fact that our navy is moi
more modern and powerful than it is has
been made cause of complaint against the
Secretary of the Navy by persons who al
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 I'M
derstand that it is really to his practical
action that we have at this time any eftec-
tive naval force at command.
| PosToFFICE DEPARTMENT..
! The report of the postmaster-general
shows the excess of expenditures, eXclud-
ing expenditure on account of the previous
| year, over receipts for the fiscal year end
mated expenditures for the fiscal year end
ing June Both, 1878, are $50, 723, 1872 43. EST
mated revenue for the same period, $780,
G35, 165, leaving an estimated excess of ex-
pend I to he appropriated as deficiency
OF S6,078,267 43. The Postmaster General,
like his predecessor, is convinced that a
change in the basis of adjusting the sala-
rles of postmasters of the fourth class is
necessary for the good of the service as
well as for the interests of the Government,
pensation of the class of postmasters above
mentioned be based on the business of
their respective Offices, as asceItained by
the sworn returns of the stamps can
celled.
A few postmasters in the Southern States
have expressed great apprehension Of their
personal safety on account of their cOnnec-
ton with the postal service, and have
specially requested that their reports of
unprecedented 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 a mail messenger at Spartan
burg i'll South Carolina, who reported that
he had been Violently driven away while
i'll charge of the mails on account Of his
political affiliations. The assistant superin-
tendent of the railway mail service inves-
tigated this case, and reported that the
leaving his work to be performed by a sub
stitute. The Postmaster General thinks
this ease is sufficiently suggestive to justify
him in recommending that severe pun
ishment should be provided for the Of
lenses of assaultlng any person in charge
of the mails, or of retarding or otherwise
obstructing them by threats of personal
injury.
A very gratifying result is presented in
the fact that the deficiency of this depart
ment, during the last fiscal year, was re-
duced to $4,0S1 $50 IS, as against $780,
148 SO of the preceding year. The differ
ence can be traced to the large increase of
its ordinary receipts, which greatly eX-
decrease in its expenditures. The ordin-
airy receipts of the POstoffice Department
for the seven past fiscal years, have in
creased at an AVERAGE rate OF over per
cent. per annum, Whine the increase of eX-
penditures tor the same period has been
about S per cent. per annllm, and the de-
crease of deficiency in the revenues has
been at the rate of nearly per cent. per
annum.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
The report of Commissioner of Agricul-
ture accompanying this message, will be
found one of great interest, marking, as it
does, the great progress in the last century
in variety of products of the SOIL increased
knowledge and skill in the labor of pro-
ducing, saving and manufacturing the
same to prepare them for the use of man,
in the improvement of machinery to aid
the agriculturalist in his labors, and u
knowledge of scientific subjects necessary
to a thorough system of economy in agri-
cultural productions, namely, chemistry,
botany, entomology, etc: A study of this
and deriving their sustenance from it, will
render it of value in pointing out those ar
ticleS which are raised in greater quantity
than the needs of the world require, and
which must sell, therefore, for less than
the cost of production, and those which
command profit over cost of production
because there is not an Overproduction. /
call special attention to the need of the de-
partment for new gallery for the recep-
ton of the exhibits returned from the Cen
tennial exhibition, including exhibits do
mated by many foreign nations, and to the
recommendations of the Commissioner of
Agriculture generally.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
The reports of the district commissioners
and the board of health are lust received
n tn n
mendations thereon, and are herewith sub
mitted.
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION.
The International Exhibition, held in
Philadelphia this year, in cOmmemOratiOn
of the one hundredth anniversary of Amer
lean Independence, has proven great sue
cess and will no doubt BIO of enduring ad-
vantage to the country. 1t has shown the
great progress in the arts, sciences and me-
chanical skill made III o single century.
hind the older nations in any one branch,
while in some we scarcely have q rival.
has served to not only bring people and
products Of skill and labor from all parts Of
the world together. buLin bringing together
people from all sections Of our own country,
which must prove great benefit in the in
formation impaired and the pride of cOun-
try engendered. 1t has been suggested by
scientists interested in and connected with
the Smithsonian Institute, in q commune
ernment exhibit be removed to the capital
and n suitable building erected, or pur-
chased. for its accommodation, as perma-
nent exhibit. l earnestly recommend it,
this view, l directed that all government
exhibits at the Centennial Exhibition
should remain where they are, except
such as might be injured by remaining in
building not intended as q protection from
inclement weather. or such as may be
wanted by the department furnishing them,
until the question of permanent exhibit
ton is acted upon. Although the moneys
appropriated by Congress to enable the
participation of the several executive de-
partments in the international exhibition
Of 1876 were not sufficient to carry on the
undertaking to the full extent at first con-
templated, it gives me pleasure to refer to
the very efficient and creditable manner in
! which these several departments, to pro-
vide an exhibition on the part Of the gov
eminent, have discharged their duties with
the funds placed at their command, with
out precedent 10 guide them in the prep
aration of such display. The success Of
their iabors was amply attested by the sus-
government building attracted during the
period Of the exhibition from both foreign
| and native people. / am strongly i'm
pressed with the value Of the collection
Of the Exhibition, illustrating as it does the
general resources of the country, and sta
| tistical and practical evidence Of our
growth as a nation in tho uses OF the mer-
| camille arts and the application of applied
| science In the administration of the affairs
| OF the government. Many nations have
voluntarily contributed their exhibits to
| the United States to increase the interest in
any permanent exhibition Congress may
provide. For this act of generosity they
should receive the thanks of the people,
and / respectfully suggest that a resolu-
ton Of Congress to that effect be adopted.
CHOOSING THE PRESIDENT.
The attention of Congress cannot be too
| earnestly called to the necessity Of throw
OF choosing and declaring the election Of