Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-12-10

or p4per. must remaln unSnaken. Ine ue-
mand for gold in Europe aud the consequent
calls upon us are N consioeraoie osSre'
the result of the efforts of some OF the Euro
pean Governments to increase their gold
reserve and these efforts should be met by
appropriate legislation on our part. Tue
conditions that have created this drain OF
the Treasury gold are in an tmoortant de-
gree political and not commercial. Ia view
Of the fact that a general revision O. our
revenue laws in the near future seem to be
probable, it would be better that auy changes
should be a part OF that revision rather taah
Of a temporary nature.
SILVER BOUGHT AND COINED.
During the last fiscal year the Secretary
purchased under the act of July IA, 1890,
"a, 1855. 74S Dances OF silver and issued in
payment therefor s54, LOG, 60S in notes. Ths
total purchases sincs the passage OF the act
have been 100 Az, ISL ounces AMI the ag.
gregate of notes issuei s1l6, 7S3, 59l. The
average pries paid for silver curing tie year
was 81 cents psr ounce the highest prica be-
ing Sl.02% July l. 1891, an the lowest 50. 3
March 81, 1892. In view OF the fact that the
monetary conference is now sitting and that
40 conclusion has yet been reach ID, Nth
hol any recomm endatioa as to legislation
upon this subject.
ARMY REORGANIZATION DEMANDED.
The report OF the Secretary of War
brings again to the attention OF Congress
some important su ygestions as to the re-
organization of the infantry AMI artillery
arms of the service. which his pre1eces.
Iors have before urgently presented. Our
army is small, but its organization
should all tia more bs put upon the most
approved modern basis. The conditions
upon what we have called the s'frontier"
nave hereto ore required the main
.enance OF many small posts, but now
the policy of concentration is obviously the
right one. The reorganiz ltiou and enlarge.
ment of the Bureau of Military Information
which the Sec cstary has effected Is q work
the usefulness OF which will become every
year more apparent. The work of building
heavy guns aud the construction OF coast
defenses has been well begun and should be
carried on without check.
CLAIMS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT.
The aggregate Of claims pending against
the Government in the Court of Claims is
enormous. Claims to the amount OF nearly
$40 600, 900 for the taxing of or injury to
the property Of persons claiming TO be loyal
during the war are now bsfore that court for
examination. When to these are aide1 the
Indian depre iation claims and the French
ISOLATION claims an aggregate is reaclei
that is indeed startling. In the defense of
disadvantage. The claimants have preserved
their evidences. whereas the agents Of the
Government are sent into the field to rum
mage for what they can find. The difficulty
is peculiarly great where the fact to be estab-
lished is the disloyalty of the claimant DUR
ing the war. II this great threat against
our revenues is to have no other CHECK car
tainly Congress shoult supply the Depart
msnt OF Justice with appropriations suffi-
knzt koia
in the defense of these claims and to pursue
its vague search for evidence effectively:
POSTAL AFFAIRS.
Toe postal revenues have increased during
the last year nearly Is, 000, 001 The deficit
for the year en- ling June 3D. 1892, is $685.
3H less than the deficiency of ths preceding
year. The deficiency of the present fiscal
year, it is estim itel, will b9 reduced to ST.
$50 ABB. which will not only b, extingushsl
during the next fiscal year, but surplus o,
nearly one million dollars SHOULD then be
shown. In these calculations thu payments
to be male under the contra cts for ocean
mail service havs not been inclu lei.
There have been added 1872 new mail
routes during the year, with a mileags OF
1858 miles; AMI the total number of nsw
miles of mail trips added during the year i;
nearly seventeen millions. The number of
miles of mail journeys a ldsi during this
last four years Is ADO 1T seyeuty-six millions,
this addition bsing twenty -one millions of
miles more than were in operation in the
Whole country in 1861.
The nu alber OF postoffeas has been in-
creased by 2790 during tae year; aui uriag
the past four years an up to October 90
last the total increase in the numb3r of Of
ices has been nearly nine thousand. Ths
Number OF free-1elivsry Offices has bsen
nearly dou 1le1 in the last four years, and
the number OF money-order offices more
than doubled within that time
For the three years ending June 81, 1892,
the postal revenue amounted to $l97, 74i, $50,
winch was an increase of So, 263, $50 over tho
revenue for the three years en- ling June 30,
1883, the increase during the last three years
being mora than three an | half times as
great as the increase durin the three years
.nding June 81, 1888.
A who.eSoms clany5 of policy au ous
having in it much promise, as 1t seems to
me, was begun by the law Of March 8, 1891.
Under this law contracts have been made by
the Postnaster-G sneral for eleven mail
routes. The expenditure involved by thess
contracts for the next fiscal year approx;-
mates 1915 1888 As one of the results al
rea iy reached 16 American steamships of al
aggregate tonnage of 81, 400 tons, costin.
H,s0), 600 have been built or contracted to
be built in American saioyards.
No SUBJ oct, think, more nearly touches
the pride, the power aud tbs prosperity OF
our country than this of the development of
our merchant marine upon the sea. II we
could enter into conference with other com-
petitors au1 all would agrss TO withhold
Government aid we could perhaps take our
chances with all the rest, but our great com
petitors have established and maintained
their lines by Government subsidies until
they now have practically exclu lei US from
participation. In my opinion no choics is
left to US but to pursue, moderately at least.
the same lines
OUR NAVAL PROGRESS
The report OF the Secretary Of the Navy
exhibits great progress in the construction
of our new navy. When the present Sscre-
tary entered upon his duties only three
modern steel vessels were Ia commission.
The vessels since put in commission AMI to
be put In commission during the winter will
make total Of 10 during his adm nistra-
lion of the Department Daring the cur
rent year 10 war vessels alj navy tugs
have been launched, an1 during the four
years IS vessels will havs been lauucne1
Two otaer large ships AMI torpedo boat
are under contract and the work upon them
well advanced, aud tbs four monitors ara
awaitin, only the arrival OF their armor,
which has been Unexpectedly delayed, or
they would have been bsfore this In com.
mission.
Contracts have been let during this ad-
ministration, under the appropriations for
the increase OF the Navy, including new yes
ssls aud their appurte1ancss, to the amount
of So, 600 600 and there has been exp,nded
during the same psrio for labor at navy
yards upon similar work S, 00l, 900 without
the smallest scandal or charge Of fraui or
Partially.
1t is believed that as the result OF new
processes in the construction of armor plate
our liter ships will be clothed with defe1-
slve plates of higher resisting power than
are found in any war vessels ahoat. We
were without torpedoes. Tests have been
made to ascertain the relative efficiency OF
different constructions, torpedo has been
adopted, and the work OF construc-
ton is now being carried on sue
cessfully. We were without armor'
piercing shells and without a shop in
structed and equipped for the construction
OF them. We are now making what is be-
he*ed to be projectile superior to any be-
fore in use. A smokeless powder has bsen
developed and a slow burning powder for
guns OF large calibre. high explosive,
capable OF use in large shells firef from SER
vice guns, has been found, an / the manu-
1acture OF gun cotton has been developed so
tnat the question OF supply is no longer in
doubt
THE NAVAL MILITIA.
Inc development of naval militia, waica
has been organized in eight States AMI
brought into coriisl AMI cooperative rela-
tons with the Navy, is another important
achievement Tnere are now enlisted in
these organic atoms 1870 men, and they ara
likely to be greatly extended. recom neni
such legislation and appropriations as will
encourage and develop this movement.
WORK IN TIE INTERIOR DEp.pTyrxr
The WORK OF the Interior Department, all