Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-12-06


that the army deserved that complete con-
| tidenee in its efficiency and discipline
which the country has at all times mani
Tested.
The President recommends the tenn
| porary revival Of the grade of lieutenant
Scholield, retired, as just and gracious
act.
| WORK OF THE SUPREME COURT.
The report of the Attorney-General, the
President says, notes the gratifying pro-
| gress made by the Supreme Court in over
coming the arrears Of Its business and in
reaching condition in which it will be
| able to dispose of cases aS they arise with
out any unreasonable delay. This result
is, of course, very largely due to the sue.
cessful working of the plan inaugurating
circuit courts OF appeals, In respect to
these tribunals the suggestion is made i'll
| quarters entitled to the highest consdera-
ton. that an additional circuit judge for
each circuit would greatly strengthen these
courts and the confidence reposed in their
adiudications, and that such an addition
would not create greater force of judges
than the increasing business of such courts
requires. | comment the suggestion 10
the careful consideration of the Congress.
The permanent solution of the Indian
problem is probably not to be expected at
once, but meanwhile such amelioratiops
| of present conditions as the existing system
| will admit of ought not to be neglected.
am satisfied there should be a Federal
court established for the territory with
sufficient judges and that this court should
| sit within the territory and have the same
| jurisdiction as to territorial affairs as is
now vested in the Federal courts sitting in
| Arkansas and Texas.
UNION PACIFIC REORGANIZATION.
| Another subject of pressing mament re-
| ferred TO by the encouragement Is the
reorganization of the Union Pacific Rail
| way Company, on a basis equitable as re-
CARDS all private interests and rs favorable
to the government as existing conditions
| will permit, The operation of a railroad
by court through receiver is an anoma-
lous state of things which should be
terminated OH all grounds. public and
| private, at the earliest possible moment.
| Besides not to enact the needed enabling
legislation at the present session postpones
the whole matter until the assembling of
u new Congress and evitably increases all
the complications of the situation, and
could not but be regarded as a signal fail
ure to solve a problem which has practi-
cally been before the present Congress
ever since organization.
THE PosroFFIcE DEFICIENCY.
The transactions of the postal service
indicate with barometric certainty the
fluctuations in the business of the
country. lnasmuch, therefore, as busi-
ness complications continued to exist
throughout the last year to an unforeseen
extent, it is not surprising that the de-
iiciency of revenue to meet the e&pendi-
lures of the postolfice department, which
was estimated i'll advance mt about SS, ,000.-
QUO, should be exceeded by nearly one and
quarter million dollars. The ascertained
revenues of the last year, which were the
basis of calculating for the current year,
. | Npj ha al urp
the Postmaster-general states that the
latest indications are SO favorable that he
confidently predicts an increase of at least
per cent in the revenues of the current
year over those of the last year. The e.;
penditures increase steadily and neces-
sarily with the growth and needs of the
country. so that the deficiency is greater
or less in any year depending upon the
volume of receipts.
The Postmaster-genera states that this
deficiency is unnecessary and might be
obviated at once II the law regulating rates
upon mail matter of the second class was
modified. The rate reserved for the trans
mission of this second,class matter is one
cent per pound, while the cost of such
transmission to the government IS eight
times that amount In the general terms of
the law this rate covers newspapers and
periodicals. The extensions of the mean
ing of these terms from time to time have
legitimate newspapers and periodicals u
surprising range of publications, and
created abuses the cost of which amount
in the aggregate to the total deficiency of
the Postotfice Department Pretended
newspapers are started for business houses
for the mere purpose of advertising goods
complying with the law in form only, and
disseminating the publications AS soon as
the period of advertising is over.
sample copies of pretended news
papers are issued in great numbers for q
like purpose only. The result is u great
loss of revenue to the government, besides
its humiliatlng use as an agency to aid in
carrying out the scheme OF business
house to advertise its goods by means of
Il trick upon both its rival houses and the
regular and legitimate newspapers. Paper
covered literature, consisting mainly OF
trashy novels, to the extent of many
thousands of tons is sent through the
mails at one cent per pound. while the
publishers OF standard works are required
TO pay eight times that amount in sending
their publications. Another abuse con
sists in the free carriage through the mails
of hundreds of tons of seed and grain use
lessly Distributed through the Department
of Agriculture. The Postmaster-gene
predicts that if the law be SO amended rs
TO eradicate these abuses not only will the
Postoilice Department show no deficiency
but ne believes that in the near future all
Legitimate newspapers and periodical mag
azines might be properly transmitted
through the mails to their subscribers free
of cost. | invite your prompt considera.
tion of this subject and fully endorse the
views of the Posmaster-general.
With reference to the report of the Sec
retary of the Navy, the President says;
THE NEEDS OF THE NAVY.
The estimates for the increase of the
navy for the year ending June Both, 1896,
are large, but they include practically the
entire sum necessary to complete and
equip all the new ships not now in COM
mission, so that unless new ships are
authorized the appropriations for the
naval service for the fiscal year ending
June 30th 1897, should fall below the esti.
mates for the coming year by at least
Sl2,00OuUO
The Secretary presents with much earn
estnoss pleafor the authorization of three
additional Dattleships and ten or twelve
, torpedo boats. While the unarmored YES
sells heretofore authorized, including those
now nearing completion, will constitute a
fleet, which it is believed is sufficient for
! ordinary cruising purposes in times of
! peace we have now completed and in pro-
cess of construction but four iirst-cass
battleships and but few torpedo boats, If
. we are to have navy for wArlike opera
tions, offensive and defensive,we certainly
ought to increase both the number of bat
J tleShlps and torpedo boats.
The manufacture of armor requires ex-
} penslve plant and the aggregation OF many
skilled workmen, All the armor necessary
to complete the vessels now building will
be delivered before the lst of June next.
: II no new contracts are given out, con-
tractors must disband their workmen and
their plants must lie idle. Battleships
! authorized ut this time would not be we'll
underway until late in the romin,s fiscal