Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-12-05


cruisers are IN progress of construction
/ ls Chicago. of 45Fo tons displ 4cen ant
and the Bostna and Atlanta. OF 30
tons. They are To be built of steel. Of
the strength and ductility prescribed b,
law. III combination OF spv, /. endur
ance ard armament they are ex
pected - compare f.vorably with
the best armed war vessels o:
other nations A foarth vessel. the
Des MONIES. 70 be constructed
OF similar ms.:erial. is intended
10 serve as - feet dispatch boat.
The dou''s tCr-eted MONT nrs.
Puritan. Amphitrite and Terror. b ave
been launched on the Delaware river.
and contract has been made for the
IL alror, the Mouaduock. has been
launched IL California. The Naval Al
yIsory Board and the Secretary recon-
mend the completion of the moHItors
the construction of four gunboatS. and
also of three additional steel vessels like
the Chicago. Boston ana Dolphin. ss An
Important measure of national defense.
The Secretary urges also the creation of
an interior fast line of water WAYS
across the peninsula of Florida, along
the coast from Florida 10 Hampton
Roads. between the Chesapeake Bay
aud Delaware river and through Cape
Cod. l feel bound 10 impress upon the
attention of Congress the necessity of
CONT ued progress in the rsconstruc
ton of the Navy. The condition of the
public treasury as have already init
mated makes the present time an aus
plcISus one for putting this branch of
tie service III state OF efficiency, to
create and MAINTAIN 4 navy able To cope
with those OF the other great powers of
the world. We have no wish for foreign
conquest. and the peace which We have
long enjoyed opens no seeming danger
of interruption: but IL at our naval
strength should be made adequate for
the defense of our harbors. the protec
ton of our Commercial interests and
the maintenance of our National honor
Is proposition fromwhich no patriotic
citizen can withhold his assent.
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT..
The report of the Postmaster General
contains gratifying exhibit of the
and prospects of this interest
ing branch of the public service. 1t
appears that on June -, 1852. the whole
which 4.ts;2 We're established during the
last previous fiscal year. The plumber
of offices operating under the system of
free delivecy was Ia. At the latter of
fees the postage on local matter
to Stl,352.3n5.22, a sum ex-
ceeding by Sl,02l .s9i.0l the entire cost
Of the carriers service of the country.
The rate of postage on drop let
ters passing through these offices
is now fixed by law at two
cents per. half ounce or fraction
thereof. In offices where the carrier
system has not been established the rate
IS only half as large. Ii will be remem-
bered that in 1868. when free delivery
was first established by law. the uni
form single postage upon local letters
Was one cent, and SO 1t remained until
1919. when Ill those cities where the
barrier service was established it was in
creased to defray the expense of such
service. 1t seems to me that the
Did rate may now with propriety
% restored. and that, too, even
At the risk of diminishing, for "a time.
1t least, the receipts from postage upon
ocal letters. | can See no reason why
hat particular class of mail matter
should be held liable for the entire cost,
not only of its collection and delivery,
out of the collection and delivery of all
other classes, and | am confident that
IN full consideration of the subject the
redu ,tiOn of that wolld be followed by
such a growing accession of business as
10 occasion but slight and temporary
oss to the revenues of the Post Offices.
GOVERNMENT CONTROL OF TELEGRAPH.
The Postmaster General devotes much
IF his report 10 the consideration in
ts various aspects of the relations of
he Government to the telegraph. Such
reflection as l have been able to give
since my last annual mess
.ge has not led ME to change the views
which | there expressed, dissenting
from the recommendations of the Post
master General that the Government
the same control over the tele-
,raph which it has always exercised over
he mail. Admitting that its authority
n the premises Is as ample as has ever
been claimed for it. it would not,
n my judgment, be a wise use
IF the authority tn purchase or assume
he control of existing telegraph lines
)r to construct others with view of
entering ints general competition with
private enterprises. The objections
which may he justly urged against
either of these projects, and indeed
against any system which would require
IN enormous increase i'll the civil ser
nee list, do not, however. apply to some
If the plans which have lately provoked
public comment and discussion. 1t has
Deen claimed, for example, that Con
yress might wisely authorize the Post
master General to Contract with some
private person or with some corpora
ion for the transmission of messages
1t specified rates and under government
Many schemes of the same
general nature, but widely differing in
their special character, have been sug-
gested in the public prints, and the ar
garments by which they have been snip
ported and opposed have doubtless at
lracted your attention. 1t Is likely that
the whole ubjeet will be considered by
you at this present session. In the ma
ture of things, it involves so many
questions of detail that your delibera-
tons would probably be aided slightly.if
At all, by any particular suggestion
which | might now submit. 1t is my
belief, however, that the government
should be authorized by law to exercise
some sort of supervision over inter
State telegraph communication, and
expr ess the hope that for attaining that
end some measure may be devised
which will receive your appreciation.
THE ATTORNEY GENERALS REPORT
The Attorney General critlcises in his
report the provisions of the existing law
fixing the fees of jurors and witnesses
IN the Federal Courts. The provisions
are chiefly contained in the Act of Feb
ruary 24tn, 1883, although, they were in
troduced in that action from statutes
which had been passed in the
May previous. II rs manifest that
such compensation as is assigned
might, when these laws We're enacted.
have been just and reasonable,
and would, in many instances, be justly
regarded AT tue present day. | concur
with the Attorney General in the belief
that the statutes should be revised by
which these are regulated, and so should
the laws which regulate the compensa-
ton of District Attorneys and Mar
shals. They should b. paid wholly by
salaries instead of in part by fees, as Is