Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-12-04

harmony among citizens, invariably dis
turbed by change of leasings and OF sale, 1t
was q measure of the highest economy and
OF sound business judgment. Ii was found
that the government wa paying in rents
at the rate Of from ssven to ten per cent.
per annum on what the ccs! OF such build
ings would be. A very great advantage
resulting from such a law would be the
prevention Of a largs number Of bills con-
introduced for the erection of pub
lie bGirdings at placer, snd involving ex-
penditurts not justified by public neces-
sity. trust that this measure will be-
a law at the present session Of Con-
gress.
RELIEF FOR FOURTH-CLAss p. Ms.
OF the total number of p2stmasters, 5i,-
s74 are of tie fourth-Clsss, These, OF
receive no allowance whatever for
expenses in the service, and their compens-
alton i5 fixed by percentage on receipts ~
their respective Offices. This rate OF COM
pensation uaay have been, ard probably
was, at some time, Just, bat the ST 'ndard
has remained unchanged through the sew
eral reductions IN the rates Of postage.
Such reductions have necessarily cut down
the compensation of these officials, while
il undoubtedly increased the business PSF
formed Nv them. Simple justice requires
attention TO this subject, to the end that
fourth. class pcstmssters may receive At
least an equivalent to that which the law
itself fixing the re!e, intended for them.
CLASSIFY THE Jerks.
Another class of postal employees whose
condition seems TO demand legislation Is
thato { clerks in post offices; and call
especial attention 10 the repeated recon-
mendations ofthe Postmaster General Tor
their classification. Proper legislation CT
this character for the rIlisfGf carriers in
the Tree delivery service has b;en frequent.
Pr5v;s'o IA is made for their promotion; t1r
substitutes for them en- vacation; for sub
stitutes for holidays, and limiting tnelr
hours OF labor. Seven million dollar has
bsen appropriated for the current year to
provide for them, though the tCthl num-
Der of offices where they are employed Is
but $50 for the past fiscal year, with an
estimated increase for the curreLt year OF
bat 40, while the total appropriation for
all clerks in Offices throughout the United
States is s., pa, 900.
GOVERNMENT RELATION TO RAILROADS.
The legislation affecting the relations Of
the Government with T allroGds is in need
of revision. While, for the most part, the
railroad companies throughout the country
have cordially cooparated with the Post
office DEPARTMENT IN rendering excellent
Sci vice, yet. under the law IS it stands.
while the compensation to them for carry
ing the mail is limited and regulated, and
although railroads are made plst reads by
law, there is no authority rerosed any
gkere to compel the owner Of q railroad t,
take and carry the United States mails,
The only alternative provided by act o.
Ccn.rsss in csse of ~rtfdsal, Is for the Post
master General 10 send mail forward by
pony express. This is but an illustration
of ill.fttipg legislation, reasonable anC
PROPER at the time of its enactment, but
long since outgrown and requiring read
justmtnt.
THE RESULT or BUSINESS METHODS.
II is gratifying to note, from the care
fully prepared statistics accompanying th'
Postmaster Generals report, that, not
7~ithstacding the great expansion Of th'
service, the rate OF expenditure has beer
l.sssned, AMI efficiency has bsen improved
in every brarch; that fraud and crime
have decreased; that losees from the mails
| have been reduced, snd that the number
| Of complaints of the service made to post
masters snd to the department are'taT lea
than ever before.
THE DEPARTMENT or JUSTICE.
The transactions Of the department o
Justice for the fsCal year ended June 30
. lSSS. are contained in the report OF TIN
Attorney-G General, as we'll a. q number o
valuable recommendations, the most c
which arc repetitions Of those previously
made, and ought to receive consideration
Ii ;s etated ia this report that thOngt
judgments in civil suits amounting &c
1852 U2l, 600 were recovered in favor o
the government during the year, only tn
sum of Sl32 93t wa collected thereon
and that though fines, penalties and for
fsiturss were imposed amounting to SOIL
sos AZ Ouly 500 6i3.4S OF that sum was
Maid on account tnereoi. These facts maj
furnish an illustration Of the sentiment
which extensively PREVAILS, that 8 deb
due the Soverument should Gauss no in
convenience to the citizen.
It also appears from this report that
though prior to March, 1885, there haC
been bnt six convictions in the territorie
of Utah and Idaho under the laws CT ls6;
snd 1882, Furnishing pOlygsmS and I'M
lawful cohabitation as crimes, there hav'
been since that date neIrly six hundred
convictions na1er these laws and thu
statutes of 1851, aud the opinion Is eE
messed that under such q firm and vigl
liant execution of these laws, aud tn
advance Of ideas opposed 70 the toib:dder
prsc'icts pDlygamy in the United STATE
is virtually at an end.
Srias instituted by the Government
uuder the provisions Of the Act OF MarcE
3, 1851, for the termination OF the corpor
st;ops. known as the perpetual emigra
ting fund company, and the Church @
Jesus Christ, Of the Latter Day SAINT
have resulted in q decree favorable to IN
Government, declaring the characters q
tho q corporations forfeited and eScheatlnI
their property. Such property, amount
ing in -alue to more than SsO0,O0O Is Il
the hands OF { receiver, pending turtne
proceedings, an appeal having asan takel
to tae Supreme Court Of thu United STATES
III EXTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
In the report of the Secretary Of the In
terrier, nhica will be laid before you. tn
: condition Of the various branches Of on
domestis anairs connected with that de
psrtmeuk, aud its o~pera'tvos during tn
past year, are fully exhibited. But oiie
reference - some of ths subjects discussed
in this sole aud interesting report cal
here be made, bst I commend the entir'
report to the attention OF the Dorgt5'
and trust that the sensible and valuable
recommendations it contains will stcur'
careful consideration.
lean not to strsrOu'ly iosist urou IN
Importance Of proper measures to insure
rigct disposition o. d PUBLIC lands, no
ouly rs q matter Of present justice, but II
forecast of the consequences to future
generations. The broad, rich tcces o
our agricultural plains kave been lOrg pre-
served by nature 10 bec>me her untrsm
mellld sit 20 q people civilized and free
upon WHICH should rest IN well distributed
ownership the punesous homes Of en-
Sqaei ssa t~FAsurnal citizsns
They cine II EStionai possession VIII
the varying sxanpls IN our EYES ef fhe en-