The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-12-07
The nnnrnnriations for

repIenish them. invite your especial atten- | !
on TO the following recommendations OF the
scretary OF War:
SfSsf-That .he claims under the act Of July q,
ga for supplies taken by the Army during tue
lar be removed from the Offices OF quarter !
asters and Commissary Generals and trans |
.rred to the Southern Claims Commission.
hese claims are of precisely similar nature 70
lose now before The Southern Claims commits
on, and the War Department and bureaus nave
OF the clerical force for their examination, nor
Re proper machinery for investigating the loyal
: of the claimants.
!Sscond-That Congress sanction the scheme OF
n annuity fund for the benefit OF the famllles OF
eceaset officers, and that il also provide Tor the
organization Of The regular service,
9th OF which were recommended IN my last an
ual message. -..-.-.el
he Ordnance Department be concentrated AT
hree arsenals and an armory. and that the re-
naming arseDals be sold and the proceeds APP
lied to this object by the Ordnance Department
RIVERS AND HARBORS.
The appropriations for river and harbor i'm
movements for the current yearwere 81, Oi1,uO,
" it'll my approval the Secretary of war directed
hat OF this at. cunt, 900 200 should be eSpend-
a and no new works should BIZ Begun, and |
zone prosecuted which were not Of national I'M
,ortance Subsequently this amount was IN
,rea sed TO 1 223, 70D, and works are now pro
rressing ON this basis. The improvement of the |
south Pass of the Mississippi River, under j. Ii. |
Eads and his associates, is progressing favor,
,bly, At the present time there Is a channel OF
XIII
month OF the pass, and lSs feet at the head OF
he mass Neither channel however, has the |
width reuuired before payment shall be made 10y
the United states Acorimlsslon Oh engineer
and officers is now examining these works, and
their reports will be presented rs soon as re-
ceived.
THE TAvY.
The report OF the Secretary of the Navy shows
that he believes the service To be in condition
q Effective as it is possible to keep it with the
means and appropriations given the Depart
ment IL is not of course possible 10 rival the
costly and progressive establishments OF the
great European powers with the old material oi
our Navy, to which no increase has been anthor-
ICED since the War, except eight small cruisers,
built to supply the place of others which ha'
gone 10 decay let she ihoet has bsen done that
was possible with the means at command, and
they are substantially rebuilding some OF our
old ships with durable material, and completely
repairing and refltting our monitor Meet. Inc
Navy has been gradually so brought up tnat
though it does not MAINTAIN us reiauye P9si!.on
among the progressive navies OF the world. IL If
now in a condition more powerful ana eHecllNe
than it ever has been in time Of peace The com
uetc repairs Of our five heavy iron clads are only
delayedo on account Of the inadequacy OF the ap-
preparations made last year Tor the working
bureaus Of the Department, which were actually
less in atnornt than those maue before the W ar,
the greatly enhanceu price oI
labor and materials, and the increase in the cost
of the naval service growing out OF the unlVersai
use and great expense OF steam machine
nv. The money necessary for these re-
pairs should be provided at once, that
they NAV be completed without further unneces.
sary DELAY and expense. w hen this Is done, all
the strength that there is in the Navy VIII be de,
veloped and useful to its full capacity, ana AL
will be powerful for the purpose OF defense, ana
also for offensive action, should necessity for
that arise within reasonable distance from ouf
chores. The fact that our Navy is not more
modern and powerful than it is has been made
cause Of complaint against the secretary ~ the
Navy by persons who at the same time crltcise
and complain of his endeavOrs to bring the Navy
that we have to its best and most eihclent condl-
ton. But the good sense OF the country Will IN
derstand that 1t is really to his pracused action
that we have at this time any effective navy force
at command.
POSTAL AFFAIRS.
The report of the Postmaster General shows
an excess of expenditures, excluding eXpendl
lures on account of previous years. Receipts for
the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875, estimated TO
be a. Isl 9SS. &C; estimated expenditures tOr the
fiscal year ending June 30, 1876, are $50, 40,
432 43; estimated revenue for the same period Is
50 645 l65 leaving an estimated excess OF eN
penditure to be appropriated as deficiency OF
ST, OF, 1913. The Pestmaster-General,H IKE
his predecessor, is convinced mat change IN
the basis of adjusting salaries OF Postmasters OF
the fourth class is necessary for the good OF the
service as well as for the interests Of the Govern
Eent and urgently recommends that consldera-
ton Of the class Of POstmasters above mentioned
be based on the business of their respective
Auditor of stamps Cancelled. few Postmasters
in the Southern States have expressed great ap-
prehensions of their personal safety on account
of their connection with the Postal service, ana
have specialIy requested that their reports Of ap
pretended danger should not be made puOlc.
lest it should result in the loss OF their ives out
no pos tive testimony of interference has been
ST omitted except in the case Of mail me5sen-
ger at Spartanburg, in South Carolina, who re-
ported that he had been violently driven away
on the charge Of his political aililiation. The
Assistant superintendent OF the Railway service
investigated this case, and reported tlat 4 mes
senger has disappeared from his post, leaving
his work to be performed by sub
stitute. The Postmaster General thinks
this case is sufficiently suggestive to JUS
tify him in recommending That a more severe
punishment should be provided for the otense
of assaultDg any person in charge OF mails, or
of etarding or otherwise obstructing them by
threats of personal injury. very gratifying
result is presented in the fact that the dehcien
Fes of this Department during the last fisca
year were reduced to $4,CSl 1901 as against
49, Gg 1888. SIS of tie preceding year. The dl1er'
ence can be traced to the large increase in its or
binary receipts, which greatly exceeded esu
mates therefor, and slight increase in its eX
penditures. The ordinary receipts OF the BOst
office Department for the past seven fiscal year:
have increased at an average OF over eight pei
cent per annum, while the increase OF eIpend
itures for the same period has Seen about 30
per cent. per annum, and decrease OF dehclency
in the revenues has bean at the rate OF nearly
two per cent. per annum.
... AGRICULTURE. To Eng
The report of the Commissioner of Agricul
ture accompanying the message will be tount
one of great interest, marking, as 1t does, TN
great PrOgress of the last century In the lncreas
Of the products of the soil and of the knowledg'
and skill in the Labor of producing, saving am
manipulating the same to prepare them for tn
use OF man; in the improvements III machlner.
to aid the agriculturist in his labors, ana Know
edge of those scientific subjects necessary to
thorough system of economy IN agricultural pro
ducton, namely, chemistry, botany ana ento
mOlogy. This report, by those interested In ag
riculturs and deriving their support from 1t, vii
be found of value in pointing out those article
| which are raised in greater quantity than Tn
| needs of tie world require, anu must sell there
| fore for less than the cost OF production, an
those which command profit over cost OF pro
| ductOn, because there is not an over-produG
| ton | call special attention to the need OF IN
| Department for new gallery for the receptlo
of the exhibits returned from the Centenulal Elk
hibition including the exhibits donated by yer
many foreign nations, and to the recommends
| tions of the Commissioner of Agriculture gener
ally.
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION.
The International Exhibition held in Philadel
phia this year in cOmmemoratiOn of the one hun
| dred anniversary of American independence
| has proven great success, and will no doubt b
| of enduring advantage to the country. II ma
| shown great progress IN the arts, sciences an
| mechanical skill made in single century, an
! demonstrated that we are but little behind I'll
older nations IN any one branch, while IN som
| we scarcely have rival. Ii has served not onl
| to bring the people and products OF skill and Ia
| Dor from all parts of the world together, but /
bringing together people from all sections OF Ou
| own country, which must prove of great benehl
| from information impaired, and the pride OF IN
| country engendered. 1t has been suggested b
| scientists interested in and connected with III
| Smithsonian Institute, in a communication, thl
| the Government exhibit be removed
| the Capital and suitable build
| ing be erected or purchased for II
| accommodation as a permanent exhibition.
| earnestly recommend this, aud, believing Con
| gross would second this view, directed that a
| the Government exhibits at the Centennial EN
| hibition should remain where they are, except
| ing such as might DE injured by remaining IN
! building not intended as a protection IN lncielI
| ent weather or such as may be wanted by Ut
J department furnishing them, until the questlo
| OF the permanent exhibition is acted on. A
| though the moneys appropriated by congress
| enable the participation OF the several ENecuuN
| Departments in the International Exhibition
| 1876 were not sufficient TO carry out the undei
| taking to the full extent at fa'5t contemplated,
| gives me pleasure to refer G. the very encleI
| and creditable manner in which the Board al
| pOinted from these several departments 10 pre-
| vide an exhibition on the part Of the GovernmeI
| have discharged their duties with the fund
| nlaced at their command, without precedent
| puide them in the preparation OF such display
| sIhe success of then, labors was amply atteste
| nv the sustained attention which the contents
| lie Government Building attracted during ii
at