The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-12-07

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 ialis
most nos aneq 1.hsy ~ upon s enah cas- to a PRESENT sna' relief.
That such relief may be extended without detri,
ment to other public interests, will be discovered
upon viewing the results of former reductions.
Immediately prior to the act of 1915, the postage
upon a letter composed of a single sheet was as
follows:
If conveyed 80 niles or less, 6 cents; between
80 and so miles, 10 cents; between so and 1s0
miles. 12% cents; between 15O and 400 miles, ~
cents; ov. r 400 miles, % cents. BY the act OF 1S4o
the postage upon a single letter conveyed for any
distance under 800 mics was fxeI at 3 cents, and
for any greater distance at 10 cent?.
By the act of 1861 it was prov. ded that q single
letter, If prepaid, should be carried any distance
greater distance for cents. 1t will be noticed that
both of these reductions were of a rad cal eharac-
ter: and relatively quite as important as that
which is now prop sed. In each case there ensued
a temporary loss of revenue, but a sudden and
large influx of business, which substantially re-
paired that loss within three years. Unless the
p 'edicted that the stimulus Of. fifty per
would at once increase the number of letters con-
signed to the mails. The advantages Of secrecy
ptckets for postal cards and open crculars, and in
divers other ways the volume of f~rst-class matter
would be enormously augmented; Such increase
adoption of penny postage to more than las per
cent. As a result of careful es.ima 'es, the details of
which cannot be here set out, I have become con-
WINGED that the deficiency for the first year after
the proposed reduction would not exceed
seven per cent. of the expenditures, or S3,O00,-
90, while the deficiency, after the reduction of 1s45,
was more than fourteen per cent and after that Of
1851 was twenty-seven per cent.
STAR ROUTE TRIALS.
The Attorney General reviews the suggestions of
his predecessor that in the interests of Justice bet
be ), made in Certain judicial districts for liking the
fees of witnesses and jurors.
In my message of December last I referred 10
legged frauds in WHAT is know as the Star Route ser
vice of the Postofice Department, and advised
you had enjoined upon the Attorney General
and associate counsel, to whom the interests
of the Government were intrusted, the duty OF
prosecuting with the utmost vigor of the law all
persons who might be found chargeable with those
ofenses. A trial of one of these cases has since oc-
CURED: 1t occupied for many weeks the attention
of the Supreme Court OF this District, and was con-
Quoted with great zeal and ability. 1t resulted in
q disagreement of the jury, but the case has been
psalh PlaG ff a upon gu ine S nessSns sha w fns slh0T ssSa be
punishment for their ofenses it will not be for lack
of diligent and earnest efforts on the part Of the
prosecution.
No survey of our material condition can fail to
suggest inquiries as to the moral and intellectual
progress of the people. The census returns dis
close an alarming state of ~illiteracy in certain por-
tions of the country where the provision for
question for the decision of Congress whether inn
mediate and substantial aid should be extended
Dy the General Government Tor SupplementlQg the
efforts OF private benedcence, and OF State and
Territorial legislation in behalf of education. The
regulation of interstate has already
been the subject of your deliberations.
OUR RAILWAY SYSTEM.
One of the incidents of the marvellous extension
of the railway system of the country has been the
which own or control the roads as has tended to
impair the advantages of healthful competition,
and make hurtful determinations in the ADJUST
ment of freightage. These inequalities have been
corrected in several of the States by Appropriate
legislation, the effect OF which is necessarily re-
stricted to the limits of their own territory. So
far as such mischiefs affect mme between the
States or between any one of the States and a foreign
country, they are subjects of National concern,
and Congress alone can afford relief.
MoRMoNIsM.
The results which have thus far attended the en-
fOrcement of the recent statute for the suppression
of polygamy In the Territories are r, ported by the
Secretary of the Interior.
1t is not probable that any additional LEGISLATION
in this regard will be deemed desirable until the eff
feet of existing laws shall be more closely observed
and studied. I congratulate you that the Commits
81 ners under whose superv sion those laws have been
put in operation are encouraged to believe that the
evil at which they aimed may be suppressed with
out resort to such radical measures as in some quar-
tiers have been tn u hit indispensable for success.
THE TERRITORIES.
The close relation of the General Government to
the Territories preparing to be great States may
well engage your special attention. lis there that
the Indian disturbances mainly occur and that
~poligamy has found room for its growth. / can
not doubt that a careful survey of Territorial leg
AoANtOA "OAA0 6A
property would become more secure, the liability
of outbreaks between Indians and whites would
be lessened, the public domain would be more
securely guarded and better progress made in the
instruction of the young.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
The communication which I made to Congress
at its first session in December last contained a
somewhat full statement of my sentiments in rela-
ton to the principles and rules which ought to
govern appointments to public service. Referring
to the various plans which had heretofore been the
subject of discussion in the National Legislature,
pIons which II tho main wora m06aled up0n the
system which obtains in Great Britain, but which
lacked certain of the prominent features whereby
mate my doubts whether they or any of them would
afford adequate remedy for the evils which they
aimed to correct. / declare nevertheless that If
the proposed measures should prove acceptable to
Congress, they would receive the unhesitating
support of the Executive. Since the suggestions
were submitted for your consideration there
has been no legislation upon the subject to which
they relate, but ther- has meanwhile been an in
crease in the public interest in that subject and
the people of the country, apparentlv without
distinction of party, lave in various ways and
upon frequent occasions given expression to their
earnest wish for prompt and definite action. In
my Judgment such action should no longer be
postponed. 1 may add that my own sense of its
pressing importance has been quickened by ohser-
Walton in a practical pha=e of the matter, to which
attention has more than once been called by my
predecessors. The civil list now comprises about
one hundred thousand persons, for the larger part
of whom must, under the terms of the Constitu-
ton, be selected by the President either directly
or through his own appointees.
1 trust that before the close of the present ses-
sion some decisive action may be taken for the
correction of the evils which inhere in the present
methods of appointment, and | assure you of my
hearty cooperation in any measures which are
likely to conduce to that end. As to the most ap-
propriate term and tenure of the official life of the
subordinate employees of the Government it seems
to be generally agreed that whatever their extent
|. or character the one should be definite and the
other staple, and that neither should be regulated
BY zeal in the service of party or fidelity to the
fortunes of an individual.
l feel bound to correct a prevalent apprehension
as to the frequency with which the present Execu-
tive has displaced the of an Office and ap-
poin ed another iu his stead. 1t has been repeated
parted from the course which has been pursued I'M
der recent administrations of the Government
The facts are as follows: The who'enumber of Ex-
ecutive appointments during the four years immedi-
ately preceding Nr. Gartield's accession to the Pres
idency was 2,696. If this number pa, or line per
cent. involved the removal of previous incumbents,
The rates of removals to the whole number of ap-
20 ntments was much the same during each ofthose
TOUR years.
In the first year, with 79) appointments, there
were ~ removals, or 93 per cent. In the second,
with 9l7 appointments, there were 81 removals OF
So per cent. In the third, with 4SO appointments,
there were 4S removals, or 10 per cent. In the
fourth, with 429 appointments, there were 81 re-
moVals, or Sc per cent. In the four months of
President Garfield's administration there were 800
appointments and SO removals, or 2.7 per cent.
Precisely the same number of removals 1891 has
taken place in the fourteen months which have
since elapsed, but they constitute only q per cent.
of the whole number of appointments, ~ within
that period, and less than 20 of the entire list of
officials, 3,459, exclusive of the army and navy,
which is filled by Presidential appointment.
POLITICAL ASSESSMENTS.
Ideclare my approval OF such legislation as may
be found necessary for su%pplementing the existing
provisions of law in relation to political assess
ments. In July last 1 authorized. a public an
nouncement that employees of the Government
should regard themselves as at liberty to exercise
their pleasure in making or refusing to make po-
litical contributions, and that their action in that
regard would in no manner affect their official
status. In this announcement 1 acted upon the
view which 1 had always maintained. and still
maintain, that a public officer should be as abso-
lutely free as any other citizen to give or to With
hold a contribution for the aid Of the political
party of his choice.
1t has, however, been urged, and doubtless not
without foundation in fact, that by solicitation of
superiors and by other methods, such contributions
have at times been obtained from persons,
whose only motive for giving has been fear Of
what might.befall them if they refused.
1t goes without saying that such contributions
are not voluntary, and in my judgment their col
lection should be prohibited by law. A bill which
will efectually suppress. them will receive my cor
dial approval.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. .
The report of the District Commissioner indi-
cate certain measures whose adoption would seem
to ln -nr HnE nh1n