National Republican., 1885-12-09

distant when our navy will be such as be-
fits cur ttandiug among the nations Of the
Garth, sid reioiced at every step that leads
iu tie Oicction Of such contamination, |
deem It my duty to especially direct the at
tent, II Of Congress to the close ~ tue re-
pot II the Secretary Of the Navy, IN which
the humiinting weakness OF the present or
glnizutiun Of his department Is exhibited,
and the startling abuses and waste OF It's
ppeeut methods aro exposed. Tho eonv.c.
tiCn is forced upon us with the certainty OF
mathematical demonstration, that before we
proceed further In the restoration OF navy
we need thoroughly rcorganized Navy De-
raitmcnt. The fact that within seventeen
yCGrs more than scvcnty-iiye millions OK dol
lars have leen spent In the construction,
repair, equipment, aud armament OF vessels,
aud The further fact that, instead OF an el.
ftttivO and creditable fleet, we have only
tie deconient and apprehension OF nation
uLCoftrdcd by war vessels, addict TO The
q Gist closures now made, do not permit Us to
ftult that every attempt TO revive our navy
his thus far, for the most part, been ms
directed, and all our efforts IN that direction
have cen little better than blind groupings,
ard expensive, nimless folllcs.
ULqucstlonably, II We ARE contont with
the maintenance of Navy Department
simply us shabby ornament to the gov
UrmCnt, constant watGhfuness may
prevent come OF the scandal and abuse
oLt organization, and its incurable waste
may le reduced to the minimum. But If
We desire to build ships FOR present useful
ICss instead Of naval reminders of the
da that are past, we must have depart
mtut organized for the work, supplied
with oil the talent and ingenuity our
country affords, prepared to take advantage
Uf the experience OF other nations, sys.
ttmati:Cd so that all efforts shall unite and
lead IN one direction, and fully inbuel
with tho conviction thai war vessels, though
lew, are useless unless they combine all
that the ingenuity OF man has up to this
dGy brought forth relating to their con
siruction,
/ earnestly commend the portion OF the
SCCretarys report devoted to this subject
TO the attention OF Congress, In the hope
that his suggestions touching the rcorgan-
ization of his department may be adopted
as the first step toward the reconstruction
of our navy.
Tue aiTaiIs Of the postal service are ex-
libitod by the report of the Postmaster
GU cial, which will laid before you.
The postal revenue whose ratio OF gain
Cpon the rising prosperity of 1882 and
1873 outstripped the increasing expenses OF
our growing service, was checked by the
reduction In the rate of letter postage,
which took effect with the beginning of
October in the latter year; and II diminished
during the two past fiscal years 81, 100000,
in about the proportion of S2,270, 600 In 1884
TO S520,0G0 In 1885. Natural growth and
development have meantime increased eX
penditure, resulting In q deficiency In the
revenue to meet the expenses OF the depart
mcnt Of five and quarter million dollars
Tor the year 1884, and eight and third
million IN the last fiscal year. The antici-
patcd and natural revival Of the revenue
has been oppressed and retarded by the un-
favorable business condition OF the country,
Of which the postal service is n faithful in
Gicator. The gratifying fact is shown,
However, by the report, that our returning
prosperity is marked by gain of S3S0,0OO
in tie revenue Of the latter half Of the last
year over the corresponding period of the
preceding year.
The chsnge in the weight OF first-class
matter which may be carried for single
rate OF postage, from half ounco to an
ounce, and the reduction by one-half OF the
rate Of newspaper postage which, under
recent legislation, begun with the current
year. will operate to restrain the augmen-
tation Of receipts which otherwise might
have Eccn expected, to such degree that
the scale of expense may gain upon the
revenue and cause an increased deficiency
TO lie shown at its close. Yet after no long
period of reawakened prosperity, by proper
economy 1t is confidently anticipated, that
even the present low rates. now rs favor
ahlc as any country affords, will be ade-
quate to sustain the cost of the service.
-- The operation of the Postoillce Depart
ment is for the convenience and benefit OF
the people; and the method by which they
pay the charges Of this useful arm Of their
public service, so that 1t be just and i'm
partial, is of less Importance to them than
The economical expenditure of the means
they provide for its maintenance, and the
due Improvement Of its agencies, so that
they may enjoy its highest usefulness.
A proper attention has been directed to
the prevention Of waste or extravaganza,
and good results appear from the report to
have already been accomplished
/ approve the Recommendation of the
Postmaster General to reduce the charges
ON domestic money-orders OF five dollars
and less from eight to five cents. This
change will materially aid those OF our
people who most of all avail themselves OF
this instrumentality, but to whom the ele-
mcnt Of cheapness is OF the greatest i'm
poitance. With this reduction the system
would still remain selfsupporting.
The free delivery system has been eX.
tended to 10 additional cities during the
Year, ard IFS now enjoy its conveniences
Experience has commended II to those who
enjoy It's benefits, and further enlargement
of its facilities is due to other communities
to which II is adapted. In the cities where
it has been established, taken together, the
local postage exceeds its maintenance by
nearly one million three hundred thousand
dollars. The limit TO which this system IL
now confined by law has been nearly
reached, and the reasons given justify itS
extension, which is proposed.
1t was decided, with my appreciation
after n sufficient examination, to be mex
pedient for the Postoflce Department tC
contract for carrying our foreign mails un
der the additional authority given by the
last Congress. The amount limited was in
adequate to pay all within the purview o
the law the full rate OF 80 cents per mile,
and it would have been unjust and unwis,
to have given 1t to some and denied IL Il
others, Nor could contracts have been le
under the law to all at rate tohaye brought
the aggregate within the appropriation, with
out such practical prearrangement of term;
as would have violated 1t.
The rate Of sea and inland postage, whicl
was proilered under another statute, clearl.
appears TO be a fair compensation for tn,
desired service, being three times the prlc
necessary to secure transportation by othe
vessels upon any route, and much beyonC
the charges made TO private persons for ser
vices not less burdensome.
Some Of the steamship companies, upoI
tic refusal Of the Postmaster General /,
Gtttmpt by the means provided, the dis
tribution OF the sum appropriated as an eX
ira compensation, withdrew the services o
their vessels and thereby occasioned slgh
Inconvenience, though no considerable In
jury, the mails having been dispatched b.
other means,
Whatever may be thought of the polio,
of sulsidizing any line of public conveyance
or travel, am satisfied that 1t should no
te done under cover of an expenditure In
cident to the administration of department
nor should there bo any uncertainty as Il
tho recipients of the subsidy, or any dscre
ton left to an executive officer as to its dis
tIibution. If such gifts Of the publicimone,
are to be made for the purpose Of aidlnj
any enterprise, In the supposed interest 0
the public, cannot but think that tn
amount TO be pAid, and the beneficiary