The record-union., 1894-02-23
The Mayors remarks were greeted
JUDGE M'KENNA's ADDRESS.

! &AlIbi Il l0TN44 anu very elOt ueul 1ItFp-
cation hy Rev. A. c. Herricl, and the
| playing Of Hail Columbia" by the band.
Mayor Steinman Introduced Judge Jo-
! seph Mckenna, who, as Congressman
! from this district, was mainly lnstru-
! mental III securing adequate approprla-
| tlons for the Government building. de
was received with much enthusiasm, as
Sacramentans have always held for him
a warm place in their hearts.
MT. President Ladies and FellO1U-
Citizens: 1t is said by Carlyle. in his
work 'The French Revolution" that "of
| mans whole terrestrial possessions and
attainments, unspeakably the noblest are
his symbols divine. or divine seeming,
under which he marches and fights with
victorious assurance in this life's battle
what we call his realized ideals"
We catch some evidence of this to-day.
| The greatest value of the beautiful build
| ing whose completion we celebrate, the
| noblest sentiment it eXcites in US, is that
| it represents the Nation-the symbol
and realized ideal of our political free
| dom.
We are truly citizens of the United
| States to-day. In this building we are,
in sense. on National territory. and here
| the State sovereignty deferS to the SOW
ereignty of the Union.
Had l the ability and were it my office,
| this consideration could be expanded to
| t16 1uSLTuCLIOH Vi dlI O1 us, 0SpSciaI1y iD0
! young people, and the day is auspicious,
too. What day more 50 than the birthday
Of Washington-nOble gentleman, soldier
and patriot. whose character makes ali
! others lusterlesS; whose name has be-
come, too, symbol, as precious posses
| sion, as true an inspiration, as the flag we
| love.
But / may not dwell on this. I have
accepted the humble duty OF speaking Of
| the anurOnriafjnnS which am bodied
in this office. But it seems very useless
| TO do so, indeed, invidiOuS, and | may say
| Tor the gentl0men who obtained the first
ppropriation-aRd in that was the greater
| merit-lil1e most first steps, the difficult
| one, | may say for them, and also for my
| self and immediate colleagues in the Sem
| ate and House, that if we felt pride in
success it was only because it served you
| who trusted and honored us. This was,
! OF course, and as it should have been. 1t
! is now Of no consequence. The import
! ant thing is that Sacramento succeeded
and is TO be congratulated. Few towns of
even greater population have been given
so finished and beautiful building-a
| service and an ornament. But l turn
! from this to other considerations.
Some functions of government-eXecu-
| tive functions-are harsh in their exer-
else. The postal function, if l may so
| call it, is wholly benefcent. The postal
! SERVICE" General Wanamaker aptly and
| beautifully said, sis the Governments
! kind hand protecting and promoting the
correspondence of the people," And it
! is done so silently that we do not often re-
| fleet on its eXtentand efficiency. 1t makes
no parade, no noisy signaling which her.
| aided the progress of the royal mail coach
in the olden time, and yet it's instruments
are the sWitteSt steamers and fastest rail-
way trains.
A contrast of its condition now with its
condition at the beginning of the Govern
| ment Is, OF course, but a contrast of the
country at two periods, and yet 1t is Curl
Gus.
In 17I0 the first postoffices were estab-
| lished IN the Colonies. In $780, fourteen
years after the Declaration of Independ-
! ence, the number of offices was 81. In
1898 the number of Offices was 7,SS4. In
! 1890 the extent of routes in miles was
! 1875. In 1893, 450, ,49l. A great system
has grown up with a chief-a Cabinet
officer in Washington-and an army of
PoStmasters, and about every means of
| conveyance for instrumentalities, and it
is practically self-sustaining. The esti-
mated cost of it in 1893 was $50, ,399 900. l
omit the odd hundreds. Estimated rev.
| enue, $50, ,l2I 600, a deficiency of only
| S276, 49l.
l have said it was wholly beneficent in
its function and good; as it is q demand
is heard for more. SWifter service is the
constant and increasing demand of the
! people Swift special mail trains are be-
coming too slow. Faster, faster is the de-
mand. Messages of business, messages
of friendship, dissatisfied with steam, are
| demanding the lightning. They demand
| the telephone and the telegraph and will
secure both when in proper subOrdina-
ton to private rights they can be given.
But it is also claimed that the benefits
Of l1nv aJ 1A+ c.t<
sisting the correspondence of the people;
it may be used to guard their savings as
well. AS fast as we pride ourselves we
| are, we lag somewhat behind the world.
OF all the great Powers, the United States
and Germany alone are without postal
savings systems. Its success in those
countries makes desire for it here, and
it would seem that a Government by the
people and for the people would be the
first to adopt any good thing for the peo-
pie.
know the argument against it. 1t al
ways Will be question what the Govern
ment should do and what it should not,
but at any rate at least one Postmaster
General, trained, maybe, in the practi-
cability of these institutions, has recon-
mended postal telegraphy and postal
saving banks.
You see, my fellow-citizens, what your
building may have to accommodate or
be made to accommodate-wh possibili-
ties are suggested by IL.
Besides The Postofice, the building is
adapted to provide for the Land Office
and Weather Bureau. In these, again,
the National Government touches US
with blessings, and there is felt no draw
back if there is also taxing department,
as il does not burden our good works or
our good habits. My tellow-citiZens. [
am glad to be with you to-day. L under
| / H. ii.
tional building is original with you, and
it is a beautiful and instructive one. In
structive to the young; indeed, instruct
i've to the old. Love of the Nation, love
of the Union, cannot be too often ex-
horted. 1t refines and elevates patriot
ism as religion refines and elevates
morality-givlng it a noble aspect Sac
ramento has set good example. 1t is
sure to be followed.
The band played 1.-The Red, White land
Blue" and at its conclusion Mayor Stem
man introduced Governor Ii. Ii. Mark
ham. When the prolonged cheering that
greeted the Governor had subsided he
spoke as follows:
ADDRESS OF GOVERNOR MARKHAM.
Mr.. President, Ladies and Gentlemen,
FeEIO1C-citisenS While listening TO the
distinguished gentlemen who have pre-
ceded me, and while scanning the faces of
this large assembly, was impressed with
thoughts that, could they be conveyed to
you at this time, would, l am sure, in
spire every man, woman and child in
hearing Of my voice with a spirit ofpatri-
otism equal TO that possessed by the most
ardent lover of American liberty.
When | gaze into the happy faces of
| these young children, who have their lives
all before them, l am indeed thankful
for them that their lot has been cast in a
country like ours; yes, in a country
where the fundamental laws and princi-
pies of government are so just and hu-
! mane: where by common consent oil are