The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-12-10

his report. The actual expenditures Oi tnis uc-
partment for the fiscal year ending June 80, 1881,
were $40, l22.2 0l 80 The appropriations for the
year 1882 were S44 SS9 725 ~. The estimates for
1855, are S44, 54l, 276.9l.
THE PosToFFICE DEPARTMENT.
| The repor, of the postmaster general is
gratifying exhibit of the growth and effclen-
cy of he postal service. The receipts from
postage and other ordinary sources during
the past fiscal year were $50 ,iS9, Sl6.5S. The
receipts from the money order business were
S295,5Sl 80, making total OF S36, $50 1917
The expenditure for the fiscal year was S39,
Pol 1856 4G The deficit supplied out OF The
general treasury was S2,4Sl 1885, or 6.3 per
cent of the amount The receipts were S3469,
9lS.G3 in excess OF those of the previous year,
and $4575, 397,97 in excess of tue estimate
made two years ago, before the present period
of business prosperity had fairly begun.
The whole number of letters mailed in this
country In the last fiscal year exceeded 1000
100000.
The registry system Is reported to be in eX-
cellent condition. having been remodeled du-
ring the past four years with good results.
The amounts of registration fees collected
during the last fiscal year were S7l2SS2,2O-
an increase over the fiscal year ending June
30, 1877, of $435, 443,40. The entire number
of letters and packages registered during the
wear WAS S,OOC,JlU, VI WhlSu ohiJ ~iooi "SAS
DESTROYED or lost in transit. The operations
of the money.or system are multiplying
yearly, under the impulse of immigration, OF
the rapid development of the newer states and
territories, and the consequent demand Tor
additional means of accommodation and
Exchange. Daring the past year 33S addition
al money order offices have been established,
making total of j,499 in operation at the
date of this report. During the year the do
mestc money orders aggregated in value
$l05 075, 1895. A modification OF the system
Is suggested, reducing the fees tor money or
ders not exceeding IS, from 10 cents 10 D
cents, and making n maximum limit Sl0O IN
place of $50 Legislation for the disposition
of unclaimed mopey orders in the possession
of the postoftice department ls recommended,
in view of the fact that their total value ex.
ceeds 100000.
The attention of congress is again pointed
to the subject of establishing system OF saw
llngs depOsitOrles 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 &, 249 miles, and in
cost Sill 1897, while steamboat routes have
been increased IN length g 1872 miles, and in cost
Sl34,0A. The socalled star routes have been
decreased IN length 3,949 miles, and in cost
1864, IA. Nearly all the more expensive routes
have been superseded by railroad service,
The cost of the star service must, therefore,
rapidly decrease in the western states and
territories.
! The postmaster general, however, calls at
lention to the constantly increasing cost OF the
! railway mail service rs a serious difficulty ID
the way of making the department self-sus-
tanning.
Our postal intercourse with foreign coun'
tries has kept pace with the growth OF the
domestic service. Within the past year several
countries and colonies have declared their ad-
hesion to the postal union. 1t now includes
all those which have an organized postal ser
vice. except Bolivia. Costa Rica New leland,
and the British colonies in Australia.
As ,,as been already stated, great reductions
HAYS recently been made in the expense OF the
stIr. route service.
The investigations OF the department of
ijustice and the postoffice department have re-
suited in the presentation of indictments
against persons formerly connected with that
I service accusing them of otfenses against the
United States. ! have enjoined upon the OIL
clals who are charged with the conduct of the
leases on the part of the government, and up
on the eminent counsel who, before my &C
cession to the presidency, were called to theiI
assistance, the duty OF prosecuting with the
utmost rigor of the law all persons who may
be found chargeable with frauds upon the
postal service.
The acting attorney general calls attention
to the necessity OF modifying the present sys
Item of the courts of the United States, a neces
sity due to the large increase of business es
pecially in the supreme court. Litigation IN
our federal tribunals became greatly expand
ed after the close of the late war. So long as
g that expansion might be attributable to the
abnormal condition in which the community
found itself Immediately after the return OF
peace, prudence required that no change bt
made IN the constitution of our judicial tribu
nails. But it has now become apparent that an
immense increase of litigation has directly re
Y suited from the wonderful growth and devei
opment of the country There Is no ground
lor belief that the business OF the United States
courts will ever be less IN volume than at pre-
sent. Indeed that is likely to be much grea
/, ter Is generally recognized by the bench
and the bar In view OF the fact thai
congress has already gwen much consideration
to this subject, make no suggestion as to de
tail, but express the hope that your delbera
tons may result IN such legislation as Will
give early relief to our overburdened courts.
THE DISTURBANCES IN ARIZONA.
The acting attorney general also calls atten
ton to the disturbances of the public tranquil
ity during the past year in the territory OF Ari
iona. A band of armed desperadOes known as
Cow. boys" probably numbering from fifty to
} one hundred men, have been engaged foI
months In committing acts of lawessness and
brutality which the local authorities have been
unable to repress. the depredations of these
Cow boys" have also been extended into
Mexico which the marauders reach from the
Arizona frontier. With every disposition tc
meet the exigencles of the case, | am embar
: rassed by lack Of authority to deal with
them etfectually. The punishment of crimes
}committed within Arizona should ordinarily
, OF course, be lett to the territorial authorizes
But 1t is worthy of consideration whether act,
which necessarily tend to embroil the UNITED
e States with neighboring governments should
g not BE- declared crimes against the United
States. Some of the incursiOns alluded 10 ma,