River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-12-10

have resulted In reducing 70 a minimum
the cost OF maintenance OF our military es-
tabiishment. Daring the past year the
work of constructing permanent infantry
and cavalry posts mas been continued at
the places heretofore designated. The sec
rotary OF war repeats his recommendation
that appropriations for barracks and quar-
tiers should more strictly conform TO tic
needs OF the service, as judged by the de-
partment rather than respond 10 the
wishes and opportunities of localities. IL
is Imperative that much of the money pro-
allotted TO the erection OF necessary quar-
ters for the garrisons as I, 70 the coast
TO properly care for and operate modern
guns. II is essential, too. that early pro-
force Of artillery to meet the demands of
this service.
The Militia.
The orsaDizcd militia numbers 1f2,sTg men
The appropriations for It's support by the
several states approximate s2,s00,o00 an
nuaily, and 500 600 are contributed by the
general government. Investigation shows
these troops to be usually drilled and in
spired with much military interest, but in
many instances they are so deficient I'm
proper arms and equipment that sudden
cali to active duty would find them In
therefore recommend that prompt meas
ures be taken to remedy this condition ana
that every announcement he given 10
this deserving body OF unpaid and volun-
ance we must largely rely in time of
I trouble.
sea bcIense-
During the past year rapid progress has
| been made toward the completion of the
] scheme adopted for the erection and arma-
ment of fortiiications along our seacoast,
While equal progress has been made I'm pro-
yiding the material for submarine defense
| ID connection with these works IL is pecul-
r aFy sdVaHee hat has BEEN e made IN h his
| Important undertaking since the date OF
my annual message to the Fifty-third con-
gress at the opening of Its second scs-
sion, In December, 1898. At that time in
| formed the congress Of the approaching
| completion of Pinch, 20 10-inch and "a
S-inch high power steel guns and rs Pinch
| This total then seemed Insignificant when
! compared with the great work remaining
/ 10 be done. Yet IL was none the less a
source OF satisfaction to every citizen
when he reflected that IL represented the
| first installment of the new ordnance of
American design and American manufac-
| ture, and demonstrated our ability 70 sup
| ply from our own resources guns of unex-
| celed power and accuracy. At that da.e,
| however, there were practically no car
! riages upon which to mount those guns,
| and only 81 emplacements fer guns and O.
] for mOrtarS. Nor were all these emplacc-
ments in condition to receive their arma-
/ nent only one high-power gun was al
| that time in position fer the defense OF the
entire coast. since that Tune the number
| creased to q l2-inch; 80 ten-inch; 81 eight
| irch high-power breech-loading steel tea
| IL pid- fire suns and 81 l2-inch rifed NOR
tars. In addition there are in process OF
| construction of one l6-inch type gun, 81 ~
| inch. So ten-inch, q eight inch high-power
| guns ana 66 l2-Inch rined mortars; In all
| AS guns and mortars
During the same year Immediately pre-
| ceiling the message referred to the first
modeTn gun carriage had been completed
ard II more were in process of construc-
ton. All but one were of the non-disap-
| pearing type. These, however, were not
\ such as 10 secure necessary cover for the
| artillery gunners against the intense ilr1
OF modern machine rapld-nre ana hishc
power guns. The inventive genius OF
| ordnance and civilian experts has been
| taxed in designing carriages that would
| obviate this iault resulting, IL is believed.
| in the solution OF this diIfieult problem.
Since 1888 the number OF gun carriages con-
| structcd or building has been raised 10 q
| total OF 49, OF winch 30 are on the disap-
! pearing principle, and the number of NOR
| tar carriages TO l52, while the 70 emplace-
\ ments which were provided for PRIOR to
| that time have been increased to $50 built
and building. This improved situation Is
largely due to the recent generous response
| OF congress 10 the recommendations OF
the war department Thus we shall soon
| have compete about one-ntth OF the COM
prehensive system. the first step in which
1 was noted in my message to the congress
I Of December 4, 1893.
| The Postal Service.
| The post office department is In good
| condition, and the exhibit made of its OPP
| erations during the fiscal year ended june
| 90 1896, IL allowance Is made FOR imper-
fectons IN the laws applicable to it. Is very
year were $50, 499, 20S.40. The total ex-
| pcndltures were ss0,526 29s.Si. exclusive of
1 Sl.Atsf. - q, a
| cine railroad tor transportation and creu-
| tied on their debt to the government; There
was an increase o. d rsesipts oyer the pre-
| and an increase of expenditures of $685.
| l2i02, or 4.42 per cent. The deficit was
| 81, 67e, 956l9, less than that of the preceding
year.
Abuse of second Glass Rates.
The deficit for the last year, although
much less than that of the last and pre-
| ceding years emphasizes the necessity for
| laQfglufiDn correct the growing abuse
| of second-class rates, TO which the de-
! ficiency is mainly attributable The trans
| of serial libraries, advertising sheets,
house organs Bseriodieals , ady,e,rilising
| sample copies and the like Ought certainly
! to be discontinued.
Expenditures.
The remainder of our postal revenue.
! amounting to something more than S5,uUO-
coo, was derived from box rents, registry
| fees, money-order business and other SINH
! lar items. The entire expenditures of the
| ton credited to the Pacific railroads, was
| Sa2.l S6,t 1871, which may be considered As
| The cost Of receiving. carrying ana ueliv-
ering the above rail matter. 1t thus APP
| pears that though the second-claSs mat
| ter constituted more than two-thirds OF
| Tho totni that vas carried the revenue
| derived from il was less than one-thirtieth
/ of The total expense. The average revenue
20 cents. From each pound Of second
I class, Sl2 mills. (Of the second class 52,SfS,-
! la1 was cOuntN-1fee InatteIl. ETbIh Ndcn
pound of third class, 1871 cents. From each
pound of fourth class, l5.5 cents. The
/ growth of weight OF second-class matter
| has been from 2g9,000.000 pounds Ia 1894 to
| 3l2,o00O00 pounds In 1895. and to almost
Sis, 100000 In 1895, ard II Is quite evident this
| increa sing draw back Is far outstripping any
| possible growth of postal revenues.
Abuses Must BE Corrected.
| Our mail service should of course be
such as to meet the wants and even the
charge upon them SO light as perhaps to
| exclude the idea of our post office depart
ment being money-makinS concern; but
4 In the face OF q constantly recurring de-
| ficiency in its revenues, and in view Of the
| fact that we supply the best mail service
| to correct the abuses that swell enor-
| mously our annual deficit. III we Concede
the public policy OF carrying weekly news
! papers free I'm the county of publication.
| and even the policy OF carrying at less
! than onc-tenth of their cost other bona
| tide newspapers and periodicals, there can
| be no excuse for sub1ecting the service to
| the further immense and increasing loss
| involved in carrying at the nominal rate
sometimes 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 first class
| matter, which pays three or -FOUR times
more than its cost, and producing large
! annual loss TO he paid by general taxation.
4 the cost of its handling our deficit would
| disappear and a surplus result which
/ might be used TO give the people still better
4 mail facilities or cheaper rates or letter
1 postage ] recommend that legislation be
| at once enacted to correct these abuses and
| introduce better business ideas in the reg
ulation of our postal rates
| | especially recommend that such re-
| asting OF the appropriations by congress
/ for the post office department as viii per
I NIT the postmaster general to proceed with
| the work of consolidating post offices. This
| work has already been entered upon suftl-
| GENTLY to fully demonstrate, by expert
| ment and experience, that such consolida-
| ton is productive of better service, larger
| revenues and less expenditures, to say
| nothing of the further advantage OF gradu-
| ally Withdrawing post offices from the
| spells system.
| The Navy.
| The work of the navy department and Its
/ present condition are fully exhibited in the
| report of the secretary. The construction
| OF vessels for our new navy mas been ener-
! getically prosecuted by the present admin
| istration upon the general lines previously
/ adoDted the department having seen no
! necessity for radical change ia prior meth
! DDS under which the work was found to be
/ ugressing in a manner highly satistac-
! forV IL has been decided however, to pro-
| vide in every shipbuilding contract that the
/ builder should pay all trial expenses, ana
! IL has also been determined TO pay no speed
/ premiums i'm future contracts. The pre-
J miums recently earned and some yet TO be
/ decided are features of the contracts made
! before this conclusion was reached.
/ On March 4, 1898, there We're in com mis-
! sion but two armored vessels, the double
| turreted monitors Miantonomah and Mon
| terey Since that date, OF vessels thereto
/ fore authorized. there have been placed IN
| their first commission three frs class and