Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1896-12-08
THE MESSAGE.



tlon of the new system provided for by the
act OF May 20, 1so6,under which certain federal
officials are compensated by salaries instead
of fees
The new plan was put In operation on the
first day OF July 1885, and already the great
economy 1t enforces its prevention OF
abuses and its tendency to a better enforce
ment Of the laws. are strikingly apparent
Detailed evidence Of the usefulness OF this
long-delayed but now happily accomplished
reform will be found clearly set forth in the
attorney generals report
The growth in weight OF second class mat
ter has been from 299 900, ,00J pounds In 1891 to
100000 900 In 1885, and to almost $3.50 9000O 900 in
1896, and it is quite evident this increasing
drawback is far outstripping any possible
growth Of postal revenues.
Abuses Should be Corrected.
Our mail service should, of course, bo such
as TO meet the wants and even the convenien-
ces OF our people, at direct charge upon
them so light as perhaps to exclude the idea
OF our post ofIice department being money
making concern: but in tho face OF a constant
ly recurring deficiency in its revenues, and in
view OF the fact that we supply the best mail
service in the world, 1t seems to me IL is quite
time to correct the abuses that swell enorm-
ously our annual deficit II we concede the
public policy of carrying weekly news
papers free in the county of pub
iication, and even the policy OF carry
ing at less than one-tenth OF their cost
other bona tlde newspapers and periodicals
there can be no excuse for subjscting the SER
vice to the further immense and increasing
loss involved in carrying at the nominal rate
of one cent pound the serial libraries, some
times including trashy and even harmful
literature and other matter which under the
loose Interpretation OF loose statute, has
been gradually given second class rates, thus
absorbing all profitable returns derived from
Grct ola birh hrnp fnt
times more than its cost, and producing a
large annual loss to be paid by general taxa
tion.
II such second class matter paid merely the
cost OF its handling, our deficit would disap-
pear and surplus result which might be used
to give the people
Still Better Mail Facilities
or cheaper rates of letter postage, l recon-
mend that legislation be at once enacted to
correct these abuses ard introduce better
business ideas in the regulation of our postal
rates Experience and observation have dem
onstrated that certain improvements in the
organization of the post office department
must be served before we can gain the full
benefit of the immense sums expended in its
administration.
l ESPECIALLY recommend such recasting OF
the appropriations b. congress for the post
office department as will permit the postmas-
ter general to proceed with the work of con-
been entered upon sufficiently to fully demon
stratc, by experiment and experience, that
such consolidation is productive of better
service, larger revenues. and less expenditures
to say nothing of the further advantage OF
gradually withdrawing post Offices from the
spoilS system.
The Work of the Navy.
The work Of the navy department and its
present conditions are fully exhibited in the
report of the secretary.
The construction of vessels for our new
navy has been energetically prosecuted by the
present administration upon the general lines
previously adopted, the department having
seen no necessity for radical changes in prior
methods under which the work was found to
be progressing in manner highly satisfac-
tory. 1t has been decided, however, to pro-
vide in every ship building contract that the
builder should pay all trial expenses, and it
has also been determined to pay no speed pre-
mums in future contracts.
On March L. 1899, there were in commission
but two nrmored vessels the double turreted
monitors Miantonomoh and Monterey. Since
that date, OF vessels heretofore authorized,
there have boen placed in their first commits
sion three first class and two second class
battle ships, two armored cruisers, one har-
Dor defense ram, and five doubled turreted
monitors, including the Maine and the Puri-
tan, just completed
Eight new unarmored cruisers and two new
gunboats have also been comm iSsioned. The
Iowa, another battleship, will be com leted
about March |. and at least four more gun.
boats will be ready for sea in the early spring
1t is gratifying to state that our ships and
their outfits are believed to be equal to the
best that can be manufactured elsewhere, and
that such notable reductions have been made
in their cost as to justify the stateme mt that
quite number of vessels are now being con"
structed ct rates as low rs those that prevail
in European shipyards.
The Government Navy Yards.
Our manufacturing facilities are ut this time
ample for all possible naval contingencies.
Three OF our government navy yards those at
Mare Island, Cal. Norfolk Va, and Brooklyn
n. Y, are equipped for ship building. our ord
nance plant in Washington is equal to any in
the world ard at the torpedo station we arc
successfully making the highest grades OF
smokeless powder Three first class private
ship yards at Newport News, Philadelphia
and San Francisco are building battle ships;
eleven contractors, situated in the states OF
Maine. Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New Jer-
scy, Maryland, Virginia and state OF Wash
ington are constructing gunbonts or torpedo
boats.
Two plants are manufacturing large Quanti-
ties of first class armor, and Am erican factor
les are producing automobile torpedoes, pow
DER, prujectiles. rnpid-tire guns, and every
thing else necessary for the complete outfit OF
naval vessels
There have been authorized by congress
since March, 1898 five battle SHIPS six light
draft gnnh1lts, sixteen torpedo boats and one
submarine boat Contracts for TIE building
o; all of them have been let. The secretary
expressed the opinion that we have for the
present sufficient supply OF cruisers and
gunDoats and that hereafter the construction
Of battle ships ana torpedo boats Will supply
our needs
The Interior Department..
The report OF the secretary Of the interior
presents comprehensive ana interesting ex-
hibit OF the numerous and important affairs
committed to his supervision.
The money appropriated on account of this
department for its disbursement for the fiscal
year ended June 80, 1896 amounted to more
than Slj7OJ) 90, or greater sum than was
appropriated for the entire maintenance OF
the government for the two fiscal years ended
June 20, 1861,
Our public lands, originally amounting to
I,s4O,O0 1000 acres have been so reduced that
only about 6JO0J0,OOJ acres still remain in
government control, excluding AlIsha The
balance, being by far the most valuable por-
tion, nas been given away to settlers, to nc "
states and to railroads or sold at a compara-
lively nominal sum
1 agree with the secretary that the remain
der Of our public lands should be more care
fully dealt with and their alienation guarded
by better economy and grcatenprudence.
The commission appointed from the mem-
bership OF the national academy of sciences,
provided for by an act Of congress to formu-
- r