Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1881-12-14
r 1891 TERMS: Two Dollars Per Annum, in Advance

tatement ef disadvantages OF such permanent
reanization is presented in the report Of the
hief signal officer. Details Of the Usual work
,erformed by the signal corps and the weather
'iirgsn are also given in that report.
ask your attention to the statements OF the
ccretary Of war regarding the requisitions fre-
uently made by the 1nt3ian bureau upon the
ubsistence department Of the army for the
asual support of bands or tribes Of Indians,
yhich appropriations are exhausted. The war
department. should not be left, by ressen OF IN
dequate provision for the Indian bureau, to
for the maintenance Of Indians.
RIVER AND HAnBoR IMPROVEMENT.
The report of the chief OF engineers furnishes
detailed account OF the operations for the i'm
rovement of rivers and harbors. 1 commend
O your attention the suggestions contained IN
his report nregardt to the condition Of our FORTH
ations, especially coast defenses and recommend
n increase of strength of the engineer bastal-
on, by which the efficiency Of our torpedo sys~
ion to the remarks on the Improvement of the
south Pass of the Mississippi River, the pro-
,osed free bridge over the Potomac River at
GEORGETOWN, the importance Of completing
It an early day the north wing OF the de-
oartment building and other recommendations
If the secretary Of war which appear IN bis re-
nent for the fiscal year ending June 81, 1881,
ire $42, 122,2 ,201, and appropriations for the
year 1882 were sAA, ,SSs, ,725; the estimates for
1888 are s44, ,541, ,276.
The report of the secretary Of the navy ex-
hibits the condition Of that branch Of service
and presents valuable suggestions for it's i'm
I call your special attention also
to the appended report Of the advisory board
which will be convened to devise suitable meas
ures for increasing the efficiency OF
the navy and particularly to the re.
port as to the character and number OF
vessels necessary to place it upon footing
ernment. cannot too strongly urge upon you
my conviction that every consideration OF
national safety, economy and honor impera-
lively demands thorough rehabilitation Of our
navy. With full appreciation Of the fact that
compliance with the suggestions OF the head OF
the department and Of the advisory board
involves large expenditure of the public
moneys, earnestly recommend such appro-
priations az will accomplish an end which
seems to be so desirable. Nothing can be more
inconsistent with true public economy than the
withholding Of the means necessary to
accomplish the objects intrusted by the consti-
tuition to the national legislature. One
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 maintained With
foreign governments the relations of honorable
peace and that such relations may be perma-
nent is desired by every patriotic citizen of the
republic; but if we read the teachings of his
tory 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 dlstrust the
friendly. professions; OF other governments, en- Dut
for avoiding, as well as for repelling, the dan
ger that may threaten us in the future. we must
be prepared to face any policy which we think
wise to adopt; we must be ready to defend our
harbors against aggression, to protect by the
distribution of our ships of war over the high
WAYS of commerce the varied interests of our
foreign 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 ma
tions of the world.
posToFFICE DEPARTMENT.
The report of the postmaster general is o
gratifying exhibit of growth and efficiency of
the postal service.
The whole number of letters mailed in this
country in the last fiscal year exceeded one
thousand millions. The registry system is re-
| been remodeled during the past four years with
good results. The amount of registration fees
collected during the last fiscal year was $712.-
| 1882. an increase over the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1877, of $345. .443. The entire number
| of letters and packages registered during the
year was S,338, ,9l9, Of which only 2,O6l we're
| DESTROYED or lost in transit. The operations OF
the money-order system are multiplying yearly.
| Under the impulse of immigration, OF the
| rapid development of the newer stetes and ter
! ritories, and the consequent demand for addl-
tional means of inter-communication and ex-
change, during the past year, 338 additional
money-order Offices have been esta6hshed,
of this report. During the year the domestic
money orders aggregated in value $105, ,075, ,969.
! A modification Of the system is suggested fol
! reducing the fees for money orders not exceed:
ing five dollars from ten cents to five cents, and
making the maximum 800 in place OF 800
Legislation for the disposition of unclaimed
money orders in the possession OF the postofhce
| department is recommended in view of the fac
! that their total value exceeds one million dol
! lars.
The attention Of congress is again pointed tc
the subject OF establishing system OF savlng'
repositories in connection with the postoffic'
department.. The statistics of mail hansporta
ton show that during the past year rallroat a.t
routes have been increased in length GA
miles and in cost 81, 1882, while steamboa
routes have been decreased in length ais:
miles and in cost $134, ,054. The so-called Sta
routes have been decreased in length 3,94
miles and in cost 1864, IA. Nearly all OF then
are expensive routes and have been superseded
bv railroad service. The cost of the Sta
route w service must therefore rapidly decrease
in the western states and territories.
The receipts from postage and other ordln
ary sources during tne past fiscal year wer'
$S6, 4s9, ,e16. The receipts from the none!
order business were $295, 5,5s1, making total o
$36, 785, 1897. The expenditure for the hsca
year were $685. 736. The deficit IT, supplies 1Sa
out of the general treasury was 1924, ,811, ,293 O
69 per cent. of the amount. The receipts wer'
S3, ,918 in excess of those Of the prevlou
year and $4,575, ,397 in excess Of the estimate
made etwo wears ago before the present period o
business prosperity had faily begun.
The postmaster genera, however calls atten
ton to the constantly increasing cost OF tn
way of making the department self-sustaining
Our postal intercourse with foreign countrie
has kept pace with the growth of the domestl
service Within the past year several countrle
and colonies have declared their adhesion t.
the postal union. 1t now includes all thos
Bolivia, Costa Rica, New Zealand and the Brit
ish Colonies in Australia. As has been alread
stated, great reductions have recently bee1
made in the expense of the Star route service
STAR ROUTE FRAUDS.
The investigation of the department. of JUS
tice and the postofice department have resulte
in the presentation of indictments against per
sons formerly connected with that service, &C
cusing them of offenses against the Unite
States. have enjoined upon the officials, VIII
are charged with the conduct of the cases O.
the part of the government and upon the em
nent counsel, who before my secession to th
Presidency, were called to their assistance, tn
duty of prosecuting with the utmost vigor c
the law all persons who may be found charge
able with frauds upon the postal service.
UNITED STATES COURTS.
The acting attorney general calls attention
the necessity of modifying the present system
of the courts of the United States, q necesslt
due to the large increase of business, especial!
in the supreme court. Litigation in our fec
eral tribunals became greatly expanded aftf
the close of the late war. So long as that e.
panse might be attributable to the abnorm:
condition in which the community found ltse
Immediately after thereturn Of peace, prudene
required that no change should be made !
the constitution of our judicial tribunals
but it has now become apparent that an IN
mense increase of litigation has resulted frol
the wonderful growth and Development OF tt
country. There is no ground for belief tn:
the business of the United States courts WI
, ever be less in volume than at present; indee
ia fyQnQr91