The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-12-08

cents; over 400 miles, % cents By enc act of
1915 the postage upon single letter conveyed
for any distance amber $50 miles was fixed at
3 cents, and for any greater distance at 10
cents. By the act of 1851 it was provided that
q single letter, if prepaid, should be carried
any distance not exceeding 5000 miles for
8 cents. and any greater distance for cents
II win be noticed that both of these reduc-
tons were of q radical character and rela-
lively quite as important as that which is now
proposed In each case there ensued a TEN
porary loss of revenue, but 3 sudden ard
large influx of business followed which sub
stantially repaired that loss within three
years Unless the experience of past leg
islation in this country and elsewhere
goes for naught it may be safely
predicted that the stimulus Of
80 per cent reduction IN tax for carriage would
at once increase the number of letters con-
signed to the mails The advantage of Sc
of sealed packets for postal cards and open
circulars, and in divers other ways the volume
of irst-class matter would be enormously aug
meted Such increase amounted in England in
the first year after the adoption of penny
postage, to more than 125 per cent As the re-
suit 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 reductiorn wou'd not exceed
per cent of the expenditures, or So, 000, 900,
while the deficiency, after the reduction of 1S45
was more than IA per cent, and after that of
1851 was q per cent Another interesting COM
parison is afforded by statistics furnished me
by the postofice department The act Of 1915
was passed IN the face of the fact that there
existed a deficiency of more than $780,
That Of 1851 was encouraged by the slight
surplus of $751;, 000 The excess of revenue
in the next fiscal year is likely to be So SOC, 900
If congress should approve these sug-
gestions, it may be deemed desirable to supply
to SONS extent the deficiency which must for
time result by increasing the charge for car
rying merchandise, which is now only 16
cents per pound But even without such an
increase, / am confident that the receipts
under the diminished rates would equal the
expenditures after the lapse of three or four
years.
The rep 1T OF the
DEPARTMENT or JUSTICE
brings anew to your notice the necessity of
charging the present system of federal juris-
prudence, so as to effectually answer the
requirements of the ever-increasing htiga-
ton with which it is called upon to deal
The attorney general renews the suggestions
of his predecessor that, IN the interests of JUS
tee, better provision than the existing laws af-
ford should be made in certain judicial dis
tricts for fixing the fees of witnesses and
jurors.
In my message of December last I referred
to pending criminal proceedings growing out
Of alleged frauds. What Is known as the
sTAR-RoUTE
service Of the postofice department and ad-
vised 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 these offenses. A trial of
one of these cases has since occurred. It
occupied for many weeks the attention of the
supreme court Of this district and was con
Quoted with great zeal and ability. It resulted
In disab reement of the jury, but the cause
has again been placed upon the calendar and
viii shortly be retired. If any guilty persons
shall finally escape punishment for their Of
lenses it will not be for lack of diligent and
earnest efforts on the part Of the prosecution.
Among the important subjects which are in
cluded within the secretary's reports, which
will doubtless furnish occasion for congress
sional action, may be mentioned the neglect
Of the railroad companies to which large
grants Of land were made by the acts of 1869
and 1865. to take title thereto, and their conse-
quent inequitable exemption from local taxa
Hon.
EDUCATION.
No survey of our material condition can fail
to suggest inquiries as to to the moral and in
tellectual progress of the people. The census
returns disclose an alarming state of illiteracy
In certain parts of the country where the pro-
vision for schools is greatly inadequate It Is
a momentous question for the decision of con-
gross, whether immediate substantial aid
should be extended by the general government
for supplementing the efforts Of private benih-
eence and Of state and territorial legislation In
behalf of education. The regulation of
INTERSTATE COMMERCE
has already been the subject of your delibera-
tons. One of the incidents of the marvellous
extension of the railway system of the country
has been the adoption of such measures by
the corporations which own or control the
roads as has tended to impair the advan-
tages of healthful competition, and make
hurtful determinations in the adjustment
Of freightage These inequalities have been
corrected In several of the states by appro-
pirate legislation, the effect of which is neces
sarily restricted to the limits of their own
territory. So far as such mischief affects
commerce between the states or between any
one of the states and foreign country, they
are subjects of national concern, and congress
alone can afford relief.
TIE SUPPRESSION OF PoLYGAMY.
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 legislation in
this regard will be deemed desirable until
the effect of existing laws shall be more close
" observed and studied I congratulate YOU
that the commissioners under whose super
oision those laws have been put in operation
are encouraged to believe that the evil at
which they aimed may be suppressed without
resort to such radical measures as in some
success
The close relation of the general govern
ment to the territories preparing to be great
states may well engage your special attention.
It is there that the Indian disturbances mainly
occur, and that polygamy has found room
for it's 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 made in the instruction of the
young.
Alaska is still without any form of civil
government IF means were provided for
the education of its people, and for the pro-
lection of their lives and property, the i'm
rnense resources of the region would invite
FOR industry and enterprise
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 a ma
tional
BANKRUPT LAW.
The report of the secretary of the interior,
with it's accompanying documents, presents
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 devoted
much space in a former communication to
congress. renew the recommendation here
in contained as to extending TO the Indian the
protection of the law, allotting land in
severalty to such as desire it, and making
suitable provision for the education Of
youths Such provisions as the secretary
forcibly maintains will prove unavailing, un-
less tits broad enough to include all who are
able and willing to make use Of it, and should
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