The evening times., 1896-12-07
CLEVELAND TO CONGRESS
Continued from Third Page.

-four for mortars. Nor were :lll these eni-
placements in condition to receive their
armament. only one higl- )owcr gun was
at that time In position for the defense OF
the entire coast.
Slice that time the number OF guns
actually Completed has been Increased 70
total OF twenty one twelve-incn. ffty-
ten inch, sixty-on eight-inch high power
breech loading steel guns, ten RAPID flre
addition there are in process OF construction
one slNteen-inch type gun, fifty twelve
inch. fifty ten-inch, twenty-seven eight
inch high power guns, nd siNty-siX twelve,
inch rifled mortars; in all 42S guns and
mOrtars.
During the same year Immediately pre-
cedlng the message referred to, the first
modern gun carriage had been completed
ana eleven more were in process or con-
struction. All but one were OF the non
disappearing type. These, however, were
not such as to secure necessary cover Tor
the artillery Sunners against the intense
IRE nf modern machine rapid lire ana hish
power guns.
The inventive genius of ordnance and
civilian expert S has been taxed indesirning
carriages that would oDviate TINS fault,
resulting, it is Ielived, in the sclution or
This difficult problem. Since 1898 the
number OF gun carriages cons rGctcd or
building has been raised to total or l29,
OF which ninety arc on thedisappearingprin
ciple, and the number OF II ortar carriages
TO 152, while the nincty-fivc emplace-
menis which were provided for PRIOR 70
;hat time have been increased to 2so, built
This improved situat on is largely due
Ia the recent genci ons response of Congress
% the rec concentrations of the War Bcpart-
ment. Thus we shall e on have complete
abou: fifth of the comprehensive SyS-
TEN, the first step in which was noted inmy
message TO the Congress of December 4,
1898
When II is understood that masonry en-
placement not only furnishes platform for
the heavy, modern, high-power gun. nut
also in every particular serv the purpose
and take the place of the fort Of former
days. the Importance Of the work accom-
pliShed is better comprehended.
In the hope that the work Will be prose
cuted with no less vigor in the future.
The Secretary of War has submitted an
estimate by which. If allowed, there will
be provided and either built or building by
the end OF the next fiscal year, such addi-
uonal guns, mortars. gun carriages. and
empiacements as Will represent not far
from one-third OF the total work to be
done under the plan adopted for our coast
derenSes. thus affording prospect thatthe
entire work will be substantially completed
within six years. In less time than that
however. we shall have attained a marked
degree OF security. The experience and re-
suits Cfthe past year demonstratethaty yith
a continuation of present careful methods
the cost of the remaining work Will be
much less than the original estimate.
We should always keep in mind that OF
all forms OF military preparation. coast
defense alone is essentially pacific in It's
nature. Willie il gives the sense OF Sc
curity due 10 consciousness or strength
: II Is neither the purpose nor the effect OF
In foreign complications, but rather to
guarantee us against them. They are not
tcmntation to war, but security against
it, Thus they are thoroughly in accord
with all the traditions of our national
diplomacy
ire Attorney General presents q detailed
and interesting statement Of TIE important
work done under lis supervision during
the last fiscal year.
The ownership and management by the
Of r,.
finement of those convicted in United
States courts of yiO-
FEDERAL latiOnsor fedcr2llaws,
when tor many y"dTs
PRISONS. has been ubJect of
executive rccoinmen-
datioD, has at last to Il slight extent Teen
realized by the utilization OF the abandoned
military prison at Fort Leavenworth as a
United States penitcntiary.
This is certainly a movement in the right
direction. but IL ought TO be at once sup
pieme by the rebuilding or extensive
enlargement of this improvised prison and
the construction of at least one more to be
located IN the Southern States. The ca
pacityor the Leavenworthp penitentiary is so
limited that the expense of its maintenance
calculated at n per capita rate upon tie
number OF prisoners 1t can accommodate,
II would If 1t were larger and better adpted
To prison purposes: but am thoroughly
convinced that economy, hum anity, nd Il
proper sense OF responsibility and duty
toward those whom we punish for viola
tlOns OF Federal law dictate that the Fed
erai government should have the entire
control and management of the peniten-
ilaries where convicted violators are con-
fined.
II appears that since the tra nsfer Of the
Fort worth military prison 10 its
new uses the work previously done by pris-
oners confined there, and for which cX-
pcnSlve machinery has been provided has
been discontinued. This work consisted OF
the manufacture OF articles for army use,
now done elsewhere; on all grounds 1t is
exceedingly desirable that the conyicts
confined in this penitentiary he allow
To resume work OF this description.
1t Is most gratifying TO note tie satiS-
factory results that have followed the in
aGguration OF the new system provided for
by the act Of MAY 2S,
FEES CUT OFF. 1896. under which
certain federal Of
ricIaIS are compensated by salaries instead
OF lees. The new plan was put IN opera
ton on the l st day of July, 1886, and al
ready the great economy It enforccs. its
a better enforcement OF the laws, are
sIrlkingly apparent. Detailed evidence
or the usefulness OF this long delayed but
now Happily accomplished reform viii be
found clearly set forth in the Attorney
Generals S report.
our Postoffice Department is in good
condition, and the exhibit made of its
operations during the fiscal year ended
June 80, 1896, If al
POSTOFFlCES. lowance is made Tor
imperIections in the
laws applicable to it. is very satisfactory.
The total receipts during the year We're
So, 4S9 ,20S 40. The total expenditures
We're $50, ,626, ,296.S4. exclusive of ST.
900 ,SSS.27, which was earned by the
PacllIc Railroad for transportation and
credited on their debt to the government.
There was an increase of receipts over the
previous year of S5,516 6,0SO.21. or IL
per cent. and an increase of expenditures
OF S3,S36, 124.02, or Alp per cent The
deficit was 81 ,679 9,956.19 less than that
OF the preceding year.
Inc Cnief expenditures OF the postal ser
vice are regulated by law and are not IN
the control OF the Postmaster General, All
that he can accomplish by the most watch
rul administration and economy is to en-
force prompt and thorough collection and
accounting forpublic none vs. and such minor
ung those contracts for postorfice sup
pies and star service which are not regu-
lated by statute.
An effectlve cooperation between the
AUDITORS orIlce and the Postofrice Depart
nent, and the making and enforcement of
orders by the department requiring lnime
dldte notification to their suretieS of all
deilnquencies on the part of postmasters,
and compelling such postmasters TO make
more frequent deposits of posta funds, nave
resulted In a proinpter auditing of their ac-
counts and much less default to the govern
menl than heretofore.
The years report shows large extern
slons or both star route service and railway
mail service, with increased postal ia
cIlilies. Much higher accuracy in hand
ling mails has also been reached, as appears
service and the reduction of mail matter
returned to the dead letter office.
The deficit for the last year, although