The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-12-05

the purpose Of afIording the officers an,
seanen Of the navy opportunities Tor exer
else and discipline In their profession unde
appropriate. control and direction. TIL
Secretary advises that the lighthouse sery
Ice md coast survey DO transferred as nov
organized from. the Treasury 10 the Nav,
Department, aud he also suggests, for thu
reasons which he assigns, that d simila
transfer may he wisely made Of the cruis
Ing revenue vessels The Secretary for
chilly depicts the intimate connection mt
independence Of the navy and the CONNER
cial marine, and iayites attention 10 thu
continued lecadence Of the latter and tn,
corresponding transfer OF our growing com
merce to foreign bottoms. This subject II
ono oil the utmost importance to the M
tional welfare. Methods OF reviving Amer.
lean shipbuilding md Of restoring The
United States flag In the ocean carrying
trade should receive the attention Of Con.
gress. 10 Ir-.
We have mechanical skill and abundant
material for the manufacture OF modern
iron steamships In iair competition with
our commercial rivals. Our dlsadvan.ag
In building ships Is the greater cost Of
labor, and IN sailing them, higher taxes
and greater interest on capital. While tho
ocean highways are already n,onopolized
by our competitors these obstacles should
In some way be overcome, and for our
rapid communication with foreign lands
We should not continue to depend wholly
upon vessels built In the yards Of other
countries and sailing under foreign flags.
With no United States steamers on the
principal ocean lines or In any foreign
ports our facilities for extending our com.
mercc are greatly restricted, while the na.
lions which build and sail the ships and
carry the mails and passengers obtain
thereby conspicuous advantages in iucreas.
ing their trade.
POSTAL APFAlRs-REDucTioN OF POSTAGE.
The report OF the Postmaster General
gives evidence Of the satisfactory condition
Of TINT department and contains many
valuable data and accompanying sugees.
tons which cannot fail to be OF interest.
The information which II affords, that tho
receipts for tho fiscal year have exceeded
the expenditures, must DO very gratifying
10 Congress and to the people Of The cou,i-
try. as matters which may fairly Claim
your attention, refer you to his observa.
tons in reference to the ACCESSIBILITY Of
the present basis for fixing salaries
and allowances, OF extending the money
order System, Of enlarging tho functions Of
the postal establishment 80 MS to put under
It's control the telegraph system OF the
country, though from this last and most
important recommendation l must with
hold my concurrence. a=-5
AT the last session OF Congress several
bills were introduced into The House OF
Representatives for the reduction OF
letter postage to the rate OF two cents per
half ounce. Ihave given much study and
reflection to this subject and am thorough,
" persuaded that such reduction would
pc Tor the best interests Of the public. It
has been the policy Of the Government
from It's foundation to defray us far US pos
slblc the expenses Of carrying the mails by
direct tax in the form Of postage. 1t has
never been claimed, however, that this ser.
vice should Reproductive OF net revenue,
AS has been stated already, the report OF
the Postmaster General shows that there
is now a very considerable surplus in his
department and that henceforth the re.
ceip,s are likely 10 increase at much
greater ratio than the necessary cxpcndi-
lures. Unless some change is made in the
laws the profits OF the postal service will,
in very few years, swell the revenues Of
the Government many millions Of dollars.
The time seems suspicious, therefore, for
some reduction in the rates Of postage.
In what shall that reduction consist?
A review Of the legislation which
has been had upon this subject during the
last thirty years discloses that domestic
letters constitute the only class Of mail
matter which has never been favored by a
substantial reduction Of rates. I am con.
WINGED that the burden Of maintaining the
service falls most unequallv upon that
class, and that more than any other it is
entitled to present relief. That such relief
may be extended without detriment TO
other public interests will be discovered
upon reviewing the results Of former re.
ductions. Immediately prior to the act Of
1915 the postage upon letter composed OF
a single sheet WIS as follows:
i carried 30 miles or less.......... cts
n q M hnur lIo.