Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-12-05

irreSlStiDle temptation 10 the uHJuSth-
able expenditure of public funds
IL, In addition TO this reform, another |
was inaugurated which would give to |
United States Commissioners the final |
disposition OF petty offences within the |
grade OF .nisdemeanors. especially those |
coming up under the interual-revenuc
laws. a great advance would be made
the criminal law.
EXISTING EVILS.
In my first message 10 Congress, dated
December g. 1855, strongly recommended,
these changes. and referred somewhat at J
length TO the evils Of the present system. !
Since that time the criminal business or
the Federal courts and the expense attend |
ing It has enormously increa sed Tine !
number of criminal prosecutions pending
in the Circuit and District courts Of the
United States on the first day OF July, 1885.
was 3,N3. OF which 1854 were for viola
ton OF the internal-revepue laws. while
the number of prosecutions pending on
the first day Of July 1898. was 500, OF
which 400 were for violations Of the in
terna-reyenue laws.
The expense of the United States courts.
exclusive Of judges salaries for the year
ending July I. 1855, was s2SI4,733il, and
for the wear ending July !, 1895. $452S. 1861.
II Is, therefore, apparent that the reasons
given I'm 1885 for change In the manner
OF enforcing the Federal criminal law have
gained cogency and strength 10y lapse of
time.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
I also heartily join the Attorney-Generai
In recommending legislation fixing degrees
Of the crime OF murder within Federal
Jurisdiction, as has been done In many
Of the States: authorizing writs or error
on behalf Of the government IN cases
where final judgment Is rendered asain't
tn. suficiency OF an Indictment or against
the government upon any other question
arising before actual trial; limiting the
rleht Of review In cases of felony punlSn-
able only by fine and imprisonment to the
Circuit Court of Appeals. and making
speedy provisions for the constcuction Of
such prisons and reformatories IS may be
necessary for the confinement OF United
States conylcts.
POST-OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
The report OF the Postmastac-General
contains detailed statement of
the operations of the Post-Office De-
partment during the last fiscal year
and much interesting information
touching this important bra !! ot tie
public service. The business Of the mails
indicates with absolute certainty the con-
dltion OF the busin IS of the ,OIn.fv. ara
depression in financial affairs mevr t1iy
and quickly reduces the postal revenues.
Therefore "A larger discrepancy than 10, al
between the post-oice receipts md eN-
pen1iturcs is the expected and un Nohla1le
result OF the distressing strineency wti.h
| has prevailed throughout the country ar
! ing much of the time covered by the POST
| master Generals report.
ESTIMATED DEFICIENCY.
At a day when better times We're antici-
| pated II was estimated by MS pre- eetsSor
| that the deficiency on he goth day % 'lne
| 1898. would be but little over million ana
| a half dollars. Ii amounted however, To
| more than five millions. At the same Time
| and under the influence of like anticlpa-
! tions estimates were made for the cur
rent fiscal year ending June -, ISL. wien
| exhibited "A surplus Of revenue over eXpendl
! lures Of S722i5.T; but now, In view ci lhe
| actual receipts and expenditures CIrUls
| that part of the current fiscal year az
! ready expired. the present Postmaster
| General estimates that at its close IN
/ stead Of a surplus. there VIII Ice de-
/ ficiency Of nearly $SVOOm.
| The post-office receipts for the last fiscal
year amounted to s75 S96. 93316 and its cx-
nendltures to SSl,01l.10i99 This po't-ot-
/ lice deficiency would disappear or be i'm
nenselv decreased If less matter was car
! ried free through the mails, an item OF
which IS upward Of 800 tons Of seeds ana
grain from the Agricultural Department.
! The total number Of post offices N the
! Tinted States on the 30th Of June, 49,,
was IS. i03. an increase of l.2S4 over the
preceding year. OF these $3.50 were presi-
! Dental. an increase in that class Oh Di
over the preceding year
FREE NAIL DELIVERY.
Fortv-two free-delivery offices were
nj
| existing. making n total of go cities and
| towns provided with free delivery on June
| SO 1893. Ninety-three other cities anu
towns are now entitled TO this service un-
der the law, but 1t has not been accorded
them on account of insufficient FUNDS 10
meet the expense of its establishment.
| am decidedly Of the opinion that the
provisions Of the present law permit as
General an introduction OF this feature OF
mail-service as is necessary or JustlhaDle'
and that IL ought not TO be extended 10
sr,alIer communities than are now desig-
mated. A..
THE expense OF free-denvery for the
FISCAL wear ending June 30, 1891, VIII o.
more than $lI7OCO,0O0, and under leslSia-
ton now existing there must be Il con
slant increase In this item oil eSpehoi-
ture. - l.,,r,.Dc
There were Gl0l additions to the 10
nestle money-order offices during the last
al vear being the largest increase In
any year since the Inauguration OF the
evstem The total number of these offices
a. tho close of the year was Is, Ihere
were g. 300. 73j money orders issued IRON
,bese offices. being an increase over the
preceding year Of 1,2iO29}, ana tne Value
~ these orders amounted 10 NZnZOl@'''''
an Increase Of $7,J09,632.5S. There were
also issued during the year poStai-noIeS
amounting to $l2y2,O'b.I5.
During the year l95 international money
order offices were added TO those already
nrovided for. making a total OF 2,iOf IN
n,,sration on June 20. 1893. The number
~ international money-orders issued du-
rim, the year was iOj5,99 an lhcreas
over the preceding year OF i2,o-o' ana 'helr
value was Sl6.3u.SH So an increase Oh
q 92l 506 81 The number or orders pald
.'- or an Increase over the preceding
year of Il. 503 and their value was f''-o''-
az IN an increase Of $9l.9i.S.
From, the foregoing statements 1t appears
mat the total issue Of money orders ana
nostal-notes for the year amounted 70
Tbe number of letters and packages
mailed during the year for special delivery
was $4,000. an increase over the pre-
codjn,, wear of nearly - per cent. Inc
, / gDpClul QtlNtiy 0NtAii'f-'
letters and packages amounted To %5S''-
teq 90 and the messenger fees pald TOT
their delivery amounted to $25j.5921l, leaV-
ing profit to the government OF 49,
1868. ,,.,l,r,
RAILWAY-MAIL SERVICE.
Tho railwav-mail service not only adds
60 tba rromDtness of mail delivery at all
officas hut il is the especial instrument
tality which puts the smaller anu way
rIaces I'm the service on an equality III that
regard with the larger ana terminal OF
| fees. . no.,
This branch OF the postal service mas
therefore. received much attention from
tho Postmaster-General, and though II Is
gratifying 10 know that it Is in a condi-
, lion of high efficiency and great useful
pess I am led TO agree with the fos'-
master General that there Is room tor
A., IFS further Improvement
There are now connected with the post
? office establishment 2S,32i employees VINO
are in the classified service.
CIVIL~SERVICE REFORM.
The head Of this great department gives
conclusive evidence of the value OF civic
, service reform. when after an experience
that renders his judgment on the suoJect
absolutely reliable he expresses the ophh-
ion that without the beneht OF TINS sys-
tenn II would be impossible 10 conduct the
vast business intrustei to him.
dscfda ~ commend as especially