The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-12-02

we WORK OF interpreting and applying
tho new statute. The chief aim OF TN
law Is to secure honest valuations OF al
dutiable merchandise and to make thes,
valuations uniform at all our ports o
entry. 1t had been made manifest by
Congressional investigation that sys
TEN OF differentiation had been long In
use by certain classes Of importers, re,
sulting not only in great loss Of reveD
nuo but In a most intolerable discrimin.
alton against honesty. It Ia not seen
how this legislation when II is under
stood, can BIO regarded by the citizens oil
any country having commercial dealings
with us US unfricndly. Ii any duty Is
supposed to BIZ excessive let the com.
plant DO lodged there. II will surely
not be claimed by any well disposed
people that remedy may be sought and
allowed In asystem OF quasi smuggling.
TIE ARMY.
The report OF the Secretary Of War OK.
hibits several gratifying results attained
during the year by wise and unostcnta.
tious methods. Tho percentage OF dc.
sertions from the army IAN evil for
which both Congress and the Depart.
mcnt have long been seeking a remedy
has been reduced during tho past year
"a per cent, and for the months OF
August aud September, during which
time the favorable effects OF tho act OF
June lG were felt, 80 per cent, rs com.
pared with the same months Of 1880.
The results attained by n reorsaniza.
ton and consolidation Of the divisions
having charge Of the hospital and ser.
vice records Of tho volunteer soldiers
are very remarkable. This change was
effected in July, 1880, and at that time
there were 0.G5i cases awaiting atten.
ton, more than half OF these being calls
from the pension Office for information
necessary to the I'D publication of pension
claims. On the 30.h day OF June last,
though over three hundred thousand
new calls had come in, there was not
single case that had not been examined
and answered.
COAST sDEfESsEs GUARD.
Iconcur in the recommendations Of
the Secretary, that adequate and regu.
lar appropriations be continued for coast
defense works and ordnance. Plans
have been practically agreed upon, and
there can be no good reason fol. delaying
the execution Of them, while our sea.
coast furnishes an urgent reason for
wise expedition. The encouragement
that has been extended to the militia OF
the States, generally and most appropri.
ately designated "The National Guard,n
should be- continued and enlarged.
These military organizations constitute,
III large sense, the army Of the United
States, while about iive-six!hs OF the an
nual cost OF their maintenance is de.
frayed by the States.
ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE.
The report OF the Attorney G General 10
under the law submitted directly to
Congress, but as the Department OF Jus.
tice is one OF the Executive departments,
some reference to tho work done is ap.
proprlate here. A vigorous and, in the
main, an effective effort has been made
to bring to trial and punishment all vio-
lators CT the laws; but, at the same time,
care has been taken that frivolous and
technical oiIenses should not be used to
swell the fees Of otlicers or to harrass
well-disposed citizens. Especial atten.
ton is called to the facts connected with
the prosecution Of violations OF the cleo.
ton laws and OF otfenscs against United
States officers. The number OF convic.
tons secured, very many Of them upon
pleas Of guilty, will, it is hoped, have
ealutary restraining influence. There
have been seyeral cases where postmas.
tiers appointed by me have been SUBJ
jected to violent interference in the dis.
charge OF their official duties, aud TO
prosecutions and to personal violence OF
the most extreme character. Some OF
these cases have been dealt with through
the Department OF Justice, and III some
cases the posto1ices have been abol-
ished or suspended. have directed the
Postmaster General to pursue this course
in ali cases where other efforts failed to
secure for any postmaster, not himself
i'll fault, an opportunity peacefully to
exercise the duties OF his office. But
such action will not supplant tho eliorts
Of the Department Of Juslice 10 bring
the particular offenders to punishment.
FRAUDULENT STANDARDIZATION.
The vacation by Judicial DEGREES Of
fraudulent certificates of naturalization
upon bills in equity filed by the Attor-
ney General in the Circuit Court of the
United States, is rev application OF
familiar equity Jurisdiction. Nearly one
hundred such DEGREES have been taken
during the year, the evidence disclosing
that very large number of fraudulent
certificates OF naturalization have been
issued. And in this connecticut beg to
renew my recommendation that the
laws be so amended as to require more
full and searching inquiry into all the
facts necessary to naturalization before
any certificates are granted. 1t certainly
is not too much to require that M appli-
cation for American citizenship shall be
heard with as uuch care and recorded
with as much iormality as are given to
cases involving the pcttiest property
right. i
POSTAL MATTERS.
The report OF the Postmaster General
shows the most gratifying progress in
the important work committed to his
direction. The business methods have
been greatly improved. A large econo-
my in expenditures and au increase Of
four and three.quarter millions in re-
ceipts have been realized.
The deficiency this year is S5,7S6, 800
as against sG,350, lSS last year, notwith-
standing the great enlargement OF the
service. Mail routes have been extended
and quickened, aud greater accuracy and
dispatch in distribution and delivery
have been attained. The report will be
found to be full OF interest and sugses.
ton, not only to Congress, butte those
thoughtful citizens who may be inter.
ested to know what business lnethoda
can do for that department Of public ad.
ministration which most nearly touches
all our people.
GETTING THE LOTTERIES DOWN.
The passage Of tho act to amend Ger:
tain sections Of the revised statutes re,
laling to lotteries, approved Ssptembe,
10, 1890, has been received with grea!
and apsarye1 nnnular favor - IS.