The Portland daily press., 1882-12-05

and the corresponding transfer of our growing
commerce to foreign bottoms. This subject is
one OF the utmost importance to the national
welfare.
THE REVIVAL OF sHIPBUILDNG.
Methods of reviving American shipbuilding
and OF restoring the United States flag in the
oceau Carrying trade should receive the imme-
diate attention of Congress. We have mechan-
zeal skill and abundant material for the manu-
iacture OF modern iron steamships in fair COM
petion with our commercial rivals. Our dis
advantage in building ships is the greater cost
OF labor and in sailing them, higher taxes and
greater interest on capital while the ocean
highways are already monopolized by our for
mldable competitors. These obstacles should
in some way be overcome, for our rapid COM
munication with foreign landss we should not
continue to depend wholly on vessels built
in the yards of other countries and sailing un-
der foreign flags with no United States steam
ers on the principal ocean lines or ia any for
eign ports. Our facilities for extending our
commerce are greatly restricted, while the ma
tlons which build and sail the ships and carry
the mails and passengers and thereby obtain
conspicuous advantages in increasing their
trade.
POSTAL AFFAIRS.
The report of the Postmaster General gives
evidence of the satisfactory condition of that
department. and contains many valuab le data
and accompanying suggestions which cannot
fail to be OF interest. The information which it
affords that the receiDts for the fiscal year have
exceeded the expenditures must be very gratl-
Tying to Congress and to the people of the
country. AS matters which may fairly claim
particular attention l refer you to his observa-
tion in reference to the advsability of chang
ing the present basis for fixing salaries and al
lowances, OF extending the money order sys-
tenn, and of enlarging the functions of the pos
tai establishment SO as to put under its con-
troll the telegraph system of the country; (;
though from this last and most important rec
ommendation / must withhold my concur
renee.
REDUCTION OF POSTAGE.
At the last session of Congress several bills
were introduced into the house of Representa-
tives for the reduction of letter postage to the
rate of two cents per half ounce have given
much study and reflection to this subject and
am thoroughly persuaded that such reduc-
tionwould be fortheIbest interests of theIpublic.
1t has been the policy of the government from
its foundation to defray as far .as possible the
expences of carrying the mails by direct tax
In the form OF postage. 1t has never been
claimed however that this service ought to be
productive OF net revenue. As has been stat
ed already the report of the Postmaster Gen
eral shows that there is now livery considera-
BILE surplus in his department, and that hence
forth the receipts are likely to increase to much
greater ratio that that the necessary expendi-
lures. Unless some change is made in the ex-
isting laws the profits of the postal service will
government many millions of dollars The
time seems ausplcous therefore for some re-
ductlon In the rates OF postage. In what shall
that reduction consist? A review of the legis-
tion which has been had upon this subject
during theslast sthirty years disclose that do
mestic letters constitute the only Class of mail
matter which has never been favored by sub
stantial reduction of rates / am convinced
that the burden of maintaining the service
falls most unequally upon that class
9TH n
is entitled to present relief. That such
relief may be extended without detriment to
otherspublc interests will be discovered upon
reviewing the results of former reductions i'm
medfately prior to the act of 1845 the postage
upon letter composed Of single sheet was as
follows: If conveyed 80 miles or less cents;
between 30 and 80 miles 10 cents; between so
and 100 miles l24 cents; between $50 and 400
miles lS lover 400 miles 25c, by the act of 1S45
the postage upon single letter conveyed for
any distance under 300 miles was 6xad at five
cents, and for any greater distance at ten cents.
BY the act OF 1851 it was provided that single
letter If prepaid should be carried any distance
not exceeding 5000 miles for cents, and any
greater distance for six cents. 1t will be no
ticed that both OF these reductions were of
radical character and relatively quite as impor-
tant as that which is now proposed. In each
case this ensued temporary loss of revenue,
but a sudden and large influx of business
which substantially repaired that loss within
OhiOO years OniCoc tuo OK pcrl0HCo Olfpdot loS-
islation in this country and elsewhere goes for
naught it may be safely predicted that
it will stimulate correspondence. 334 per
centum reduction 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-
moasly augmented. Such increase amounte
IN hot
of penny postage to more than 125 per cent.
AS result of careful estimates the details of
which cannot be here set out, / have become
convinced that the deficiency for the first year
after the proposed reduction would not exceed
per cent of the expenditures, or $1,000, 900,
while the deficiency after the reduction of 1916
was more than II per cent, and after that of
1851 was 27 per cent Another interesting
comparison is afforded by statistics furnished
me by the Post Office Department The act of
1S45 was passed in the face of the fact that
there existed deficiency of more than $4,000,
That OF 1851 was encouraged by the slight sur
plus of $132 600. The excess of revenue in the
next fiscal year is likely to be So 500, 900. II
Congress should approve of these suggestions
1t may be deemed desirable to supply to some
extent the deficiency which must for a time re-
suit by increasing the charge for carrying mer-
chandize. which is now only sixteen cents per
pound; but even without such an increase 1
am confident that the receipts under the di-
after the lapse of three or four years.
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
The report of the department of justice
brings anew to your notice the necessity of en-
larging the present system of federal jurispru-
dence so as effiectually to answer the require
ments of the ever increasing litigation with
which 1t is called upon to deal.
The Attorney General renews the sugges-
tions of his predecessor that in the interests of
justice better provision than the existing laws
afford should be made in certain judicial dis
tricts for fixing the fees of witnesses and
Jurors.
THE STAR ROUTES
In my message of December last. l referred
to the pending criminal proceedings growing
out of the alleged frauds in what is known as
the Star route service of the post office depart
ment, and advised you that / had enjoined
upon the Attorney General and associate couu-
sci to whom the interests of the government
were intrusted the duty OF prosecuting with
the utmost rigor of the law all persons who
might be found chargeable with those offenses
trial of one these cases has since occurred. 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 ,disaagreement of the jury. But the caue
has has been gain placed upon the calendar
and will shortly be retired. If any guilty
persons shall finally escape punishment for
their offences it will not be for lack Of dlligent
end earnest efforts on the part of the prosecu-
ton.
BANKRUPT LAW.
trust that some agreement may be reached
which will speedily enable Congress, with the
concurrence of the executive, to afford the
commercial community the benefits of ma
tienal bankrupt law.
THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Secretary of the Interior
with its accompanying documents present a
full statement of the varied operations of that
department.. In respect to indians nothing has
occurred which has changed or seriously modi-
fed the views to which i devoted much space
in a former communication to Congress. | re-
new the recommendations therein contained as
to extending to the Indians the protection of
the law allotting land in severalty to such as
desire it; and making suitable provision for the
education of youth. Such provision as the sec
retary forcibly maintains will prove unavail-
ing 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 acts as can be made
practically available.
Among other important subjects which are
included within the secretary's report and
which will doubtless furnish occasion for Con-
gressional action may be mentioned, the neg
lect of railroad companies towhich large grants
of land were made by the acts of 1862 and 1864,
to take title thereto and their consequent in
.....k IL L.