The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1882-12-08

picpdlu, SHOULD Dc carried any distance not
exceeding ,. 900 miles for Sets and any great
er distance for cents. 1t will be noticed
that Doth OF these reductions were OF a
RADICAL character and relatively quite as Inn
portant as that which Is now proposed. In
each case there ensued a temporary loss of
revenue, but sudden and large influx OF
business followed which substantially re-
paired that loss within three years. Unless
the experience of past legislation in this
country and elsewhere goes for naught 1t
mn" h 'piy prsHl'r' II that tho stimulus
of fifty per cent reduction in tax for car
rage would ut once increase the number OF
letters consigned to the mails. The advan-
tage of secrecy would lead to very gener--
al substitution OF sealed packets for postal
cards and open circulars and In divers
other ways the volume of first class matter
would be enormously augmented. Such ins
crease amounted In England In the first
year after the adoption OF penny postage:
to more than l25 per cent. AS the result OF
careful estimates, the details OF which
cannot be here set out, have become con-
WINGED that the deficiency for the first year
after the proposed reduction would not eX-
000,o00, while the deficiency, after the re-
duction of 1916, was more than III per cent,
and after that of 1851, was 81 per cent.
Another interesting comparison is afforded
bgstatistics furnished me by the Post OF
passed in the face of the fact that there ex-
isted deficiency of more than. $50, 600
That of 1851 was encouraged by the slight
surplus of Sl32, 900. The excess of revenue
in the next fiscal year is likely to be S3,5,O,-
600. E
IfCongress should approve these sug-
gestiOns, it may be deemed desirable to
supply to some extent the deficiency which
must for time result by increasing the
charge for carrying merchandise, which Is
now only 10 cents. per pound. But even
nil ", it,pr I I'D
that the receipts 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 neces-
sity of enlarging the present system of
Federal Jurisprudence. SO as to effectu-
ally answer the requirements OF the
ever-increasing LITIGATION with which
it is called upon to deal.
The Attorney General remows the
suggestions OF his predecessor that. in
the interests of Justice, better provis-
ion than the existing laws afford should
be made in certain judicialdistricts for
fixing the fees of witnesses and jurors.
In my message of December last 4
referred to pending criminal proceed
ings growing out of alleged frauds
What is known as the
STAR ROUTE
service of the Post Office Department
and advised you had enjoined lIygn
the Attorney General and associate
counsel to whom the interests OF the
Government were Entrusted, the duty
of prosecuting with the utmost vigOr
of the law all persons wfro might be
found chargabie with these offenses.
"A trial of one of these casess has since
occurred. Ifoccupied for many weeks
the attention of the Supreme Court OF
this District and was conducted with
great zeal and ability. Ii resulted i'm a
disagreement of the jury ibslt the cause
has been again placed upvn the calen-
dar and will shortly be Tetried. If any
guilty persons shall finally escape pun
ishment for their 0ffenses twill mot be
for lack of dilicent and earnest effGrts
on the part of the prosecution.
l trust that some agreement NAV be
reached which will speedily enableO@n-
gress, with the concurrence of the EX-
ecutive, to afford the commercial com
munity the benefits of q national
BANKRUPT LAW.
The report os the Secretary Of the IN
terror, with its accompanying d0cu-
ments, presents a full statement of the
varied operations OF that department..
In respect to
THE INDIANS.
nothing has occurred which has
changed or seriously modified the views
to which L devoted much space in n
former communication to Congress. Il
renew the recommendation herein con-
tanned as to extending to the Indian
the production of the law allOttin 2 land
in Severalty to such as desire it, and
making suitable provision for the edu-
cation of youths. Such provision as
the Secretary forcibly maintains will
prove unavailinC unless il is broad
enough to include all who are able and
willing to make use of it, and should
not solely relate to intellectual train
ing, but also to instruction in such
manual labor and simple industrial arts
as can be made practically available.
Among the important subjects which
are included within the Secretary's re-
ports, which will doubtless furnish &C.
casion for Congressional action, may
be mentioned the neglect of the rail-
road companies to which large grants,
of land were made by the acts of 1862
and 1864 to take title thereto. and their
consequent inequitable exemption from
local taxation.
EDUCATION.
No survey of our material condition
can fail to suggest inquiries as u the
moral and intellectual progress OF the
people. The census returns disclose
an alarming state of illiteracy in GER
tain parts of the country where the
provision for schools is grossly made
quate. 1t is momentous question for
the decision of Congress, whether i'm
mediate substantial aid should be ex-
tended by the general Government for
experimenting the efforts of private
beneficence. and of State and Territori-
al Legislation i'm behalf of education.
The regulation of
INTERSTATE COMMERCE.
has already been the subject of your
deliberations. One of the Incidents Of
the marvellous extension of the railway
system of the country has been the
adoption of such measures by the cor
porations which own or control the
roads as has tended to impair the adj
yantages of healthful competition, and