New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-05
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
o.,...a ,r,,, second Paco.

seem;ng danger of interruption. D s ~ Sfonca ~
slIengtn, sio tbe protection of our commercial IN
ferests and the maintenance OF cur NtCo ;.i nn
is a proposition from WIN" Nv
withhold his assent.
THE POSTAL SERVICE.
The report of the Postmaster-0eheral contains
a.ifino exhibit Of the condition and prospects Oh
d. interesting branch of the public service com
mitted to his care. 1t appears that on June o.
1899 the whole number of post-offices was 4|'ooo'
~ winch $3.50 were established during the previous
6scal year. The number of offices operating unuer
fhe system of free delivery was lo4. ,,u,o++er
these latter offices the postage on local mater
Amounted to 81 1875 $50 90, a sum exceeding NE; 10y
e. 2I S94 OF the entire cost of the carrier service
az the country The rate of postage on dIpp Iy al
passing through these offices IS now nAe eesof I'm
Two cents per half or traction theloon s+oh
oices where the carrier system has not been eS'"o-
lished the rate is only half as large hon free de-
II will he remembered that in 1868, Wheh iforn
livery was first established by law to sent
s;ngle rate hostage upon local letters was oo ;,es
and it remained until dSI cxs,tsTbshed It was in
creased in order to defray the expense OF sUn nov
vice 1t to me that ,ms f that too even at
NJ ~ Of diminishing for time. at least, tDe TO
a;nts from postage upon local letters; G so3 uU
n yvhv that particular class OF man e t
reason w bsd accdnntabe for the entire cost OF not
nI'- its own collection and delivery out tne eoIioo
ton and delivery OF all otnfE Of the subject that
fhe reduction of rate woud DO loilo"eu o S Int
growing accession of business as 10 ocuas'o OF The
Post Office.
POSTAL TELEGRAPHY.
The Postln lster-General devotes much Oh MS to
mort to the consideration, in its various Aspects VI
the relations of the Government to the teiegfaPn'
Sueh reflection as / have been able to give 10 'iilS
subject since my last annual message mas hos 0u 'n'
to change the views which there expressed In as
- from the recommendation of the then POST
,raster. General that the Government ASSUME o
same control over the telegraph when IL ha' """''
e1ScSea thai its authority in the premises is as
ample as has ever been claimed Tor ~ IL WI re-
III my Judgment be wise use Of 81 Existing telegraph
fnes or 10 construct others with view vi JUS
into general competition WIN piIna t ur%ed ogains1
The objections which may be Justly VI H ~ 80 ors
e;ther az those projects and indeed against any SSi
tenn which would require an ehoIlious i H.. 20 Some
fbe Civil Service list, do not however, aPPA 'ULI;o
lfo nv ~ n,s which have lately provoked pubic
comment and discussion III mas otch ct!tr H.
oVan,nia flat Congress might wisely authoILHe Inc
TAlipiS . General to contract with some private
persons or corporation for the transmission Oh e
sigcs, or of certain class OF ,,oTSion Varions
swrh schemes of the general nature put WHY
differing in their special characterlStcs aU ovT
,,grested i'm the public prints ana tne arguments
In which they have been supported anu oPlTVVSou
have doubtless attracted your attentlon:: ~ DO
likely that the whole subject will be consldeIea Nv
on ~ tbe present session. In the nature OF things
;tmvolyes so many questions OF detail tn2t your ue
alterations would probably De aueG S,;e MIGHT
all by any particular suggestions Witch ~ thc
nov. submit | avow my belief however that tlc
Government should be authorized by law 10
sone sort of supervision over lnter-State leegrdph
ss"mnmnicotlon and express the hope that for at
tanning that end some measure may NC "''i'
which will receive your Appreciation
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Tho Attorney General critcizes in his report the
nroy1,ons of existing law fixing the fees of jurors
aud witnesses i'm the Federal courts. These pro-
visions are chiefly contained in the Act OF February
26. 1888. though some of them were introduced
into that Act from statutes which had oeeh p"sSeu
many wears previous. 1t is manifest that such com
nensation as might, when these laws were ehac'.u'
have heen inst and reasonable would, IN many III
stances be Justly regarded at the present Sy as ~
the belief that the statutes should DC reVlseu NY
which these fees are regulated: -, IL. o.
So too should the laws which regulate the com
pensation of strict-attOrneys and maTshals. lhey
should be paid wholly by salaries instead OF in Pa
by fees as is now the case. The change wO9 9
nrove TO be a measure of economy. ana would us ls-
cconraoe the institution of needless and oppressive
legal proceedings. which, it is TO DC feared nate ~
some instances been conducted Tor the mere SAKE Vi
personal gain
THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT
Nucb interesting and varied information is con
tanned in the report of the Secretary of the INTERIOR
7 particularly call your attention to ms presehta-
ton of certain phases of the Indian question: 10
his recommendations for the repeal of the pre-emp-
ton and timber culture acts, and for more stringent
legislation to prevent frauds under the pension laws
The statutes which prescribe the denhiulohs aul
y, instruments of crimes relating to the pensions
conld doubtless he made more effective by certain
amendments and additions WHICH are Poih'ou o'' III
the Secretarys report
AID TO THE PUBLIC.
have previously referred to the alarming state Oh
Tliteracy in certain portions of the country, ana
again submit for the consideration OF Congress
whether some Federal aid should not be extended to
pnblie primary education wherever adequate pro-
vision therefor has not already been lhade'
THE MORMON PROBLEM.
Tho Utah Commission has submitted to the Secre-
fairy of the Interior its second annual report As
result of its labOrs in supervising the recent election
in that Territory pursuant to the Act OF March ~
1882 it appears that the persons by that Act dis
oualifed to the number of about l2,OCO were eX-
Guided from the polls. This fact, however, anori9
Ittle cause for cOngTatuatOn, and fear that IL Is
far from indicating any real ana sdOsldh'iai PIo
gress toward the extirpatlon OF polygamy; AI VI
the members of the Legislature are ,Mor1honS.
There is grave reason to believe that they are III
sympathy with the practices tnat tins Government
is seeking to suppress, and that ITS enoTt IN tt re-
gard will be more likely to encounter Their oppoS-
fion than 10 receive their encouragement ana sup
mort Even if this view should happily DC re-
Toneons the law under which the Commissioners
have been acting should be made more elective oy
the incorporation OF some such stringent measures
as they recommend, as were included Ill Blll no.
223S on the calendar OF the Senate at It's last
am convinced however, that polygamy has be-
come SO strongly intrenched in the Territory OF
Utah that it is proftless to attack 1t with any but
The stoutest weapons wc4 efe tn rone Of
the act upon which the existing Government de
ponds the assumption by the National Legislature
of the entire political control of the Territory, and
fbe establishment of Commission with such
bowers and duties shall be delegated to 1t 10y law
AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS.
The Department of Agriculture is accomplishing
much in the direction of the agricultural develop
uept of the country, and the report of the Com
missioner giving the results of his investigations
and experiments will be found interesting and
valuable
At his instance a convention of those interested II
the cattle industry of the country was lately heit