The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1891-12-11

Proctor from the department by reason OF his
appointment as a senator from the state OF
TO his colleagues In the cabinet, Ms am sure Ii
will be to all those who have had business with
the department while under his charge. 49,
THE president herc at some length canf7ssss
IN the attorney generals Recommendation ,h,ts
the right in felony cases 10 review 5y the SUI
preme court be limited, aud other minor mat
tersl
Extension OF Free Mail Delivery.
In the report of the postmaster general some
very gratifying results are exhibited and many
betterments OF the service suggested. A Pc
rusal of the report gives abundant evidence
that the supervision and direction OF the postal
system have been characterized by an intclli-
gent and conscientious desire 20 improve the
service, The revenues OF the department
show an increase OF over Ave millions OF dol
lars, with a deficiency for the year 1902 of less
than four millions of dollars, white the estimate
for the year 1893 shows surplus OF receipts
over expenditures.
Ocean mail postos,lces have been established
upon the steamers OF the North German Loyd
and Hamburg lines, saving. by the distribution
on shipboard, from two 60 fourteen hours time
in the delivery of mails at the port of ontry,
and often much mere than this in the delivery
at interior places. So thoroughly mas ;his sys-
tenn, initiated by Germany ANA the United
States evidenced its usefulness that Il cannot
be long before 1t Is installed upon all the great
ocean mail carrying steamships.
Eight thousand miles of new postal service
have been established upon railroads. the car
distribution 10 substations in the great cities
has been increased about ~ per cent, while
the percentage of errors in distribution has,
during the past year. been reduced over one
half. An appropriation Yves given by the last
congress for the purpose OF making some OK
periments in free delivery In the smaller cities
Of
have been 80 satisfactory that the postmaster
general recommends, and concur In the rec
fermentation. that the free delivery system
be at once extended to towns of 5000 popula-
ton. His discussion of the Inadequate facili-
ties extended under our present system 10
rural communities and his suggestions with Il
view to give these communities ii fuller mar.
ticipation in the beneiitt of the postal services
ire worthy OF your careful consideration
II is not just that the f;rIaer who receives
his mail at q neighboring town. should not
only be compelled to send TO the postofllcc for
II, but tn pay considerable rent for a box in
which TO place 1t or to wait his turn Mt a gem
eral delivery, while the city resident has his
mail brought to his door. 1t is stated that
over 1900 neighborhoods are under the pres
emit system receiving mail at postofices where
money orders and postal notes are not issued.
The extension of this system 10 these comm,i-
mites is especially desirable, as the patrons of
such offices are not possessed of the other fa~
cilities offered In more populous communities
for the transmission of small sums of money.
| have in message to the preceding congress
expressed my views as 10 a modified use Of the
telegraph in connection with the postal serv
ice.
In pursuance Of the ocean mail law of March
;, 1891, and after most careful study of the
whole subject and frequent conferences with
ship owners, boards of trade and Others adj
uad nv fba aata
general for ffty-three lines Of ocean mail
service ten to Great Britain and the Conii-
merit, twenty -seven 10 south America. three To
China and Japan, -four 10 Australia and the
Pacific islands. seven 10 the West Indies and
two q .icxico. II was not Of course expected
that lids for all these lines would be received
Or that service upon them all would be con-
sractcd for. 1t was intended, In furtherance
Of the act, TO secure as many new lines AZ pos
sible, while including In the list most or all OF
the foreign lines now occupied by American
ships.
1t was hoped that a line to England, and per-
haps one TO the Continent, would 10 strured
but the outlay required TO equiv zach lines
wholly with new ships Of the first class, and
the difficulty of establishing new lines in com
petition with those already established, de-
tered bidders whose interest had been en-
listed Ii Is hoped that way may yet be
found of overcoming these difficulties. The
Brazil Steamship company, by reason Of u mis-
calculation as to the speed of its vessels, was
not able TO bid under the terms Of the adver-
tisement. The policy of the department was
TO secure from the established limos an inn
proved service MS q condition Of giving to
them the benefits OF the law. This, in all IN
Stances has been attained. The postmaster
general estimates that an expenditure In Amer
lean shiry4ftis OF about Sl0,OOJ,OO0 will be nee
eseary TO enable the bidders to construct the
al Iy ga
accepted.
do not think there is any reason for dlscour-
agement or for any turning back from the pol,
icy of this legislation. Indeed, a good begin
ming has been made, and as the subject i
further considered and understood by capital
lists and shipping people, new lines will be ready
to meet future proposals, and we may date
from the passage OF this law the revival Of
American shipping interests and the recovery
Of a fair share Of the carrying trade Of tie
world. We were receiving for foreign postage
nearly S20O0,00D under the old system and the
outlay for ocean mail service did not exceed
100000 per annum. II Is estimated by the
postmaster general that. II all the contracts
proposed are completed it will require 52f7, 354
for this year in addition to the appropriation
for sea and inland postage air sady in the esti-
mates, and that for the next fiscal year. ending
June 30 1893 there would probably be needed
about S5GO,000.
Inc New Nafy.%
The report of the secretary of the navy shows
o gratifying increase Of new naval vessels in
commission. The Newark, Concord, Benning
ton and Miantonomoh have been added during
the year, with an aggregate of something more
than 100 TONS Twenty -four warships OF all
classes are now under construction in the navy
yards and private shops, but, while the work
upon them is going forward satisfactorily. the
completion Of the more important vessels Kill
yet require about a years time Some of the
vessels now under construction, il is believed.
will be triusnphs of naval engineering
When it is recollectcd that the work OF
building modern navy WIS only initiated in
the year 1883. that our naval constructors and
shipbuilders were practically without expert
ence in the construction of large iron or steel
ships that our engine shops were unfamiliar
with great marine engines, and that the manu-
factureof steel forgings for guns and plates was
almost wholly foreign industry, the progress
that has been made is not only highly satisfac-
tory, but furnishes the assurance that the
United States will before long attain, in the
construction of such vessels, with their engines
and ornaments, the same pre-emipence which
1t attained when the best instrument of ocean
commerce was the clipper ship and the most
impressive exhibit of naval power the old