Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-12-09

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
postmasters above mentioned be
based upon the business OF their
respective offices as ascertained
from the sworn returns, to the
audi.or,of stamps cancelled.
A few postmasters in the South
eTn States have expressed great
apprehension of their personal
safety on account of their connec.
lion with the postal service, and
nave specially requested that
their reports Of apprehended
danger should MOI be madepublic,
lest it should result in the loss OF
their lives. But no positive testi-
mony Of Interference has been
unlimited except'in the case of a
mail messenger at Spartonburg,
in South Carolina. who reported
that he had been violently driven
away while IN charge of the
mails Oh account Of his political
affiliations. An assistant super
intendent of the railway mail SER
vice investig tted this case and re-
ported that the messenger had
disappeared from his post, leav-
ing his work to be performed by
a substitute. The Postmaster
General thinks thi. case suffi-
cienly suggestive to justify him
in recommending that 4 more Sc
we're punishment should be pro-
vided for the offence of assauliing
any person in charge of the mails
or of re,arding or otherwise OBJ
structing them by threats of per-
sonal injury.
IA very gratifying result is pre-
sented i'm the fact that the def
cheney of this department during
the last fiscal year was reduced TO
81 OBJ 100, Is IA against Sc. 1859 1885,
SO Of the preceding year. Tne diff
ference can be traced to the large
increase in its ordinary receipts
(Which greatly exceeded the esti-
mates therefor.) and a slight de-
crease in its expenditures
The ordinary receipts OF the
Post Office department for the last
seven fiscal years have increased
10 an average of over eight per
cent. per annum while the in
crease of expenditures for the same
period has been but about fiv
per cent, per annum. and the de-
crease deficiency in the revenues
has been at 'he rate of nearly two
per cent per annuW.
The report of the Commissioner
of Agriculture, accompanying this
message, will be found one of great
interest, marking, as it does, the
great progress Of the la t century
in the variety of products of the
soil /: incl eased knowledge and
skill in the labor of producing,
saving,and manipulating the same
to prepare them for the use of
man ; in the improvements in ma
chiiery to aid the agriculturist
in his labors and in a knowledge
of those scientific subjects necessa-
ry to Thorough system of econo-
my ia agricultural production, viz
chemistry, botany, acknowledged. !,
A study of this report by those in
terested in agriculture and deriv-
ing their support from it, will find
it of value in pointing out those
articles which are raised in greater
quantities than the needs of the
world require and must sell there
fore for less tina the cost of pro-
duction,and those which comm nd
d profit over cost of production be-
cause there is not an overproduc-
ton.
l call special attention to the
need of the department for a new
gallery for the reception of the ex-
hibits returned from the centen-
NAL exhibition, including the ex-
hibits donated by very many for
eign nations. and the recomm en-
dations of the Commissioner of
Agriculture generally.
TheIniernational Exhibition held
in Philadelphia this year in COM
memoration of the one hundredth
anniversary of American indepen
dence has proven a great success,
aud will, no doubt, be ofenduring
advantage to the county. 1t has
shown the great progress in the
arts, sciences aud mechanical Skill
made in a single century and dem
oustrated that we are but little be-
ldnd Older nations in any one
branch, while ip some we scarcely
have a rival. IL has served, too,
not only too briag people and pro-
ducts of skill and lab.r from all
parts of the world together, but, iD
bringing together people from all
sections OF our own country, which
must prove great benefit in the
Information impaired and pride of
country engendered.