Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1894-12-11


lating notes when presented at their prin-
cipal or branch offices.
It is quite likely that fhis scheme may
be usefully amended in some Of it's details,
but ! am satisfied it furnishes basis for
very great improvement in our present
/ banking and currency system. Iconclude
this communication fully appreciating
that the responsibility for all legislation
Affecting the people of the United States
| rests upon their representatives in con-
gress, and assuring them that whether in
Accordance with recomm n..ations have
made or not, sal. II ID .'i0'; to cooperate
IN perfecting any legislatio that tends to
the prosperity and welfare u our country,
His Rem "a ia .rtments.
The report of the postmaster general
presents a comprehensive statement of
the operations of the postof!ice depart
ment for the last fiscal year. The receipts
OF the department during the year
amounted to e75, ,0e0, ,479.04 and the expen-
dltures ts4, ,S24. .41415. The transactions Of
the postal service indicate with baronetric
certainty the fluctuations in the business
! OF the country. Inasmuch, therefore, as
business complications continued to exist
: throughout the last year to an unforeseefi
extent, 1t Is not surprising that the def.
tseney OF revenue to meet the expenditures
OF the pestofflce department which was es-
/ timated In advance at about SS, 100000
should be exceeded by nearly one and
quarter. million dollars. The ascertafned
revenues Of the last yerr which were the
basis ST calculation for the current year
will be eerresVondingly greater, though
the postmaster general states that the la
test lnalcationf are so favorable that he
confidently predicts an increase of at least
spef cent In the revenues of the current
year over those of last year.
! In recognition of the long and dis
! tfnguished military seavices and faithful
discharge of delicate and responsible civil
duties by Afajer General John NJ. Seho-
field, now the general commanding the
army, 1t Ii suggested to congress that the
temporary revival of the grade Of lieuten-
ant general in his behalf would be just
anj gracious act, and would permit his re-
tirenient, now near at hand, with the rank
befitting his merits.
| An important order has been issued by
the secretary of the navy, co-ordinatints
the duties of the several bureaus con
cerned in the construction of ships. This
! order, 1t If believed, will secure to a greater
extent than has heretofore been possible
the harmonious action of these several
! bureaus and make the attainment of the
best results more certain. During the
past fiscal year there has been an unusual
and pressing demand in many quarters OF
the world for the presence of vessels to
guard American interests. In January
last, during the Brazilian insurrection. u
! large heek was concentrated in the harbor
Of Rio de Janeiro.
! 1t Is within the domain of civil service
reform, inasmuch as workmen are en-
ployed through board of labor selected
at each navy yard and are given work
without reference to politics and in the or
| der Of their application preference, how
ever, being giuen to army and navy vete-
rams and those having former navy yard
experience. Amendments suggested by
experience have been made to the rules
regulating the system. Through it's opera
ton the work at our navy yards have been
vastly improved in efficiency. and the OPP
portunity to work has been honeftly and
fairly awarded to willing and competent
applicants.
| 1t Is hoped that If this system continues
to be strictly adhered to. there win soon
be, as a natural consequence such an
equalization of party benefits rs will re-
move all temptation to relax or abandon
! it.
The report of the secretary of the into
rior exhibits the situation of the numer-
GUS and interesting branches of the pub
| lie service connected with his department.
commend this report and the valuable
recommendations of the secretary to the
careful attention of the congress.
| Attention is called to the report of the
secretary of the navy, which shows very
gratifying progress in the construction Of
| ships for our new navy. All the vessels
now building, including the three torpedo
boats authorized at the last session of
congress, excepting the first class battle
ship Iowa, will probably be completed
during the coming fiscal year.
The estimates for the increase of the
navy for the year ending June 30, 1896, are
large. but they include practically the en-
tire sum necessary to complete and equip
all the new ships not now in commission
| 30 that unless new ships are authorized
the appropriations for the naval service
for the fiscal year ending June 80, 1897,
should fall below the estimates for the
coming year by at least Sl2, 100000.
| From the report of the secretary of war
| it appears that the strength of the army
on Sept. 80, 1894, was 2, ,135 officers and 25,-
765 enlisted men.
OF the agricultural report, he says:
lowing to the peculiar quality of the
statistician's work, and the natural and
acquired fitness necessary to its success
full prosecution, the secretary of agri-
| culture expresses the opinion that every
person employed in gathering statistics
under the chief of that division should
| be admitted to that service only. after q
thorough, exhaustive and successful ex-
| animation at the hands of the United
States civil service commission. This
has led him to call for such examina-
ton of candidates for the position Of
assistant statisticians and also of candi-
dates for chiefs of sections in that di-
| vision.
| 1.-THE work done by the department.
of agriculture is very supericially dealt
with in this communication, and COM
mend the report of the secretary and
the very important interests with which
it deals to the careful attention of o. a.
gress. The advantages to the pubic
service of an adherence tothe principles
Of civil service reform are constanti IL
more apparent, and nothing is SO en-
couraging to those in official life who
honestly desire good government as the
increasing appreciation by our people Of
these advantages.
"Then important public duties should
not be distracted by doling out minor
offices, and they are growing to be
unanimous in regarding party organi-