Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1882-12-09

III AiN map - sAN
greater cost of labor and in sailing them;
higher taxes and greater interest on capital,
, Gn Nv our for1nidable competitors. These
should in some way be overcome
and for our rapid communication with foreign
lands we should not continue to depend
upon vessels built in the yards OF 9th
er countries and sailing under foreign flags.
With no United States steamers on the prin-
CITIES for extending our are
restricted, while the ation which
build and sail the ships and carry the mails
and passengers obtain thereby conspicuous
in increasing their trade.
THE
The report of the Postmaster-Genernl gives
evidence of the satisfactory condition of that
and contains many valuable
data and accompanying suggestions which
can not fail to be of interest. The informa-
ton which it affords that the receipts for
lures must be very gratifying to Congress
and to the people of the country. As
matters which may fairly. claim particular
reference to the advisabhity of changing the
present basis for fixing the salaries and al
lowances; of extending the money order sys-
TEN: of enlarging the functions of the postal
establishment, so as to bring under its con-
troll. the telegraph system of the country,
Recommendation 1 must withhold my concur
renee.
osTAG REDUCTION.
At the last session of Congress several bills
were introduced into the House of Represen-
tatives for the reduction of letter postage to
the rate of two cents per half ounce. | have
given much study and reflection to this sub
ject and am thoroughly persuaded that such
n reduction would be for the best interests OF
the public. It has been the policy Of the Gov
rnmen from its foundation to defray as far
as possible the expense of carrying the mails
by II direct tax in the form of postage. 1t has
never been claimed. however, that this service
ought to be productive of a net revenue. As
has been stated already, the report of the
General shows that there is now
a very considerable surplus in his depart
ment, and that henceforth the receipts are
likely to increase at a much greater ratio
than the necessary expenditures. Unless
some change is made IN the existing laws. the
few years swell the revenues of the Govern
ment many millions of dollars. The ti,ue
seems suspicious, therefore, for some rcduc.
that reduction consist? A review of the legis-
lation which has been had upon this subject
during the last thirty years discloses that do.
mail matter which has never been favored by
q substantial reduction of rates. l am con-
WINGED that the burden of maintaining the
service falls most unequally upon that class
and that more than any other it is entitled to
present relief. That such relief may be ex-
tended without doubt to other public inter
eSts will be discovered upon reviewing the re-
suits of former reductions. Immediately
prior to the act of lS45 the postage upon a let
ter composed of a single sheet was az follows:
If conveyed 30 miles or less, six cents; be-
tween so and so miles, ten cents: between so
and 150 miles. twelve and one half cents; be-
tween $50 and 400 miles, eighteen and three
fourths cents; over 400 miles, twenty-five
cents. By the act of 1s45, the postage upon a
single letter conveyed for any distance under
800 miles was fixed at five cents, and for any
greater distance at ten cents.
BY the act of 1851 it was provided that a sim
gle letter, if prepaid, should be carried any
distance not exceeding 1000 miles for cents,
and any greater distance for 6 cents. 1t will
be noticed that both these reductions were of
a radical character, and relatively quite as
NC @I,,& ,rk &c ,N,,- OtNx Il,
each case there ensued n temporary loss of
revenue, but q sudden and large influx of
business substantially repaired thatloss with
in three years. Unless the experience of past
Legislation i'll this country and elsewhere goes
for naught. it may be safely predicted that
the stimulus of 80 per cent reduction in tax
for carriage would at once increase the num-
Der of letters consigned to the mails. The adj
vantage OF secrecy. would lead to a very gen
cards and open circulars, and in divers other
ways the volume of first-class matter would
be enormously augmented. Such increase
amounted in England in the first year after
the adoption of the penny postage to more
than l25 per cent. AS a result of careful esti.
mates, the details of which can not be but
after the proposed reduction would not ex-
coed I per cent of the expenditure, or $1,000.
900. while the deficiency after the reduction of
of 1851 was p per cent. Another interesting
comparison is afforded by the statistics fur
nished me by the Post.office Department.
The act of 1915 was passed in face of the fact
that there existed a deficiency of more than
$50, goo; that of ISL was encouraged by the
slight surplus of $l32, 900. The excess of rev.
enuc in the next fiscal year is likely to be
s.. 10000
If Congress should approve these sugges-
tions it may be deemed advisable to supply
to some extent the deficiency which must for
a time result by increasing the charge for car
rying merchandise which is now only sixteen
increase l am confident that the receipts un-
der the diminished rates would equal the en-
penditures after the lapse OF three or four
years.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
The report of the Department of Justice
brings anew to your notice the necessity of
e%nlarsins the present system of Federal juris-
prudence, SO rs etfectualIyt to answer the re-
quirements of the ever.increasing% litigation
with which it is called upont to deal.
tons ions of his predecessor. that, in the Interests
of Justice, better provision than the existing
law affords should be made in certain judicial
districts for fixing the fees of witnesses and
jurors. In my message of December last
referred to the pending criminal proceedings
growing out of alleged frauds, what is known
THE STAR OUT SERVICE
Of the Post-otice Department, and advised
you L had e%nioined upon the Attorney-Gen
~terests of the Government were entrusted, the
duty of prosecuting with the utmost vigor OF
the law, all persons who might be found
chargeable with these offenses. A trial OF
one of these cases has since occurred. 1t oc-
cupied for many weeks the attention OF the
Supreme Court of this district, and was con-
Quoted with great care and ability. 1t re-
suited in Il disagreement 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 punish
ment for their offcnses it will not be for lack
of diligent and earnest efforts on the part OF
the prosecution.
The results which have thus far attended the
enforcement of the recent statute for the sup
preston OF ~polygamy in the Territorities are
reported by the Secretary of the Interior. 1t
is not probable that any additional legislation
the effect of existing laws shall be more close
ly observed and studied. i congratulate You
that the commissioners under whose super
vision those laws have been put i'll operation
are encouraged to believe that the evil. ut
which they are aimed may be suppressed
without resort to such radical measures a.
in some quarters have been thought indispen-
sable tor success.
The close relation of the General Govern.
ment to the Territorities preparing to be grea,
States 'naywelle engage your special attention
it Is there that the Indian disturbances mainly
occur, and that ~polygamy has found room for
its growth. / can not doubt that Il careful
survey of Territorial legislation would be oi
the highest utility. Life and property
would become more secure; the liability
of outbreaks between Indians and whites
would be le>scned; the public domain would
be more securely guarded and better progress