Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-12-15

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the amonnt of such expense to the Comptrolle
of the Currency. 1t is, perhaps, doubtful
whether the immediate reduction Of the rat'
of taxation upon liquors and tobaccois advisa
BILE, especially in view of the drain upon the
Treasury which must attend the payment O.
arrears of pensions. A comparison, however
of the amount of taxes collected renders the
varying rates of taxation, which at different
times prevailed, suggests the intimation thai
some reduction may soon be made without
material diminution of the revenue. The ia
riff laws also need revision, but that all clue
regard may be paid to the conflicting interests
of our citizens, important changes should be
made with caution. If careful revision
cannot be made at this session, Commission
such as was lately approved by the Senate
and is now recommended by the Secretary Of
the Treasury, would doubtless Tighten the
labors of Congress whenever this subject shall
be brought to consideration.
The report of the Secretary of War is re-
viewed at length and various suggestions
therein contained recommended. The actual
expenditures of that department, for the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1881, were s42,122, ,2O1.'
80; the appropriations for the year 1882 were
s44 1859, ,72542; the estimates for 1883 are
$44 ,541, 1851.
Referring to the report of the Secretary of
the Navy, which exhibits the condition Of
that branch of the service, he says: 81 cannot
too strongly urge upon you my conviction
that every consideration of National safety,
economy and honor, imperatively demand a
thorough rehabilitation of our navy, with full
appreciation, that compliance with the sugges-
ton of the head of that department and his
advisers must involve large expenditure of
the public moneys. l earnestly recommend
such appropriations as will accomplish an
end which seems to me so desirable. Moth.
ing can be more inconsistent with true public
economy than Withholding the means necessa.
ry to accomplish the objects entrusted by the
Constitution to the National Legislature.
One Of those Objects and one of which is of
paramount Importance, is declared by our
fundamental law to be the provision for the
common defense" Surely nothing is more
essential to the defense of the United States
and of all our people than the efficiency of
our navy. We have for many years main
tanned with foreign Governments the relations
of honorable peace, and that such relations
may be permanent, is desired by every patri-
otto citizen Of the Republic. But if We heed
the teachings of history, We shall not forget
that in the life of every nation emergencies
may arise, when resort to arms can alone
save it from dishonor. No danger from
abroad now threatens this people, nor have
we any cause to doubt the friendly professions
of other Governments but avoiding, as we'll
as foreseeing, dangers that may threaten US in
the future, We must be prepared to enforce
any policy which we may think wise to adopt.
We must be ready to defend our harbors
against aggression to protect, by the distri-
button Of our ships of war over the highways
of commerce, the varied interests of our for
eign trade, and the persons and property Of
our citizens abroad; to maintain everywhere
the honor of our flag, and the distinguished
position which we may rightfully claim
among the nations Of the world.
OF the report of the Postmaster General,
he says that document is gratifying exhibit
of the growth and efficiency Of the postal ser
vice. The receipts from postage and other or
dinary sources during the past fiscal year,
were S36, ,489,Sl6.58. The receipts from the
money order business were S295, ,581.39, ma
king total of s36, 1855, ,397.97. The expend-
itures for the fiscal year were $39, Psi 1854
The deficit supplied out of the general treas
ury was s2,481, ,12935, or 6 $40 per cent. of
the amount expended. The receipts were
So, ,469, 1888 in excess of those of the pre-.
vious year, and S4,575 ,S97.97 in excess of the
estimate made two years ago, before the pres
ent period of business prosperity had fairly
begun. The whole number Of letters mailed
in this country, in the last fiscal year exceed.
ed one thousand millions. The registry sys-
tenn is reported to be in excellent condition,
having been remodeled during the past four
years with good results. The amount Of reg
istration fees collected during the last fiscal
year was S712.8S2.20, an increase over the
fiscal year ending June 30th, 1877, of $685.
443.40. The entire number Of letters and
packages registered during the year was g..
33S,9lS, of which only 2,061 we're lost or des-
troyed in transit. The operations of the mon
ey order system are multiplying yearly under
the impulse Of immigration, Of the rapid de-
velopment of the newer States and Territories
and the consequent demand for additional
means of intercommunication and exchange.
During the past year 1873 additional money
order Offices have been established, making a
total of 5.499 in operation at the date Of this
report. During the year the domestic money
orders aggregated in value $l05, ,075, ,769 39.
A modification Of the system is suggested, re.
ducing the fees for money orders, not exceed
ing S5, from ten cents to FIVE cents, and ma
king the maximum limit 500 in place of $780,
Legislation for the disposition of unclaimed
moucy orders in the possession of the Post
Office Department is recommended in view of
the fact that their total value now exceeds ST..
100000. The attention of Congress is again
invited to the sub ject of establishing sys-
tenn of saving repositories in connection with
the post office department. The statistics Of
mail transportation show that during the past
year railroad routes have been increased in
length 6,249 miles and in cost 81 1892,
while steamboat routes have been decreased
in length 2,182 miles and in cost S134, ,054.
The so.called Star Routes have been decreased
in length 3949 miles and in cost 1854, "A.
Nearly all of the more expensive routes have
been superseded by railroad service. The
cost of the star service must, therefore, rap
idly decrease in the Western States and Terri.
tories. The Postmaster. General, however,
calls attention to the constantly increasing
cost of the railway mail service as serious
difficulty in the way of making the Depart
ment self sustaining. As has been already
stated, great reductions have recently been
made in the expense of the Star Route Ser
vice. The investigations of the Department
of Justice and the Post Office Department
Laut, rasnltad in the nresentatinn Of indint