The evening times., 1896-12-07


| other similar items.
1he average revenue from each pound OF
first-ciass matter was 93 cents: From
| each pound OF second-cla IL mills.
| Tor the second-class 62,34s,297 was
bounty free matter.D From each pound
OF third.class, l3.l cents. From each
pound OF rourth-class, 1876 cents.
1he growth IN weight Of second-claSs
matter has been from 2S9, 900 900 pounds.
| m 1894, to 312,U0U 900 in 1885, and TO
| almost SI9 900, 900 IN 1896, and 1t is quite
evident tbis increasing drawback is far
outstripIing any possible growth OF postal
| as 10 meet the wants and even the CON
Teniences of our people at direct charge
upon them So light
ABUSE OF as perhaps To ex-
clude the idea OF
THE MAILS. our PUstoffice De-
partment being a
nloney-makinC concern, but in the face
or constantly recurring deficiency in
ITS revenues, and in view of the fact that
we supply the bestmail serviceinthc world,
IL seems TO me 1t rs quite time To correct
the abuses that swell enormously our an
nual deficit
Ii we concedc the public policy of carry
nE weekly newspapers free in the county
OF publication, and even the policy Of car
rytng at less than one-tenth Of their cost
other bona fide newspapers and periCdi-
Gals, there can be no excuse for ubicCting
the service To the further immense and in
credSinglosSinvo carrying at the nonIl-
nal rate OIL cent apuund the >criallibraries,
SOiIetltlSS lNClulliis trashy ana even HHrIi-
fni literature. ana other liter which. under
the loose Interpretation OF loose statute,
has been gradually given second class rates,
thus absorbing all profitable returns de-
rived from first class matter, Which pays
| three or four times IN ore than its cost. and
producing a large annual loss to be Paid
by general taxation.
If such scCOnd-C class matter paid merely
tie cost OF its handling, our deficit woulI
disappear, and surplus result which might
DE used To give the people still better
aff. l.aNta
postage. / recommend that legislation he
at once enacted to correct these abuses
and introduce better business ideas in the
regulation OF our postal rates
Experience and observation have demon
sirated that certain Improvements in the
organization of the PCstoffice Department
benefit of the immense SIMS expended In
its administration. THIS involves the fol-
lowing reforms, which l earnestly recon-
mend:
There should he snail addition to the
existing inspection service, to he em-
pioyed in the supervision OF the carrier
force, which now numbers $4,000 men,
and performs its service practically witt out
the ktrveillance exercised over all other
branches Of the postal or public service.
or course such a lack of supervision and
freedom from wholesome disciplinary Ic-
straints must eventually lead to imperfect
service. There should also be dppuinted
few inspectors who could assist the cen
tral office in necessary investigation CON
cernlng matters OF postufrice leases. post
office sites, allowances for rent, fuel. and
lights. and in organizing and securing the
best results from the work OF the ii 900
clerks now employed III first and second
class Offices.
1 ann convinced that the small expense at
tending the Inauguration OF these reforms
would actually be profitable invest nent
l especially recommend such "A r"castlng
OF tie appropriations by Congress for the
Postorfice Department as will permit the
Postmaster General to proceed with the
WORK or consolidating postoffces. This
work has already been crtercd Jpun sur
ricientiy TO fully demonstrate by expert
niept and experience that such cUnEollda-
ton is productive OF better service, larger
revenues and less expenditures, to say
nothing OF the further advantage 1r grad
uaily withdra wing postorfices from the
spots system.
The universal postal union, which now
embraces all the civilized world, and whose
delegates viii represent 200, ,0uO, 900 peo-
pie, VIII mold ITS lIJth
POSTAL UNION. eeHgress II the city
May, 1897. The United States may be
said to have taken the Initiative which
led to the first meeting OF this. congress
at Perne in SI1 and tine formation n the
universal postal union. which brings the
postal service of all countries to every man 8
neighhorhoOd and has wrought L arvels
in cheapenlng postal rates and seuring
absolutely safe mail Communcatinnth through
out tile world. Previous congresses have
met IN Berne, Paris, Lisbon and Vienna,
and the respective countries iii which tiey
have assembled have made generous pro-
vision for their accommodation End Tor
tile reception and entertainment of the
delegates.
in view of the importance of this assem-
blage and OF IFS deliberations, and of the
honorS and hGSDItalIties. accorded to cur
representatives by other countries on SINH
tar occasions. / earnestly hone that SGcn
an appropriation will be made for the eN-
penseS necessarily attendant upon the
coming meeting in our Capital City as viii
be worthy OF our national hosniiaiity and
indicative OF our appreciation of the event.
The work OF the Navy Department
and Its present condition are fully exhibited
In a report OF the Secretary. The construc-
ton of vessels for our
THE NAVY. new navy has been
cuted 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 progress
ing In manner highly satisfactory. IL
has been decided, however, to provide in
every shlpbuildlng contract that the builder
should pay all trial expenses, and IL has
also been Determined to pay no speed pre-
mlurns in future contracts. The premiums
recently earned, and some yetto BE decided,
are features OF the contracts made before
this conclusion was reached.
On March 4, 1893, there were in com
mission but two armored vessels-the dou-
ble-turreted monitors sMiantonomoh andMon-
terey. Since that date, of vessels thereto
fore authorized there have been placed in
their first commission three first-c!ass and
cruisers. one harbor-defense ram, and five
doubl le-turreted monitors, including the
Maine and the Puritan, Just completed.
Eight new unarmored cruisers andtwo new
gunboats have also been commissioned:
The Iowa, another battleship, viii he
completed about March l and at least four
more gunboats 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 else
where, and that such notable reductions
have been made in their cost Is to justify
the statement that quite number Of
vessels are now being constructed at rates
as low as those that prevail i'll European
shipyards.
Our manufacturing facilities are at this
time ample for all possible naval contin-
gencies. Three OF our government navy
yards, those at Mare Island, CAL, Norfolk.
Va. and Brooklyn, N. Y, are equipped for
shipbuliding: our ordnance plant in Wash
lngton is equal to any in the world, and at
tine torpedo station we are successfully
making the highest grades of smokeless
power.
Three firstclass private shipyartls. at
Newport News. Philadelphia and San Fran
cisco, are building battleships; eleven con-
tractors situated In the States OF NJ aine.
Rhode Island. Pennsylvania, New Jersey,
Washington. are constructing gunboats or
torpedo boats. two plants are manufactur-
ing large quantities of first-clasS armor,
and American factories are producing au-
rapid fire guns, and everything else nee
essary for the complete outfit of naval
vessels.
There have been authorized by Congress
since March. 1898, five battlesh hips, six
light-draft gunboats, sixteen torpedo boats
and one submarine torpedo boat. Contracts
Tor the building OF all of them have been
let. Tie Secretary pynreSSpS the onpi IN