Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-12-02

plain that the policy Of strengthening
this arm of the service Is dictated by con-
sideratons of wise econpmy Of just regard
for our fnture tranquility, and of true
appreciation of the dlgniy aud honor Of the
Republic.
The Postmaster Generals Report.
The report of the Postmaster General
acquaints jou with the present condiu)n
and the needs Of the postal service. IL dis
closes the gratifying fact that the loss OF
revenue from the reduction in the rate OF
letter postage, as recommended IN my
message of December, 1882. and effected
by the Act OF March ;, 1882, has been much
less than was generally anticipated. My
recommendation Of this reduction was
based upon the belief tha; the
actual falling of in the receipts
from letter postsges for the year immediate
ly succeeding the change Of rate would be
5000, 900. 1t has proved TO be only g.
$4,000. This is trustworthy indication
that the revenue will soon be restored TO Its
former volume by the natural increase Of
correspondence confidently repeat, there
fore, the recommendation OF my last mes
sage, that the postage upon drop letters be
reduced to one cent, wherever the payment
Of tive cents is now required by law. The
rate is only exacted at Offices where the car
rier system is in operation, and it appears
that at these Offices where the carrier system
is in operation that the increased
tax on call letters defrays the
cost not only of its own collection
and delivery. but Of the collection and de.
livery of all other mail matter. This is an
lac quality that ought no longer to exist.
The Unit of Weight.
| approve the recommendation Of the
Postmaster General that the unit OF weigh;
in the rating Of first class matter should be
oil ounce instead e one half ounce, as II
now is. In view OF the statistics furnished
by the department it may we'll be doubted
| whether the change would result in any loss
OF re, enue that it would greariy promote the
convenience of the public, is beyond dispute
| Experience shows that its adoption under
rroper conditions is equally an accommo.
tlation TO the public, and an advantage to
The postal service 1t is more than self.
| sustaining, and for the reasons urged by
he Postmaster General, may properly be
| extended, il is the opinion OF that officer.
1t is proper to provide means whereby ex-
ceptional dispatch in dealing with letters in
the free delivery office may be secured by
the payment Of extraordinary postage. This
scheme might be made effectual by en-
ployment of special stamps, the cost OF
which be commensurate with the expense
of the extra service In some OF the large
cities, private express companies have under
aken to outstrip the government mail car
riers by affording for the prompt transmits
sion of letters better facilities than have
| hitherto been at the command Of the post
| Office.
| The Attorney General
| Renews the Recommendation contained in
his report Of the last year touching the fees
of witnesses and jurors. He favors
radical changes in the fee bill;
the adoption Of q system BY
which attorneys and marshsls OF the United
States Shall De compensated solely by sala,
res md the erection by the government ola
rcniten;iary for the confinement OF offend
us against its law.
! Th Interior Department.
OF the varied governmental concerns in
charge Of the Interior Department, the re-
port Of its Secretary presents an interesting
summary Among the topics deserving
articular attention refer you 10 his obser
1 ations respecting our Indian affairs, tn
re euption of timber culture acts, the fail
| re Of railroad companies 70 take title land
,rsnted by the government and the opera
Ton of the Pension Office, the Patent Office
'"o eoA'H' AS'N"N "Nu Inv ,,ureau 0. h'hu
cation.
The report Of the Utah commission vii
Ie read with interest. L. disclosed the re
,ults Of recent legislation looking to th'
,unishment Of polygamy in that territory
| still brlieve that if the sbominab!e psar
lice can be suppressed By law i can only bt
| ~ the most radical legislation consistent
Nth the restrictions Of the constitution
| again recommend therefore that Con
gress assume absolute political control ol
the Territory Of Utah and provide for the
appointment OF q commission with such
governmental power as in its Judgment may
Justly and wisely be put into their hands
In the course Of this communication refer
ence has more than once been made TO the
policy Of the Government as regards the
| -AttnbiOn Ol our lOIeiku uauc.
Our Resources.
It seems proper to declare the genera
principl, that should in my opinion under
e our national efforts in this direction
| The main conditions OF the problem may bt
thus stated: We are people great IN
Mechanical pursuits and fertile in invention
I We cover vast extent OF territory
,ich in agricultural products and il
nearly all the raw material necessary To-
| .uccessiul manufacture. We have syi
TEN Of productive establishments more that
sufficient to supply our own demands. The
wages of labor are nowhere else 80 great
re scale of living Of our artisan classes is
uch as tends TO secure their personal com
., IT aid the development Of those highsI
oorals and intellectual facilities that go u
re making Of good citizens Oar system
of Ak and tariff legislation is yielding q
r-y,nue which is in excess OF the present
| needs of the government. These are the
.lenerts from which j, is sought 70 deTise q
sca,me by which, without unisvorably
changirg g he condition OF the workin 9men
our merchant marine should be relieved
from its cnfeebled condition and new mar
s.ts provided for that sale beyond our Dor
dsrs Of the manifold fruits Of our industrial
cnierJrses. The problem n complex and
can be solved by no single measure Of limo
va;ion or reform. The countries Of the
American continent and the adjacent Islands
are for the United States, the natural msrts
of supply and demand. II is from them We
.houid OBTAIN what we do not produce, Of
DO rot produce in suficiency, and J; IS n
hem the s5rplus Of the productions OF or
Gelds our mills. and our workshops should
Gov under. conditions that viii eqaal
ize or favor them in com
rarison With regard to foreign composition
Fonr paths of pO!icJ seem to point 70 thu
end.
First, 4 series Of reciprocal
Commercial Treaties
with the countries Of America, which shsl
foster be ween Us and them sn unhamPered
moy ement Of trade, and the conditions o.
these treaties should be the free admission
ofsuch merchandise rs this country does no.
produce IN return for admission free or IN
dor favored scbene Of duties Of our oEE