New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-09

reduction in the rate of letter postage,
which took effect with the beginning OF
i>be during the Two past fiscal wears $2.I9O, Ooo,
in about the proportion of $2,27OOOO IN 1854 10
S52oOOO IN 1850. Natufal grown anu ue.e,oP-
ment have meantime increased expenditures result
ing in u deficiency IN the revenue 10 met me eA-
penses of the department OF $9,ZoO,Ooo LOT
the wear 1854. and $S,333ODO IN the iast nscai
year The anticipated and natural revival OF
the revenue has been oppressed and RETARDED ny
the upfavorable business condition OF the c9u.lS'
of which the postal service IS faithful Indicator.
The rrGtlfvIuy fact Is shown, however, ny the re-
port that our returning prosperity Is marked pv =
gem Of 3S0,O0O In the revenue OF Tue ialtei h", 80
OF the last year over the corresponding pelou Oh
inc preceding year. Ihc change III the weight OF
ir,t-cias- matter which may be carried Tor single
rate of postage from half-1unce 10 an ounce anu
rhe reduction by one-haf of the rate OF newspaper
hostage which. under recent legislation, Degah
with the current ar VIII operate TO [estIin rh9
augmentation of receipts which Otherwise might
nave been expected to such degree thar the scaie
Of expense may gain upon the revenue ana cause
an increased deficiency 10 be SHOWN AZ us cIose'
Yet a,tcr no long rod of rcaYakened prosperity,
ny Dr0pcT olOmy, II Is confidently anticipated,
that even the present low rates now as iaNoIap'o
as any country affords will be adequate TO sustain
the cost of the service. Inc operation Oh lhs
Post Dnicc Department Is for the convenience ana
benefit OF tn people: ana the m9thou ny whlon
they paw the charges OF this useIul arm OF theli
public service SO that II he just and impartial II or
less importance to them than the ecohomlcal OK
pendture of tle means they proyioe Ior us mIlh-
trnancr aud the due Improvement OF ITS agencies
20 that ihcv may enjoy Its highest usefulness
proper attention has been directed to the pTeYen-
ton OF waste or cXtrdvagance, ana good results APP
pear from the report to nave already been accoh-
DliShcd. -, ~ L..
Iapprove tho recommendation of the Postmaster
GrneIai 10 reduce the Charg - on domestic money
orlors of fl We dollars and less from eight % hVe
cents TINS change will materially ala those OF our
pc pile who most Of all avail themselves OF TINS IN
strIlmrntaitv. but to whom the element OF chehp-
ness * If the Greatest Importance With this re-
ductlon the system would still remain seIf-support
The free delivery system has been extended 10
nineteen additional cItes during the wear, and us
now enjoy its cOpvcniences. Experience mas com
mendcd il to those who ENJOY IT. Dement'S, ana lul-
ther en- argcment of its facilities Is due TO other
communities to which II Is a lapted. In the cities
where it has been established. taken toSeIhor, mo
local postage exceeds lis mn nlenancr Nv heaiN
one mi lion three hundred thousand dollars. Inc
limit to when this system IL now coniinei by law
has been nearly reached. aud the reasons gwen JUS
tlfy itscXtcn~Ion which Is proposed
II was decided. with my APPROPRIATION aIlei
sufic ent exa nination TO be incxpedent Tor the
Post ONCE Department 10 contract Tor CARVING
our foreign mails under the additional authority
given by the last Congress. The amount limited
was inadequate 10 pay all within the purView Ci
the law the full rate of 30 cents per mlle, ana "
wouli have been unjust and unwise to have gwen
il 10 some and denied it to Others. Nor could CON
tracts have been Let under the law 10 all al tae
10 have brought the aggregate wlthln the aPpI"e
pratIon without such pracnCal prearrangemeut 81
terms ms would have violated II. Inc rate OF sen
and inland postage. winch was prohcrcd uhder
another statute clearly appehrsto ne Iar Gun
pensatIon for the desired service. being thrce times
the price necessary to secure transportation os
other vessels upon any route. ana much Deyohu
the charges made to private persons for services
not less burdeusOme. Some OF the steamship CON-
panIes upon the refusal OF the Postmaster General
TO attempt, by the means provided, the distilou-
ton of the sum appropriated as an extra cVnPrnI
satiOn Withdrew the services of their vessels ana
thereby occasioncd slight inconvenience though
no considerable injury, the mails having OPen uIo-
patched by other means.
Whatever NAV he thought of the policy of subsi-
dlZlug any line cf public conveyance or travel l
at qhould NOT be- done under cover
of an expenditure incident 90 tie administration
of n Department, nor should there I've any uncer
tanty to the TecIplcuts OF The subsidy. or any
discretion left to executive officer M to It's dl7-
tributlon. II such gifts of the puOnc money are 10
he made for the purpose OF AIDING any eIefprlS''
III the supposed lntcrc-t OF Inc puOIlc, ct'np'
but think that the amount to be paid. and the
beneficiary, might better be determined by Con
GTess than IN any other way. -.
! posial-nnIon countries convened ~ Lisbon. IN
Portugal, III February last and after - session OF
| some weeks the delegates signed convention
amendaturv of thc ptc-on' postai-unloh c'hN"nl'ou
IN some particulars designed To atyauc" Its pur
| Doses his additional act has had my approval
aud will be laid before YOU with the departmental
! report. | approve the recommendation OF the
Postmaster General that another assistant b" pro-
/ ylded for his Department. IhNt your consider
/ alton to tnc several other recommendations con
| tanned IN his report.
! DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
The report of the Attorney General contains a
history Of the conduct Of the Department of Justice
during the last year, and number of valuable
/ suggestions a. to needed legislation; and | invite
vour careful attention to the same. The condition
| If business IN the courts If the United
| states Is such that there seems Il
be an imperative necessity for remedial legislation
. on tho subject. some uf these courts are oyer
/ burdcncd " IN pending causes chat ia" delays ~
determining litigation amount often 10 denial Oi
| Justice. Among the plans suggested for rcllc' D.
/ one submitted hy be- AttorLcy-GcucIaI. IL, main
feature, are: Inc transfer OF all the ORIGINAL juus
dIctipu of the ci-cult courts 10 the district courts
ana an IprTcd-" of judi c- for the LATER where u'r-
c4,iry an addition OF judges 10 the circuit courts
/ and constituting them exclusively courtSot appeal,
/ and reasonably limiting appeals therefor iUItucT
n, tr,iou. Of the right 10 remove causes from tl9
S,ate 10 Federal courts; permitting appeals to the
/ supreme Court from me courts OF tie District OF
! Columbia and tie IrtrtOUcs only IN the same
/ ca.c. as the. are allowed from state Courts, aud
guarding against IN unnecessary number 0t appeals
from the circuit couris. approve the plan thus
/ ont lined AMI recommend the legislation necessary
, fJrits Application 10 our Judicial system
! The pro cut mod" Of con"en-atlng United states
Iuar-bais and di,trIct-at tOncys should IN my OyII-
/ ION b. CHANGED They are allowed 10 charge against
the Government certain fees for services. theT in
| come beng measured by tho amount OF suCI f"eI
| within fixed limit rs 10 their annual aggregate.
! lhis /, di Get induccmcnt for them 20 make their
fees in cIIm ma cases large possible ia an ct
! fort 10 reach the maximum sum permit ed. As an
! entirely natural consequence, uuacruuuiOus mar
shals are found encouraging lrlyOlOuS prosecutions,
| aTIcStng people on petty charges Of crime ani
Transforming them 10 dis ant places for eXaminI-
/ ton and trial for the purpose Of earning mileage
/ and other fees. Aud dlntrict-attOrnoNs usrlcssly
| attend criminal cXd rinatlOns far from their places
Of residence, for the express purpose of swelling
| their accounts against tho Government. The
ne uaI EXPENSES incurred in these transactions are
| also charged against tine Government. inns the
rght- and freedom Of our citlLcns are OUTRAGED and
/ public EXPENDITURES increased, for the puIJo~c of
! lurnIsni pub &c officers prrtcxtS for increasing
/ the me sure of their cOmpenSa ion. ] think mar
shall, and observation-disclosures Oud he paid salaries.
/ adjusted by a rhlc which viii make them commcn-
! suIato with the services fair rendered.
| IN connection with tins subject desire 10 sug-
grst the advisa Dhty, If IL be found not OhnOxious
/ TO constitutional objection, of investing United
! STATES Commissioners with tie power to try and
/ determine certain violations of law witaln the
/ grade of miadcmcanOrs. Such trials might b. made
/ TO depend upon the option of the accused The
/ muitlplIcltion of small and technical offences e.
pecalv under the PROVISIONS of our internal reve-
nue. law. render some change IN our present system
very desirable, in ihc interests of humanity we'll
as economy. The district courts are now crowded
with petty prosecutions, IhYU wing punishment, III
cases of cony clou, OF only slight ins, while The