The sun., 1893-12-07

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| When, however, through this restored con-
hdence the money which has been fright
ened into boarding places is returned to
! tfhue ana enterprise, survey of the sit
uation will probably disclose a safe path
Leading to permanently sound currency,
anundantly sufficient to meet every require
inent or our increasing population and Of
business. In the pursuit of this object we
should resolutely turn away from alluring
| anu temporary expedients, determined to he
content with nothing less than lasting
ana comprehensive financial plan, In these
circumstances | am convinced that rear
stIable delay In dealing with this subject
instead of being Injurious will increase the
probabilities of wise action.
PostOnice Department.
The report of the postmaster general con-
! tains detailed statement of the operations
OF the postotiice department during the last
| fiscal year, and much interesting informa-
ton touching this important branch of the
crepancy than usual between the postofficc
| receipts and expenditures Is the expected
| and unavoidable result Of the distressing
| stringency- which has prevailed throughout
! the country during much of the time covered
! by the postmaster generals report. AT O
date when better times We're anticipated 10
was estimated by his predecessors thar the
deficiency on the Both day OF June, 1893,
| would be little over $1,000, 600. lt
amounted, however, TO little over $6OOO,-
000 AT the same time, and under the in
fluence of like antcipations. estimates were
made for the current fiscal year ending
Jnne 3d. 1894, which exhibited surplus or
but now, in view nf the actual receipts.
and expenditures during that part Of the cur
rent fiscal year already expired, the present
postmaster general estimates that, at its
There Will BE a Deficiency
Of nearly $4,000, 600. The postoffice receipts
for the last fiscal year amounted to $13;S S9h-
033. 16 and its expenditures to $S1 ,074,1O4.90.
This postoffce deficiency would disappear, or
be immensely decreased If less matter was
carried free through the mails, an item Of
grain from the agricultural department
The total number of postotices in the
United States on the Both day Of June, 1898
Preceding %Ss G4S year. a OF these ss60 we're pres
dental, an increase in that class OF 2O4 over
the preceding year. torty-two free delivery
already existing. making a total of $40 cities
June 80, 1893. Ninety-three other cities ana
towns are now entitled to this service un-
der the law, but 1t has not YET DeeR &c
10 meet the expense of its establishment
The railway mail service not only adds TO
fees, but it is the especial instrumentality
which puts the smaller and way places IN
the service on an equality In that regard
with the larger and termina, oh1fes: fsroors FMS
received much attention from the postmaster
general, and, though It Is gratifying to know Know
that it is in a condition or hlgh eincieh,cS enc,
and great usefulness, am led to agree with
the postmaster general that there Is room
for its further improvement.
The Navy Department.
The report of the secretary OF the navy
contains history Of the operations OF his
department during the past year anu eX-
hibits a most gratifying condition OF the
personnel of our navy: He presents 1,tS,oi, a
satisfactory account of the progress Whlcn
had been made in the construction OF yes
sells and makes a number OF recommenda-
tions to which attention is specially IN
yited. During the past six months the de:
mands for cruising vessels have been many
and urgent. There have been revolutions,
calling for vessels to protect Ameri-
Costa Rica Honduras, Argentina and Bra
zil while the condition of affairs in Homo.
lulu has required the constant, presence OF
one or more ships. With all these calls
upon our navy it became necessary, in or
der to make up a sufficient feet to patrol
the Bering under the modus V1yendi
to that service one vessel from the fish
commission and three from the revenue ma
rine.
for service: The double turreted coast de-
Tense monitor Miantonomoh, the double
turreted coast defense monitor Monterey,
the armored cruiser New York, the pro-
tected cruisers Baltimore, Chicago, Phila-
delphia, Newark. San Francisco, Charles
ton, Atlanta and Boston, the cruiser De
Bennington, Machias Castine and Petrol,
the dispatch vessel Dolphin, the practice
vessel Bancroft and anda the ID dynaamite sunP%9at
chias, Detroit and Castine have been placed
in commission during the current calendar
year.
The following vessels are in progress of
construction: The second-class batteships
Maine and Texas, the cruisers Montgomery
and Marble head and the coast defense
monitors Terror, Puritan, Amphitrite and
MOnadnOck, all of which will be completed
within one year; the harbor defense ram
Katahdin and the protected. cruisers Co.
I1t11NI, I,tn ItrTn tG No (N,ani
and Raleigh, all of which will be completed
prior to July l, 1895; the tirst-class battle
ships Iowa, Indiana, Massachusetts and
Oregon, which will be completed Feb. 1,
1896. and the armored cruiser Brooklyn,
which will be completed Aug / of that
year It Is also expected that the three
will be completed in less than two years.
Immigration.
The superintendent of immigration,
through the. secretary of the treasury, re-
arrived at our ports 44O, 793 immigrants.
OF these 1,063 were not permitted to land
under the limitations of the law, and 81
were returned to the countries from which
they came by reason Of their having become
public charges. The total arrivals were
141 ,O34 less than for the previous year.
touching our public health and the demon
strated danger of the introduction of CON
tagioqs diseases from foreign ports has in
with increased interest. A more general
and harmonious system than now exists.
acting promptly and directly everywhere
means to shield our country from the in
yasion Of disease and at the same time
having due regard to the rights and duties
of local agencies. would, l believe add
greatly to the safety of our people.
Sea Coast Defenses.
1t is gratifying to note that we have be-
prehensive scheme Of sea coast defenses
and fortitication entered upon eight years
ago. large sum has been expended, but
the cost Of maintenance will be incOnsider-
able as compared with TIE expense of con
struction and ordnance and at the end of
the current calendar year, the war depart
10-inch and thirty four S-inch guns ready
to be mounted on gun lifts and carriages.
and seventy-tive 12-inch mortars.
The manufacture Of heavy ordnance keeps
pace with current needs, but to render these
guns available for the purposes they are
designed to meet emplacements must be
in this direction and it is desirable that
congress by adequate appropriations should
provide for the uninterrupted prosecution
OF this necessary work.
Abolish the Fee System.
The report of the attorney general con-
tains the usual summary of the affairs and
proceedings of the department Of justice for
the past year, together with certain recon-
mendations as to needed legislation on vari-
GUS subjects. l cannot too heartily indorse
the proposition that the fec system, as
States attorneys, marshals, clerks of federal
courts and United States commissioners
should be abolished with as little delay as
possible. 1t is clearly in the interest Of the
community that the business of the courts,
both civil and criminal, shall be as small
and as ineXpensively transacted as the
ends Of justice will allow. The system is,
therefore, thoroughly vicious which makes
the compensation Of court officials depend
upon the volume Of such business, and thus
creates a conflict between proper execution
of the law and private gain. which cannot
fail to be dangerous to the rights and free
dom of the citizens, an irresistible tempta-
ton to the unjustifable expenditure of
public funds.
also heartily join the attorney general
In recommending legislation fixing degrees
of federal jurisdiction, as has been done in
many Of the states, authorizing writs of
error on behalf of the government in cases
where final judgment is rendered against
the sutficiency of an Indictment or against
the government upon any other question
arising before actual trial; limiting the
right of review in cases of felony punish
able only by fine and imprisOnment TO the