Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-12-03
DEPARTMENT. REPORTS.
The Military establishments.

1he NIt1tHfy ESfaDflsklmcnts
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF VARIES
INMATES FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
The annual report of the Secretary of War
Shows that the expenditures under the direction
OF nlS department during the last fiscal year
s4o,'9l, AZ; the appropriations for the current
year, s3l ,G6 952 o. and the estimates for the next
fiscal year, si,s6, 49, divided as follows: Saa-
res, contingent expenses and postage, including
one-thlTd OF the estimate OF the superintendent Of
the State, War and Navy department building
2,3aa 07S.53; military estabshment-army and
military academy, 81 49, i5s a. public works. in
cluding river and harhor Improvements
81 6l90.962: miscellaneous objects, Including sig
nal service So 21S. .92G ~.
The principal items Of increase of the estimates
for salaries over the appropriations for the present
fiscal year are for two clerks ana three laborers in
the Office of the secretary, nifty additional clerks
in the signal Office, four clerks i'm the ordnance
office, ana two clerks in the bureau of military
justice.
The suggestion that desertion from the army
may he checked by Increasing the pay to what it
was in 1865, that is, SIG per month for a private
soidier ana propo'lonae amount for non-com-
Attention is called to the Importance Of provid-
Ing reproof building FOR the safe deposit OF the
1t is stated that the names of thirteen approved
candidates. found qualified by an army medical
examining board for appointment Of assistant sur
geOn, will be submitted to the Senate.
While attention is called to the insuficiency of
work of the weather bureau, it Is urged that the
making OF separate appropriations for the signal
service vii! be continued, SO that the amount cX
pended for 1t will not be upon the sole responsible
ity of the secretary OF War.
Referring to the failure of the Creely relief ey-
peditiOn it is stated that it VIII be necessary that
early provision should be made to lit out another
expedition.
1t is again recommended that the enlistment of
100 competent lStictO,S for the post schools. with
the rank and pay OF colnmissary selgeants, be au-
tnOrZcd.
given to the subject OF giving substantial encour-
agement to the formation OF volunteer miuti, or
ganzatlons In every state and In the District of
Columbia by liberal appropriations to supply the
necessary arms, equipments, tents ammunition
and other ordnance stores and the passage OF the
bin. reported at the last Congress- to appropriate
S6O0,0D annually for such purpose Is urged.
In relation to the District militia, the report says:
81 believe it to be especially the duty of Congress
tIon of the militia In the District of Columbia. The
act now in force, In its essential parts is nearly
century OLD, and Is not adapted to the present stu
alton OF affairs. 1t is believed that, under apDrO-
pirate legislation, an efficient and credabe organ
Kation of the militia in the District Of Columbia
could be easily effected"
The report rciterateS the recommendation of the
cher OF engineers as to coast defenSeS. &C., the
general and the other bureau officers
whose reports have been published in TIE STAR.
Postal EcIesrapf,y.
THE VIEWS OF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL IN HIS
ANNUAL REPORT.
The Postmaster General, Hon. Walter O. Grcs-
ham. in his annual report. discusses at some length
the subject OF postal telegraph He gives in gen.
erai form the three plans proposed as substitute
for the present system OF private companies. Two
OF these contemplate that the government should
own and operate the lines. either by acquiring the
existing lines or the construction OF new Inns to
compete with the existing and the third Nat q
company Shall be employed TO perform the rcuMcd
service at stipulated compensation. The PMSt-
master General after review OF the prOvisiOnsNOf
No asslIt {An fhatt H.
gTesS has full authority to adopt either OF the likt
two plans. II the telegraph be adopted asia
Herewith may be % prohible The M eeen geeson eSee2
ton ofeither plan would involve the employment
OF multitude or people as operators, messengers,
mechanics and laborers-and increase in the public
patronage which the Postmaster General considers
should be avoided as one OF the dangers which
threaten the purity and duration OF our institl-
llOnS In tlS country, Where the administration Is
the government, there is ground for apprehension
that in seasons OF political excitement the telegraph
under the exclusive control of the dominant party
would be In danger OF being used for partisan pu-
poses and for perpetuating the power of the admin
istration But tit could be kept entirely free from
such influences the Postmaster General would hesi-
tate to sanction a measure providing that the
Unlted States shall become the proprietor of tele-
graph lines and operate them by its officers and
agents
AS to the third plan, the Incorporation OF COM
pany with charter, If Congress do this it may
tract with them for the carriage OF the malls: and
If this may be done, 1t will not be denied that the
government may Dulld railways and other roads
and construct and equip vessels for postal services
Congress. by such legislation, would thus enter
upon new sphere of action; the patronage Of the
government would be enormously Increased.
and its Jurisdiction extended to matters
here heretofore confined confined to state legislation or
that this would be the first step In a danger
Gus direction. AS to telegraphic service wholly
within the several states, unless the power to eS-
tablsh post offices and post roads be successfully
INVOKED tne government cannot control the rates
charged by telegraph company for its business
S1On the POSTMASTER General states that he has en-
deaVOreu 10 maintain the authority OF Congress to
assume control of the telegraph because it has
Deen ana still Is seriously disputed. While 1t is
doubtless true that the present rates OF the tee-
graph companies are unreasonable still he does not
think that the evils SO grievOuS call for the
intervention OF Congress.
THE LOTTERY QUESTION.
The report recommends the passage OF an act
excluding from the mails every newspaper which
contains an advertisement OF a lottery or any
agency thereof. He further recommends the extern
sons far as they applicable, Of the provisions
of the Revised Statutes relating to the District of
Columbia upon the subject Of lotteries to all the
Territories.
CHANGE IN WEIGHT OF LETTERS AND NEWSPAPERS
In order to obviate the complaints which arise
from the non-delivery Of newspapers insufficiently
stamped the report recommends that the rate on
newspapers and periodicals sent by others than
two ounces to cent for three ounces 1t Is also
recommended that the weight for letter postage
should be changed from 0ne-han an ounce to one
ounce. The Postmaster General i'm regard TO the
proposed reduction or postage on drop letters to
one cent thnhs tnat it would be more prudent to
a In