The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-12-12


against frst-class vessel OF any Important
power. Such condition ought not longer to
continue. The nation that can not resist aggres
sion is constantly exposed 20 y It's foreign pol
Icy Is Of necessity weak, and its negotiations
are conducted with disadvantage because it is
not in condition to enforce the terms dictated
oy its sense OF right and justice.
Inspired rs | am by the hope, shared by all
patriotic citizens that the day is not fsr distant
when our navy will be such as BELTS our
standing among the nations of the earth and
rejoced ut every step that leads in the direction
Of such u contamination deem 1t my duty 10
especially direct the attention of Congress to
the close Of the report of the Secretary of the
Navy i'll which the Illuminating features of the
present organization Of this department ia eX
hibited and the startling abuses and the waste
Of its present methods are exposed. The CON
yiction is forced upon us, with the certainty OF
mathematical demonstration that before We
proceed further in the restoration of navy, we
need thoroughly reorganized Navy Depart
ment
The fact that within seventeen Noars more
than SIS, 00000O has been spent i'll construction,
repair, equipment, and armament of vessels,
and the further fact that, instead of all effective
and creditable neet, We have only the discomfort
and apprehension Of nation undefanded by
war vessels added to the disclosures nov made,
do not permit us to doubt that every attempt
to revive our navy has thus far, for the most
part, been INSTRUCTED and all our efforts i'll
that direction have been little better than blind
gropings and expensive, annless fOllies.
UnquestonnbIy II we are content with the
maintenance OF u navy department simply Us TN
ornament to the Government, u constant watch
fulness may prevent SOME OF the scandal and
abuse which have 10 n their way into our pres
ent organization, ANA It's lucuraDlo waste may
be reduced to the miuinum But II We desire to
build ships for present usefulness instead OF
naval reminders of tie days that are past, We
must have ii department organized for the work,
supplied with all the latest and best ingenuity
our country affords and prepared TO take
advantage of the experience Of other nations,
systematzed So that all efforts shall unite and
lead in one direction aud fully nnbued Mlth the
conviction that war vessels now are useless un-
less they combine all that the ingenuity ot
man has mp u this day brought forth relating
to their construction, | earnestly commend the
portion Of the Secretary report devoted TO this
subject To the uCton of Congress-, in the hope
that the sugge stOus touching the reorganization
of his depaItmeu may be adopted as tile FIRST
step toward tho reconstruction OF our navy,
THE POSTAL SERVICE.
The affairs ol the postal service ar exhibited
by the report OF the Postmaster General which
will be laid before You The postal revenue,
whose rates OF gam upon the rising prosperity OF
leS4 and 1858 out5Tpped the Increasing eE~
penso Of our growing service WAS checked by
the reduction ia lh- rLre Vt letter postage, when
took effect wiz! the beginning of OCtUner III the
latter year, and it diminished during the
two fiscal years So 80. IN the pro-
porCon OF So ,oJJ IN irI "a 2p2),Uj in 1889.
Natural grow u AID Development nave, IN the
meHNtllue, increased "Np' ndiJura, resulting M n
deficiency IN the revenue To the expenses OF the
department 81 sJ,4Jl, 800 for the year 1884, ana
SS,j33 31d.ob III the last hseal year. The an
has been oppr s-cd and retarded Dy the
unfayorgUlo nusln Sc condition Of the country,
of which III postal service is II faithful init
Gator. The gratifying fact Is shown, however,
by the report, that oar returning prosperity Is
marked by gain Of $4,000 IN the revenue
of the liter nall of tue last year over the
CORES pOndlng period OF the preceding year
The cuAuge in the rate Ut hrsJ-CiuSs llutt,r
which may he carried fer IL single rate OF post
age from u hAlt-Opnc3 10 AN puuce, and The re-
duction by On -ldf If tAe rate at newspaper
| Wa a,
with the cdrTnut year, VIII lusa to Restrain
the uurmoutdtluu OF cclp.7 Nh.ct ulloi"tst
Inight nave en- expected To oucu Il degree That
the scale Of expense may gain upon tie revenue
and cause an increased deficiency 10 ue shown
ut it's close yet after no Ioug period oi rcNAh-
ened prosperity, 10y proper GpnOlay, 10 Is CONT
IDENTITY anticipated tIur oven the present low
rates, now Hs favorable It's any aoVny.y hiofaa,
will 10 adeqUuCJ 20 sustain th5 cost OF the
service.
The operation of the Pust,.liee D ,pnfln mt is
Tor the convenience hIi orlauJ ~ Jue people,
and the method by vucu taey pas Jat charges
Uf tins useful arm pi tie pu9Uc service So ,uUt
. it be Just and impartial, Is OF less Importance
I To them than the ,C3uu.uIrti expenditure or the
means they pruylde Ion l,s .aalAe,auucc, and the
| due improvements ut ITS "-H.e.eo, 50 IhhJ theE
may ENJOY its highest Gstf til rs. y proper nj
| tenUiOn mas been directed To- ,nr prevention or
waste or extravaganza, dnd guoi results appear
| from the reports 70 haze already uecu accom-
plisued.
DOMESTIC MONEY ORDERS.
approve Tie ryrouH4 udat ON OF the Post
mastci General % I,DG,e lu. cu1Ts-5 GA duiuea-
tic muI5y otts - at - gII Jess .fu.n TO cents
Ems change VIII materially nd those Of oar
peopls VITO. moss OF ALL vail lnem,cl, YES OF tAi-
lns,r!.I- aJII.J,, uut 90 whom Ire element #
cne@llIaaF Is oi the greatest Importance. WIN
this rodlcuon the $. seem NOu.d stiu remain
self-supporuug.
THE FHUE-pffIyrEY SYSTEM
has been eNt,uUyd 10 nlnct en- additional cities
Iuriug the year. amt .'S now enjoy i7
conyonieuu,s. Experience hus commented
further euiarsem Mt OF It's facilities ~ duo
30 otner comnUnlIes to which it is adapted
In the cities Wnere 1t has been established
aiken together the local postage exceeds lts
maintenance by nearly Sljuj.0U. The limit to
yhicn this system is now confined by law hn,
been nearly reached and the raasOus given
Justify Jne extension winch IL proposed.
FOREIGN-aAt. SIltNItE.
1t was decided with my uppioDation hiief q
or the POsJolhCe Department to cOuJuc,
or carrying our foreign mails under the ud..I-
ional authority given by tne last CDn-f 7'.
he amount limited was inadequate 70 pay 'Ii
within tine puryIoW of che law the fan ru.- vi
. cents per mile, ana IL would have Dc, u angus.
nd unWlse to have gwen IL some ami tcLi b.
to others. Nor COIId CONTRACT, have been les
nder the law 70 al M ID tdtr Z" ial't ItpN-Al
he aggregate within the appropriation ",tuuu.
uch practical pTt-tisaug -tucnJ Of {, rI.s N7
sould have violated a.. Iue rate ui sea lni In
anu postage wnicn was prJfsrud uuItr auu.4,r
taIut5 clearly appears lD nc Ut4u comp u,B-
ION for tic desired service beu- three L.i..,s
he price necessary 10 secure transportation Jy
thor vessels upun Huy rJuJt, aud a.ucH b"yOn
= le charges nado to private persons lJr services
OF less uuFuehaOlat.
ONE OF the soeaE.7hip companies, upon the
tusal of the Pos .4uu5Gar Genera. go i..-..n...,
the means prptia.u, rne distribution oi co.
nm apVr2 l4a1eu, Withdrew tine services II
leiT V-s,,I,, and tn,rtuy occNs,JH.u -tSat
cOnyo.i. nee, though no coueUeT.pt" ALE
ry. Tn lual.= have been dispatched
other menus. NLutuyur may ig tu9J,ut
the policy oi 7ays.alzins amy jh' "