Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-12-05


very considerable surplus IN this department
and that hencefOrth the receipts are likely to
increase at much greater ratio than the nee
esSary expenditures. Unless some change
is made in the existing laws fRe
profits of the postal service will in verv few
years swell the revenues of the government
many millions of dollars. The time seems
auspicious, therefore, for some reduction in
the rates of postage. In what shall thai re-
duction consist 4 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. 1 am convinced that the
burden of maintaining the service falls most
any other, it is entitled to present relief
| That such relief may be eX-
| tended without detrlment to other public
interests Will be discovered upon reviewing the
results of farmer reductions. immediately
prior to the act Of lS45 the postage upon a let
ter composed of a single sheet was as follows:
II conveyed 30 miles or less, 8 cents, between
50 and $50 miles, l2l5 cents; between $50 and
400 miles, 1S3z cents; over 400 miles % cents
BY the act of lS45 the postage upon single
letter conveyed for any distance under 300
miles was fixed at 5 cents, and for any greater
distance at 10 cents. BY the act of 1851 il was
provided that a single letter, if prepaid. should
bo carried any distance not over 300 miles for
cents, and any greater distance for cents. 1t
will be noticed that both of these reductions
were of radical character. and relatively quite
as important as that which is now proposed. In
Z
revenue, but sudden ana large influx of
business, which substantially repaired that
loss within three years. Unless the experience
of past legislation in the country and else
where goes for naught, it may be safely pre-
dcted that the stimulus of 331 per cent. reduc-
ti6n ia the tax for carriage would at once
increase the nJlnbef Of letters consigned to
the mails, The advantages OF secresy would
lead to a very general substitution Of sealed
packages for postal cards and open circulars
and IN divers other ways the volume of first
class matter would be enormously augmented
IN tie first year after the adoption of
penny postage ~ more than % per cent.
As result of careful estimates, the details of
which cannot be here set out, have be0ome
convinced that the deficiency for the first year
after the year of the proposed reduction would
not exceed per cent of the expenditures. or
three million dollars, while the deficiency af-
ter the reduction of lS45 was more than IA per
cent. and after that of 1851 was 27 per cent.
Another interesting comparisons is afforded
by statistics furnished by the Post Office De-
partmeut. The act of lS45 was passed in the
face of the fact that there eKiRted a deficiency
of more than $4,000. That Of 1851 was en-
couraged by the light surplus Of S132,OOO
The excess of revenue in the next
If Congress should approve these suggestions,
1t may be deemed desirable to supply to some
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 in
crease, am confident that the receipts under
penditures of the lapse of four or five years.
TIE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
The report of the department Of Justice
brings anew to your notice the necessity of en-
larglng the present system of Federal juris-
prudence so as effectually to answer the re-
quirements of the ever increasing litigation
with which it is called upon to deal. The At
tornes General roneWs the suggestions of his
predecessor, that, IN The interest Of justice,
better provision than the existing laws afford
should be made in certain judicial districts for
fixing the fees of witnesses and jurors.
THE STAR ROUTE PROSECUTIONS.
In my message of December last referred
to the pending criminal proceedings growing
out of alleged frauds in what is known as the
star route service of the Post Office Depart
ment, and advised you that | had enioined
upon the Attorney General and the associate
counsel, TO whom the interests of the govern
ment were intrusted, the duty of prosecuting
with the utmost rigOr of the law all persons
who might be found chargeable with those
Onenses. A trial of one of these cases has since
occurred, It occupied for many weeks the at
tent0n Gf the Supreme Court OF this District
and was conducted with great zeal and ability
It resulted in disagreement of the jury, but
the cause has been again placed upon the cal
endar and will shortly be retired. II any
guilty person shall finally escape punishment
for the Ofense, it viii not be for lack of dill
gent and earnest effort on the part of the
prosecution.
NEED OF A BANKRUPT LAW.
| trust that some agreement NAV be reach
ed, which will speedily enable Congress, with
the concurrence of the Executive, to afford
the commercial community the benefit of a
national bankrupt law.
THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Secretary OF the Interior,
with its accompanying documents, presents
operations in that department. In
respect to Indian affairs, nothing
has occurred which has changed or seriously
modified the views to which L devoted much
a former
| renew the recommendation therein con-
tanned as to extending to the Indian the pro-
lection of the law, allotiing land in severalty
TO such as deserve Ii, and making suitable pro-
vision for the education of youths. such pro-
vision, ,as the Secretary fOrcibly maintains, will
prove unayailingi 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.
LAND GRANTS TO RAILROADS.
Among other important subjects which are
included in the Secretary's report and which
will, doubtless, furnish occasion for Congress
slonal action, may be mentioned the neglect
of the railroad companies to which large
grants of land were made by the acts of 1862 |
and 1864, TO take title thereto, and their conse-
quent inequitabe exemption from local taxa
ton.
EXTENSION OF EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES.
No survey of our material condition can fail
to suggest inquiries as To the moral and intel |
lectual progress of the people. The census re-
turns disclose an alarming state of illiteracy
in certain portions of the country, where the
provision for schools is grossly inadequate. 1t |
is a momentous question for the decision of
Congress whether immediate and substantial
aid should not be extended bV the General
Government for supplementing the efforts of
private fenedcenee and of state ana territorial
legislation in behalf Of education.
INTERSTATE COMMERCE.
The regulation of Interstate commerce has |
One of the incidents of the marvellous eXten-
sion of the railway system of the country has |
lem the adoption of such measures by the |
corporations which own or control the roads |
as LsS tended to impair the advantages of |
healthfuf competition and to make hurtful |
determinations in the adjustment of freight |
age. These inequalities have been corrected |
in several of the States by appropriate legiS- |
lation. the effect of which is necessarily re- |
stricted to the limits of their own territory. |
So far as such Inischefs affect commerce be- |
States and a foreign country they are subjects !
of national concern, and Congress alone can |
afford relief.
THE MORMON PROBLEM.
The results which have thus far attended !
the enforcement of the recent statute for the |
suppression of polygamy in the Territories are !
reported by the Secretary Of the Interior. 1t |
is not probable that any additional legis-
lation in this regard will be deemed de |
sirable until the effect of the existing laws |
shall be iqore closely observed and studied. | /
congratulate you that the Commissioners |
under whose supervision those laws have |
been put in operation are encouraged to be- |
lieve that the evil at which they are aimed |
may be suppressed without resort to such |
radical measures as in some quarters have
been thought indispensable for success. The |
close relation of the General Government to
the Territories p&eparing to become great |
States may well engage your special atten-
ton. 1t is there that the Indian disturbances
mainly occur and that is where pOlygamy has
found room for its growth ] cannot doubt
that a careful survey of territorial legislation
would be of the highest utility. Life and
property would become more secure, the
liability of outbreaks between Indians and
whites would be lessened, the public do /
main would be more securely guarded and
better progress be made in the instruction of
the young.
THE NEEDS OF ALASKA.
Alaska is still without any form of civil
the education of its people and for the pro-
lection of their liyes and property, the i'm
mense resources of the region would invite
permanent settlement and open new fields for
industry and enterprise.
THE CLAIMS OF AGRICULTURE.
The report of the Commissioner of Agricul- |
ture presents an account of the lab0rs of that |
department during the past year, and in
cludes information of much Interest to |
the general public. The condition of |
the forests of the country and the waste /
full manner in which their destruction /
is taking place give cause'fOr serious appre- !
hensiOn, Their action in protecting the |
earth's surface in regulating and sustaining |
understood. and their Importance in relation |
to the growth and DrOsDPFitV of the country /