The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-12-05

loss of revenue; That it would greatly
promote the convenience of the public
is beyond dispute. The free delivery
system has been lately applied to five
cities. and the total number of offices
in which it is now in operation is $50.
Experience shows that its adoption,
lnder proper conditions, is equally an
'"cowrndition 10 the public, and an
idtrii' q 10 the postal service. III IS
more than self-sustaining. and for the
reasons urged by the POstmaStel Gen
eral, may properly be extended. 1t is
the opinion of that officer. that it is
proper to provide means whereby eX-
ceptional dispatch in dealing with let
ters in free-deliVery offices may be Sc
cured by the payment eli extraordinary
postage. This scheme might be made
effective by the employment of Il spec
ial stamp whose cost should he common
surate with the expense of the extra
service. In some of the large cities
private express companies have under
taken to outstrip the Government mail
carriers by affording for the prompt
transmission of letters better facilities
than have hitherto been at the COM
mand of the postoffice. 1t has always
been the policy of the Government to
better way can that policy be maintain
ed than in supplying the public with
the most efficient mail service that,
with due regard to its own best inter-
ests, can be furnished for its accOmmO-
datiOn.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
The Attorney General renews the
recommendation contained in his re-
Arfnf Inst aI,tv Nf
witnesses and jurors. lie favOrs radi-
cal changes in the Fee bill, the adoption
of system by which attorneys and
marshals of the United States should
be compensated solely by salaries, and
the erection by the Government of
penitentiary for the confinement of Of
tenders against its laws.
THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
OF the varied Governmental con-
Germs in charge of the Interior De
presents an interesting summary.
Among the topics deserving particular
attention, l refer you to his Observa-
tons respecting our Indian affairs, the
Presumption and Timber Culture Acts,
the failure of railroad companies to
take title to lands granted by the Gov
eminent, and the operations of the
Pension Office, the Patent Office. the
Census Bureau, and the Bureau of Ed
ucatiOn.
THE INDIANS AGAIN.
AllusiOn has been made already to
the circumstances that, both as between
the different Indian tribes and as be-
tween Indians and the whites, the past
year has been one with unbroken peace.
In this circumstances the President is
glad to find justificatiOnfo for the policy
of the Government in dealing with the
Indian question, and a confirmation of
their views which were fully expressed
in his first communication to the Forty
seventh Congress. The Secretary urg-
es the enactment of q statute for the
punishment of crime committed Oh In
dian reservations, and recommends the
passage of the bill, now pending in the
House of Representatives for the pur-
chase of tract of $1,000 square miles
from the Sioux reservation. Both of
these measures are worthy of approval.
- concur with him also in advising
the repeal of the Presumption law; the
enactment Of statutes resolving the
present legal complications, touching
1apsed grants to railroad companies,
and the funding of the debt of the sew
eral Pacific railroads under such guar
anty as shall effectually insure its ul-
innate payment.
MORMONISM AND POLYGAMY.
The report Of the Utah Commission
will be read with interest. 1t discloses
the results of recent legislation looking
TO the prevention and punishment OF
polygamy in that Territory. l still be-
lieve that if that abominable practice
can be suppressed by law, it can only
be by the most radical legislation con-
sistent with the restraints of the Con-
stitution. again recommend, there
fore, that Congress assume absolute
political control of the Territory of
Utah, and provide for the appointment
of commission with such govern
mental powers as in its judgment may
justly and wisely be put into their
hands.
MORE ABOUT FOREIGN TRADE.
In the course of this communication
reference has more than once been
made as to the policy of this Govern
ment as regards the extension of our
foreign trade. 1t seems proper to de-
clare the general principles that sh0uld,
in my opinion. underlie our national
efforts in this direction. The main
conditions Of the problem may be thus
stated: we are people engaged in
mechanical pursuits, and fertile. in in
vention. We cover vast extent
territory Itch in agricultural prod
and in nearly all the raw material
necessary for successful manufacture
We have u system of productive es
Establishments more than sufficient tC
supply our own demands; the wage
of labor are nowhere else SO great; the
scale Of living of our artisans Glasses
is such as tends TO secure their person
al comfort and the development OF
those higher morals and the intellect
,ual qualities that go to the making Of
agoOd citizen; our system OF tax and
tariff legislation is yielding q revenue
which is in excess of the present needs
Of the Government.
These are elements from which il is
sought to devise scheme by which.
without unfavorably changing The con.
dition of the workingmen, our mer-
chant marine shall be raised from its
enfeebled condition and new markets
provided for the sale beyond our bor-
ders of the manifold fruits .of our in.
dustrial enterprises. The problem is
complex and can be solved by no sim