The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-12-13


and elsewhere goes for naught, it
may be safely predicted that the
stimulus of so per centum reduc-
ton in the tax for carriage would at
once increase the number of letters
consigned to the mails. The advan-
tages of secrecy would lead to a very
general substitution of sealed packets
for postal cards and open circulars,
and in divers other ways the volume
of first class matter would be enor-
mously augmented. Such an in
crease amounted in England in the
first year after the adoption of penny
postage to more than 125 per cent.
AS a result of careful estimates, the
details of which cannot be here set
ont, | have become convinced that
the deficiency of the first year after
the proposed reduction would not
exceed Z per cent. of the expendl
lures or 100000, while the def
cheney, af.er the reduction OF lS45,
WAS more than IA per cent, and
after that of 1851 was q per ceut
Another interesting comparison L.
afforded bv statistics furnished me
by the Posi9ffice Department. The
act of 1915 was passed III face OF
the fact that there existed a detcien-
CIV of more than $4,000. That of
1851 was encouraged by the slight
surplus of $4,000. The xce of
revenue in the next fiscal year is
likely to be s350,000. If Congress
should approve these suggestions 1t
NAV be deemed desirable to supply
to ONE extent the deficiency which
must for a time result by increasing
the charge for carrying merchandise
which is now only sixteen cents per
pound. But even without such an
increase | am confident that the re-
ceipts under the diminished rates
would equal the expenditures after
the lapse of three or four years.
The report of the Department of
Justice brings anew to your notice
the necessity of enlarging the pres
ent system of Federal Jurisprudence
so as effectually to answer the re-
auirements of the ever increasing
litigation with which it is called
upon to deal. The Attorney Gen
eral renews the suggestions of his
predecessor that in the interests of
justice better provision. than the ex-
listing law affords should be made
in certain judicial districts for fixing
the fees of witnesses.
In my message of December last
| referred to pending criminal pro-
ceedings growing out of alleged
frauds in what is known as the Star
route service of the Postoffice De
partment, and advised YOU that /
had enjoined upon the Attorney
General and associate counsel, TO
whom the interests of the Govern
ment were entrusted, the duty OF
prosecuting with the utmost yigor
of the law all persons who might be
found chargeable with those offenses.
A trial of one of these cases has
since occurred. 1t occupied for
many weeks the attention of the
Supreme Court of this district, and
was conducted with great zeal and
ability. 1t resulted in a disagree
ment of the jury, but the cause has
been again placed upon the calendar
and will shortly be retired. If any
guilty persons shall finally escape
punishment for their offenses, it will
not be tor lack of diligent and earn
est efforts Oh the part of the prose-
cution.
| trust that some agreement may
be reached which will speedily ena-
ble Congress, with the concurrence
of the Executive, to afford the com
mercial community the benefits OF a
national bankrupt law.
The report of the Secretary of the
Interior, with its accompanying
documents, presents a full statement
of the varied operations of that
department. In respect to Indian
affairs nothing has occurred which
has changed or seriously modified
the views to which | devoted much
space in a former communication to
Congress. | renew the recommend
atoms therein contained as TO ex-
tending to the Indian the protection
of the law, alloting lands in s~everalty
to such as desire it, and making
suitable provision for the education
of the Indian youth. Such provi
sion the Secretary forcibly main
tains will prove unavailing unless it
is broad enough to include all those
who are able and willing to make
use Of it, and should not solely relate
to intellectual training, but also to
instruction in such manual labor
and simple industrial art as can be
made practically available. Among
other important subjects which are
included within the Secretary's re
port. and which will doubtless fur
nisb occasion for Congressional ac-
ton, may be mentioned the neglect
of the railroad companies to which
large grants of lands are made by
the acts of 1862 and 1854 to take
title thereto. and their consequent
inequitable exemption from local
taxation. No survey of our material
condition can fail to suggest inquiries
as to the moral and intellectual pro-
grsss of the people. The census
returns disclose an alarming state of
illiteracy Ia certain portions of the
country where the provision of the
schools is grossly inadequate. 1t is
a momentous question FOR the de
cision of Congress. whether immedi-
ate and substantial aid should not
be extended by the General Govern
ment for supplementing the effort
of private benefciencies Of State
and Territorial legislation in behalf
of education.
The regulation of interstate COM
has already been the subject
of your deliberations. One of the
incidents ofthe marvellous exte.sion
of the railway system ofthe country
has been the sdoption of such mea-
sures by the corporations which owe
control the roads as has tended
to impair the advantages OF bealth-
ful competition and to make hurtfnI
determinations in the adjustment
~ Tbara S,no,.t;,;oc