The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-12-12
Continued from First Page.)

Continued from FIRST Page
ounce or fraction thereof In offices
where the carrier system has not
been established the rate Is only
half as large. .ooo
twill be remembered that in 1863.
when free delivery was first establish
ed by law, the uniform single rate OF
hostage upon local letters was one
cent and so il remained until 1872,
when. IN those cities where the car
rier service was established, it was
increased in order to defray the ex-
pense of such service, it seems to me
that the old rate may now, with
propriety, be restored, and that, too,
even at the risk OF Diminishing, for
a time. at least, the receipts from
postage upon local letters. L can
see no reason why that particular
class of mail matter should be held
accountable for the entire cost OF
not only its own collection and de-
livery but the collection and delivery
of ali other classes, and | am conf
dent. after full consideration OF the
subject. that the reduction OF rate
would be followed by such growing
accession of business as to occasion
but slight and temporary loss to the
revenues of the Post-Ofiice Depart
ment.
THE POSTAL TELEGRAPH.
The Postmaster-General devotes.
much of his report to the consldera-
ton in its various aspects OF the re
lation of the Government to the
telegraph. Such reflection as l have
been able TO give to this subject since
my last annual message has not led
me to change the view which | then
expressed in dissenting from the
recommendation of the then Post
master General, that the Government
assume control over the telegraph
which it has always exercised over
the mail Admitted that its autho--
ity in the premises is as ample as has
ever been claimed for it, it would
not, in my Judgment, be a wise use
of that authority to purchase or as
sumo control ofthe existing telegraph
lines or construct others with view
of entering into general competition
with private enterprises.
The objections which may be
Justly urged against either Of these
projects, and, indeed, against either
system which would require an enOr-
nous increase Of the Civil Service
list, do not. however, apply to some
of the plans which have lately pro
voked public comment and discus
sion. II has been claimed, for
example, that Congress might wisely
authorize the postmaster General to
contract with some private persons
or corporation for the transmission
of messages at specified rates and
under Government supervision.
Various such schemes of the same
general nature, but widely differing
in their special characteristics, have
been suggested in the public prints,
and the arguments by which thev
have been supported and opposed
have doubtless attracted your atten-
ton. 1t is likely that the whole
subject will be considered by you at
the present session.
In the nature of things it involves 1
so many questions ofdetail that your
deliberations would probably be aid
ed slightly, if at all, by any particu-
lar suggestions which / might now
submit, / avow my belief, however,
that the government should be au-
thorized by law to exercise some sort !
of supervision ofinter state telegraph
communication, and | express the
hope that for attaining that end
some measure may be devised which
will receive your appreciation.
FEES OF JURORS AND WITNESSES.
The Attorney General criticises in
his report the provisions Of exist
ing law fixing the fees of Jurors and
witnesses in the Federal Courts.
These provisions are chiefly contain
ed in the act of February 26. 1853,
though some ofthem wereintroduced
into that act from statutes which
had been passed many years previ-
Gus. 1t is manifested that such
compensation as might when these
laws were enacted have been Just
and reasonable, would, in many in
stances, be Justly regarded at the
present dav as inadequate. | con-
cur with the Attorney General in
the belief that the statutes should be
revised by which these fees are reg
ulated; so, too, should the laws
which regulate the compensation of
District Attorneys and Marshals.
They should be paid wholly by sal
aries, instead of in part by fees, as is
now the case. The change would
prove TO be a measure of economy,
and would discourage the institution
of needless and oppressive legal pro-
ceedings which, it is TO be feared,
have in some instances been conduc-
:ed ior the mere sake of personal
gain.
THE INDIAN QUESTION.
Much interesting and varied infor-
nation is contained in the
report of the Secretary of the
the Interior. | hastily call your at
tention to his presentation of certain
phases of the Indian question. to his
recommendation for the repeal of the
Presumption and Timber Culture
acts, and for more stringent legisla-
ton to prevent frauds uuder the
pension laws. The statutes which
provide for the detection and pun
ishment for crime relating to pensions
could doubtless be made more effec-
tive by certain amendments and
additions, which are pointed out in
the Secretary's report
PREVALENCE OF ILLITERACY.
| have previously referred to the
alarming state OF illiteracy in Ger
tain portions. Of the country, and
again submit for the consideration
of Congress whether some Federsl
aid should be extended to public
primary education whenever ade-
quate provision therefor has not al
ready been made.