The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-12-09

Tnelf otO SuDoNNA
TALLY agreed. In the event that the pres
emit invitation of the department for bids
to furnish such of this material as Is now
authorized shall fail to induce
domestic manufactures to undertake
the large expenditure required
to prepare for this new manufacture
40 other steps are taken by congress at
it's coming session. The secretary con-
templates with dissatisfaction the neces-
sity of obtaining abroad the armor and
guns and steel for the authorized ships.
1t would seem desirable that the wants of
the army and the navy in this regard
should be reasonably met, and that by
uniting their contracts such inducement
might be offered as would result securing
the domestication of these important in
terests.
POSTAL SERVICE.
The affairs of the postal service show
marked and gratifying improvement dur
ing the past year. A particular account
of its transaction and condition
is given in the report,
of the postmaster general, which will be
laid before you. The reduction of the
rate of letter postage in 1883, rendering
the postal revenues inadequate to sustain
the expenditures and the business depres-
sion also contributing, resulted in an ex-
cess of cost for the fiscal year, ended June
30, 1885, of eight and one third millions
of dollars. An additional check upon the
receipts by doubling the measure of
weights ir rating social correspondence,
and diminishing to half the charge for
newspaper carriage, was imposed by leg
islation, which took effect with the begin
ming of the past fiscal year. While
the constant demand OF our territorial
development and growing population for
the extension and increase of mail facili-
ties and machinery, necessitates steady
annual advance in outlay, and the careful
estimate of year ago upon the rates of
the expenditures which have been exist
ing, completed the unavoidable aug
mentation of the deficiency in the last ifs
cal year, by nearly two millions of dol
lars. The anticipated revenue for the
year failed of realization by about $4,000,
but proper measures of economy have so
satisfactorily limited the growth of ex-
penditure that the total deficiency. in
fact, fell below that of 1885,
and at this time the increase of revenue is
in gaining ratio over the increase of cost;
demonstrating the sufficiency of the pres
ent rates of postage ultimately to sustain
the service. This is the more pleasing,
because our people enjoy both cheaper
postage proportionately to the distances,
and vaster and more costly service than
any other upon the globe.
INFRINGEMENT.
Retrenchment has been effected in the
cost of supplies. Some expenditures, I'M
warranted by law, have ceased, and the
OUTLAWS for mail carriage have been sub
jected to beneficial scrutiny. At the close
of the last fiscal year the expense of
transportation on star routes stood at an
annual rate of cost less by over $56O,000
than at the close of the previous year,
and the steamboat and mail messenger
service at nearly 100000 less. The SER
vice has been, in the meantime, enlarged
and extended by the establishment of
new offices, the increase of routes of car
riage, the expansion of carrier delivery
and additions to the railway
mail facilities in accordance with the
growing exigencies of the country and
the long established policy of the govern
ment. The postmaster-general calls at
tention to the existing law for compensa-
ting railroads, and expresses the opinion
that method may be devised which will
prove more just to the carriers and bene-
fetal to the government; and the subject
appears worthy of your early considera-
ton. The differences which arose during
the year with certain of the ocean steam
ship companies have terminated by the
of all in the policy of the
government approved by the congress in
the postal appropriation at its last ses-
sion, and the department now enjoys the
utmost service afforded by all
vessels which sail from our ports
upon either ocean-a service gen.
orally adequate to the needs of our
intercourse. Petitions have, however,
been presented to the department by nu-
merous merchants and manufacturers for
the establishment of a direct service to
the Argentine Republic and for service
monthly dispatches to the Empire of
Brazil and the subject is commended to
your consideration. 1t is an obvious duty
to provide the means of postal communi-
cation which our commerce requires, and
with a prudent forecast of results the
mere extension of it may lead to stimu
latlng intercourse and be tie harbinger oil
a profitable traffic which will open new
avenues for the disposition of the products
of our industry. The circumstances of the
country and at the far south of our con
tinent are such as to invite our enterprise
and afford the promise of sufficient adj
vantages to justify an unusual effort tC
bring about those closer relations, which
greater freedom of communications
would tend to establish. l suggest
that as distinguished from grant or
subsidy for the mere benefit of any line
of trade or travel, whatever, the outlay
that may be required to secure additional
postal service necessary and proper and
not otherwise attainable, should be re-
garded as within the limit of legitimate
compensation for such service.
The extension of the free delivery service
as suggested by the postmaster general
has received my sanction, and it is to bt
hoped a suitable enactment may be soor
agreed upon. The request for an appro
priation sufficient to enable the genera
inspection of fourth class Offices has my
appreciation.
renew my approval of the recon
mendation of the postmaster general, tina
another assistant be provided for thu