Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-12-04
RESTORING OUR SAvY

Of the service is dictated BY Considerations Of
use; economy of just regard for our future tran
! guilty ana of true appreciation Of the dignity
and honor OF this republic.
The report of the postmaster-general acquaiuts
I you with the present condition and needs Of the
POSTAL SERVICE.
1t discloses the gratifying fact that the loss Of
revenue frofA the reduction In rate Of letter post
tage as recommended in my message Of Decefsber
1SS9 and effected by the act of March 81 1884
has been much less than was generally anticipated.
/ Ny accommodation of this reduction was based
upon the belief that the actual falling OF in re-
receipt on letter postage for the year ilnmedia-
tely succeeding change OF rate would be So 000,-
90 it has proved To be only 81, 2s5 600. This is u
Trustworthy indication that the revenue will soon
be restored to former volume by natural increa ses
/ OF sealed correspondence.
] l confidently repeat, therefore, the recommen-
/ datlon Of my last annual message, that single
i rate postage upon drop letters be reduced to one
cent wherever payment of cents is now requir-
] ed by law. The double rate is only exacted at
offices where the carrier system is in ope alton,
and IL appears that at these Offices that the in
of taxes upon local letters defrays cost nos
only of its collection and delivery, but of the
/ collection and delivery of other mail matter, aud
this is an inequality that ought not longer exist.
/ approve the recommendations of the Postmaster
General that the That of weight in the rating OF frat
| class matter should be one ounce instead of one
half ounce as it now is. In view of the statistics
/ furnished by the department Il may be well
4 doubted whether the Grange would result in any
less revenue, If not, that itwould greatly promote
the convenience OF the puDlls, - beYOnu dispute
The free delivery system has been lately ap-
piled TO five cities, ana the total number Of offices
IN which II is now in operation is one handred aud
fifty nine Experience shows that its adoption
/ under proper conditions is equally an accoinmo-
dation TO the public and an adyantageto the Pos al
/ service being more than selfsustainiug, and for
! the reason urged by the post master general may
I properly be extended 1t is the opinion of that
officer that it IS proper 10 provide means whereby
exceptional dispatch in deal ny with letters In free
! delivery offices may be secured by payment Of
] extraordinary POSTAGE This EChanP might he
4 made eife tive by the employment of a special
/ stamp, whose cost should be commensurate with
the expense OF the extra service.
] In some Of the large cities private express
companies have undertaken to Outs.rip the gov
trnment mail carriers by affordiug for prompt
transmission OF letters better facilities than have
hitherto been at the command of the post office
\ IL has always been the policy of the government
/ TO discourage such enterprises, and in no better
/ way can that policy be maintained than in sup
/ plying the public with tie most efficient mail
service and that with due regard to its best in
! terests, can be furnished for its accommoAa-
ton
/ FEES.
The attorney general renews the recommends
ton contained in his report Of last year touching
/ fees OF witnesses and jorors. He favors radi-
/ cal change in the fee BILL the adoption of sys-
/ tim by which attorneys and marshals of the
! United States should be compensated solely by
salaries and the erection by the government Of a
/ penitenbary for the confinement Of offenders
! against its laws
THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
OF the varied governmental concerns in charge
/ OF the interior department, the reports OF its
secretary present an interesting summary.
Among the topics deserving particular attention
refer you 10 his observations respecting our In
dian affairs, the presumption and timber culture
acts the failure of railroad companies to take
title to lands granted by the government, and
the operations Of the pension offices, the patent
Office, the census bureau and the bureau Of edu-
cation. Allusion has been made already TO the
circumstance that both, as etweeu the different
Indian tribes and as between the Indians
and the Whites the past year has
been one Of unbrokeu peace In this circum-
st2nce the president is glad to find a Justification
for the policy OF the government in dealing with
the Indian question, and confirmation of the
views which were fully expressed in his first com
munication to the 41th congress. The Sc ere airy
urges new enactment of the statute for the pun
lshment OF crimes committed on Indian reserva-
tons, and recommends the passage of the bill
now pending in the house Of representatives for
the purchase of a tract of 5000 square miles
/ from the Sioux reservation BON these meas
/ ures are worthy of approval
/ concur with him also, on advising
THE REPEAL OF THE PREEMPr1oS LAW,
the enactmentof statutes, involving the present
legal complications touching apsed grants to
railroads ana the funding of the debt of the sew
eral Pacific railroads undar such guaranty shall
insure Its ultimate payment. The report of the
I Utah commission viii be read With interest, It
dscoses the result of recent legislation looking TO
/ the prevention
] AND PUNISHMENT OF PoLYGAMY
1 In that territory. l still believe that il that alb
/ ominable practice can be suppressed by law,
/ It can only be by the most radical legislation,
/ consistent with restraints of the constitution.
again recommend, therefore, that congress
assume absolute political control of the territory
/ Of Utah, and provide for the appointment of
/ commission with such governmental powers as
IN It's Judgment may justly and wisely be put into
their hands.
In the course of this commune alton reference
has more than once been made to the policy of
/ TINS government as regards the
EXTENSION OF OUR FoREIGV TRADE.
7 It seems proper to declare the general prin-
cples that shoulA IN my opinion, underlie our
national efforts IN this direction The main con
duions of the problem may be thus stated: We
are people of mechanical pursuits and fertile
in invention, AID we cover vast extent OF ter
Tit9ry' - rich in agricultural products,
necessary for successful manufacture. We have
system of productive establishments
mo- than sufficient TO supply our demands.
The wages of labor are now here also so great,
and the scale of living of our artisan classes is
such as tends to secure their personal comfort
ana the Development of those higher morals and
Intellectual qualities that go to the making OF
good citizens
Our system OF tax and tariff legislation is yield
/ ing a revenue which IS in excess OF the present
needs OF the government These are elements
I f uu which 1t is sought TO devi scheme by
which. without unfavorably chansins: Me cond-
I ton Of our working men, our MERCHANT marine
shall be raised from its enfeeh.ed condition and
! new markets provided for that sale beyond our
ho rders Of The manifold fruits Of our industrial
I cntvrpfi-eS
This problem is complex, and can be solved by
nc single measure of innovation or reform. The
countries of the American continent and the adj
iacent islands, are for the United States the nat
ural market Of supply and demand. II il from
them that we should obtain what we do not pro-
duce, or do not produce in sufficency, and it IL 20
them that the surplus productions of our fields,
I our mills and our workshops should flow, under
! conditions that will equalze or favor them in
comparison with foreign competition. Your
paths of policy seem to point to this end
First-A series Of reciprocal commercial trea-
ties with countries of America, which shall foster
between US and hem an unhampered movement
Of trade The conditions of these treaties should
be the free admission or such merchandise as this
country does not produce, in returnior the admis
sion free, or under favored scheme of duties,
of our products. The benefits of such exchange
to apply on those goods carried under the flag of
the parties 10 the contract The removal on both
sides from vessels to be So privileged, OF all ton
mage dues and national imports so that their YES
| sells may ply unhindered between its ports and
| those OF the other contracting parties, though
I without infringing on the reserved home coasting
! trade. The removal or reduction Of the burden
on the exported products Of those countries com
ing withis the benefits OF the treaties, and the