The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-12-10

present organizes alton, and its~1AehTk6ze |
waste may Do reduced to the minimum; |
bat IL we desire to build ships tor pres
ent usefulness instead of naval reminders |
of the DAYS that are past, we must have |
q department organized from the works. I
supplied with all the talent and inge- |
nllitv our country sffords, prepared to |
take advantage OF the experience OF
older nations.
The affairs Of the postal service are ex-
| hibited by the report Of the postmaster
general which will be laid before you.
| The postal revenue whose rate OF gain
upon the rising prosperity OF 1881 ana
1888 out stripped the increasing expen-
ses Of our growing service was checked
| BY the reduction in the rate OF letter pos
tsge which took efteot with the oegins
ming Of October in the latter year and
diminished during the past two fiscal
/ years ga $50. 900 In about the proportion
! a2,770, 600 Ia 1854 to S520,0 coo Ia 1855.
The natural growth and development
4 have IL the meantime increased the ex.
/ penditure. resulting In deficiency In the
revenue to meet the expenses OF the de-
paFtmeEt Of five and 6 quarter million
dollars fer the year 1884. aud eight and
| third millions the last fiscal year The
| anticipated revival of the revenue has
been oppressed and retarded by the nn-
favorable business condition of the coun-
| try OF which the postal service ID fsIIh-
ful indicator. The gratifying facts
shown, however. by the report is that
our returning prosperity Is marked by
gain OF $3.50, 900 In the revenue OF the
latter half OF last year over the CORES
pond,ng period Of the preceding
| year.
The changes In the weight Of first class
matter which may be carried for single
rate postage from half ounce to an
ounce, and the reduction by one hall
cent Of newspaper postage, which under
recent legislation began with the current
year, VIII operate to restrain tho dugmen-
| tation of receipts which otherwise Nigh
have been expected to such degree tina {
the scale ofSexpense may gain upon the
4 revenue and cause an increased de1cfen-
cy to be shown at Its close. Yet after so
/ long period of reWakened prosperity,
by proper economy 1t is confidently ex-
/ pected that even the present low rates,
as favorable as any country affords, will
be adequate TO sustain the cost OF the
service,
The operation OF the postofslce depart
nent 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 IL will be
just ana impartial Is OF less importance
to them than economical expenditures Of
the means provided for its maintenance
and the Improvement of its agency so
that they may enjoy its highest useful
ness. Proper attention has been directed
TO the prevention of waste or extravgance.
and good results appear from the report
to have already been accomplished.
! approve of the recommendation of
the postmaster general to reduce charges
on domestic money orders Of five dollars
or less from eight TO Ave cents. This
change will materially aid those of our
people who most of all avail themselves
! of this fundamentally, but TO whom
| fhA AiPUnpnf nf ohaarn - ~ fha r
eat Importance. With this reduction the
system would still remain self-support-
ing. The free delivery system has been
extended TO nineteen moro cities during
the year, and 17S are now enjoying lis
convenienoes. Experience has COM
mended 1t to those who enjoy its benz
!. fits. and the further enlargement of Its
facilities is due to other communities to
which IL is adapted.
} In tbs cities where II has been estsb-
lished, taken altogether, the local post
sge eKceeds its maintenance by nearly
81 ,3OO,0O The limit to which this sys-
| TEN Is now confined by law has been
nearly reached, ard the reasen given
Jnstities It's extension, which is proposed.
IL WAS decided, with my appreciation,
after a sufficient examination, To be in
expedient for the postOfhce department
to contract for carrying our foreign
mails under additional authority given
by the last congress.
The amount limited WAS inadequate to
pay all within the purPiew Of the law the
full rates Of fifty cents per mile ana it
would have been unjust and unwise TO
have given II to some and have denied Il
to others, nor could contracts have been
let under the law to ali at rate to have
brought the aggregate within the ap-
preparation without such partial arrange
ment of terms as would have violated 1t.
The rate OF inland postage which was
preferred under smother statute clearly
appears TO be fair compensation for the
desired service being three times the
| price necessary to secure transportation
ny other vessels upon any route and
much beyond the charges made to pri-
vaTe persons for services not less bur-
densome.
Some Of the steamship companies, up
on the refusal of the postmaster-gen
10 attempt. by the means provided for
tue sum appropriated as an extra COM
penSatton, withdrew their services and
thereby occasioned slight Inconvenience,
though no considerable Injury to the
malls, They have been dispatched By
other means Whatever may be thought
OF the policy of subsidiEing any line of
public conveyance or travel, am salts
fed that it should not bs under cover of
an expenditure incident 10 the admins
tration OF department, nor should there
be any uncertainty as TO the recipients of
the subsidy or any discretion left TO an
executive officer as to It's distribution.
I approve tho recommendation OF the
post master general that another assist
ant be provided for his department. /
invite your consideration to the several
other recommendations contained In his
report. The report of the attorney gem
eral contains history Of the conduct Of
department of justice during the last
year and number of valuable sugges-
tions as to needed legislation and invite
your careful attention to the same. The
condition OF business IN the courts of the
United States is such that there seems to
be an imperative necessity for remedial
legislation on the subject.
Some Of these courts are overburdened
with pending cases that the delays In de-
termining litigation amount often to q
denial OF justice. Among the plans guS-
| gested for relief Ii one submitted by the
attorney general. Its main features are,
transfer Of all the original Jurisdiction of
| the circuit courts TO the district courts
and al increase Of judges for the latter,
| and where necessary an addition of
| Judges to the circuit courts, constituting !
them exclusively courts of appeal and |
reasonably limiting appeals thereto.
Further restrictions OF the right TO re-
| moval OF cases from the state TO federal |
courts, permitting appeals TO the gu
preme court from the courts Of the Dis- |
triot OF Columbia and the territories only !
In the courts IS they are allowed from |
state courts, and guarding against an |
unnecessary number of appeals from the |
circuit courts. l approve the plan thus |
outlined and recommend the legIsla-
ton necessary for its application TO our
judicial system.