The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-12-07


control and direction, the secretary advises
that the lighthouse service and coast survey
he transferred, rs now organized, from the
treasury TO the navy departments; and he also
suggests, for the reasons which he assigns,
that similar transfer may wisely be made
of the cruising revenue vessels.
OUR MERCHANT MARINE.
The secretary forcibly depicts the intimate
connection and interdependence of the navy
and the commercial marine, and invites at
tention to the continued decadence of the
latter and the corresponding transfer OF our
growing commerce TO foreign bottoms. This
subject is orc of the utmost importance to
the national welfare. Methods of reviving
American ship building, and Of restoring the
United States flag i'll the ocean carrying
trade, should re eceive the immediate attention
of Congress. We have mechanical skill and
abundant material for the manufacture of
modern iron steamships in fair competition
with our commercial rivals Our disadvan-
tage 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 Tor
midable competitors. These obstacles should
some way be overcome. and for our rapid
communication with foreign lands, we
should not continue TO depend wholly upon
vessels built in the yards of other countries,
and sailing under foreign flags. With no
United States steamers on the principal
cilities for extending our commerce are
greatly restricted, while the nations which
build aud sail the ships and carry the mails
and passengers obtain thereby conspicuous
advantages in increasing their trade
THE posTorF1oE DEPARTMENT.
The report of the pOstmaster-gcnernl gives
evidence of the satisfactory condition OF
that department, and contains many val
liable data and accompanying suggestions
which cannot fail TO I've of interest. The
information which it affords. that the
receipts for the fiscal year have eN-
gratifying TO Congress and to the
people of the country. As matters
which may fairly claim particular ut
tention, l refer you TO his observations in
reference 10 the advisability of changing the
present basis for fixing salaries and allow
ances of extending the money order system.
and of enlarging the functions of the postal
establishment so rs to put under Its control
the telegraph system of the country, though
from this last and most important recon-
mcndation must withhold my concurrence.
THE REDUCTION OF LETTER POSTAGE.
At the last session of Congress several bills
were introduced into the House of Repre-
sentatives for the reduction of letter postage
! 10 the rate of two cents per half ounce.
| have given much study and reelection TO this
| subject, and am thoroughly persuaded that
/ such reduction would bC for the best inter
ests of the public 1t has been the policy of
! the government from its foundation TO dc
| fray rs far rs possible the expenses of
| carrying the mails by a direct tax
! in the form of postage. 1t has never
| been claimed, however, that this ser
vice ought 20 be productive of net revenue.
! As has been stated already, the report of the
postmaster-general shows that there is now
very considerable surplus in his department.,
! and tha! Ecnc2gorth the receipts are likely 20
/ increase at II much greater ratio than the
| necessary expenditures. Unless some
! change is made i'll the existing laws the
| profits of the postal service will iii very few
years swell Tie revenues of the government
| many millions of dollars. The lime seems
/ auspiCioua. therefore, for some reduction III
the rates of postage.
In what shalt that reduction consist? A re-
| view of the legislation which has been had
upon th, subject during the last thirty years
disCloSCS that domestic letters constitute the
/ uHly class of mail matte. which has never
| been favored by substantial reduction OF
! rates. am convinced that the burden OF
| maintaining the service falls mos; uDeGua!ly
| upon that class. ard that more than any
other il is entitled 10 present relief. That
suCh relief may be extended without detri-
mcut to other public interests Will bc dis
covered upon reviewing the results OF former
rclrctous. Immediately prior 10 the ac. of
III the postage upon letter composed Of a
single sheet was as follows If conveyed
thirty miles % less. siX cents; between
thirty and q gktN miles. ten cents between
eighty and 10 miles, twelve and onc-haii;
between 10 aaI tOl miles, eighteen and
I three-Cu9rtpra: over 4OO miles. twenty
by the act of lSiI the postage upon a single
letter conveyed for any distance under "Ot
miles was fixed at five cents, and for any
great distance nj ten CeAts. by the act OF
1851 il was provided that n single letter II
prepaid. should lie carried 'Sly distance not
! exceeding 3,nO miles for three cents. and
] |,,.,, II
noticed that both of these reductions were
of radical character, and relatively quite
. rs important n that which Is now proposed
In each case there ensued temporary los
ut revenue. but sndden and large influx OF
business, which substantially repaired tha
loss within three years. Unless the eXpe
} ricnce Of past legislation il this country an1
elsewhere goes for naught, II may hI
= safely predicted that the stimulus of fifty pc
coutum reduction in the tax for carGiag'
would at once increase the number OF let
i, tcrS consigned TO the mails. The adYan
tageS of secresy would lead 10 a very genera
substitution of sealed packets for posta
! c;rls and open circulars, and IN divers othe
ways the volume of tirSt-class matter woull
he enormously augmented. Such mcreaS
i, amounted i'll England i'll the first year atte
| the adoption of penny postage to more thar
l25 per cent. As result OF careful estimates
the details OF which cannot here be set ont,
2 have become convinced that the deiicienc.
for the first year after the proposed reduction
would not exceed seven per cent. of the OK
2 penditureS. or SS.OO,GH, while the dehclen
{ cy af.erthe reduction Of lsij was more THAI
fourteen per cent, and after that of lS1l
{ was tWcnIy-SeVea per scent, Another inter
! est!ng comparison Is afforded by statistic
2 furnished me by the postottice department
! The act of lS45 was passed in face OF tn
fact that there existed a deficiency of mor'
, than S20.uC1. That of 1851 was encourages
! by the slight surplus of Sl32,O The exces
: of reycnCe in the next fiscal year is likely 4
. be S3.!Ol,0,O.
, il Congress should approve these sugges
! tions il may he deemed desirable 10 suppl
! 10 some extent the deficiency which must fo
r a time result by increasing the charge fo
} carving merchandise, which is now onl
= sixteen cents Ier pound. But, even withou
I such an increase, / am confident that the re
a cepts under tre diminished rates woul
4 equal the expenditures after the lapse O
70 three or four years
TIE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
. The report of Tie department Of justic
I brings anew to your notice the necessity q
. . charging the present system of Federal Juris
: / prudence. SO as effectually 10 answer IN
: reouirements of the eever-increasing htlgatiC
, with which il is called upon 10 deal.
4 The attorney-generth rencws the sugge:
! tions of his predecessor, that in the interest
;. of justice better provision than ihe eXlstln
:, laws sffoId should be made in certai
> judicial districts for fixing the fees of Wit
nesses and jurors.
Y THE STAR ROUTE TRIAL.
e In my message of December last referre
j TO pending criminal procee dings growing OF
v OF alleged frauds in what Is known as Il
Il star route service of the postotiice depar
4 ,,,1 s1x-iEg NHN1 /