The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-12-08
ANNUAL MESSAGE.


rler force, WniCn now numbers ld,OOO
men. and performs its service prac-
Ideally without the surveillance cxcr-
eised over all other branches Of tho
postal or public service. or course, such
u lack Of supervision and freedom
from wholesome disciplinary restraints
must inevitably lead to imperfect SER
vice. There should also b. appointed Il
few Inspectors who could assist the
central office In necessary investigation
CONCERNING matters OF pOstoillce leases,
p~1stoflce sites. allowances FOR rent ,fucl,
and llghtS,an In organizing and sccur-
Ing the best results from the work NJ
the 1900 clerks now employed IN trst
and second class offices.
| am convinced that TIN email cN.
persc attending the innugurntiIns OF
iltnble Investment. ] especially econ
mend such a rc-caStlng Of the npprO-
priatlons hy Congress for che nOStOt-
i!cc debt, as will permit the postmaster
general to proceed with the work or
consolidating postOilccS, This worN has
already been entered upon sufficiently
TO fully demonstrate by experiment and
experience that such consolidation IS
productive OF OCttCr service, larger
revenues, and less expenditures, to say
nothing OF the further advantage of
gradually Withdrawing postoilceS from
the spells system.
The universal postal union, which
now embraces all the civilized world,
and whose delegates will represent L.
O00,O 900 people Will hold It's iltth
Congress In the city OF Washington, In
May 1897, The United States may be
said 10 have taken the Initiative, which
led to the first meeting NJ this Com
Errss at Berlin, In 1871. and the forna-
ton Of the universal postal union, which
brings the postal service OF all cOun-
tries TO every mans nrlghborh0Od and
has wrought marvcls in ChcapcniuG
postal rates and securing absolutely
safe mail communication throughout
the world.
The New Navy.
The construction OF vessels for our
new navy has been cncrgetically prose-
cuted by the present administration
p o the general lines previously
adoptcd.th department having seen no
necessity for radical changes In prior
methods under which the work was
found to be progressing In 4 marncr
highly satisfactory. II had beer decii-
ed, however, 10 provide In every ship
building contract that the builders
should pay all trial expenses. and IL has
also been determined 10 pay no speed
premiums In future contracts. TIL.
premiums recently earned and some
yet to be decided. are features OF the
contracts made before this conclusion
was reached.
On March 1, 1898. there were In COM
mission but two armored vessels. the
double turretel monitors, N!antonO-
iuOh and Monterey. Since that date, Of
vessels heretofore authorized, there
have been placed In their first commits
sion three t!rSt-claSs and two second
class hattlcships. two armored cruis-
ers. ono harbOr defense ram. and five
double turrctcd monitors. including the
Maize and the Puritan, Just completed.
Eight new unarmorcA cruisers ard
two new gun boats have also been COM
missioned. TIE Iowa, another battle
ship, will be completed about March /.
and 1T least four mOCc suuboatS will
he ready for sea In the early spring. II
Is gratifying to state that our ships
and their outfits are believed to he
equal 20 the best that can be- 4 n
featured elsewhere, and that such no.
table reductions have been made In
theIr cost. as 10 Justify the statement
that quite n number OF vessels are now
being constructed n; rates rs low as
those that prevail in European ship
yards.
Our manufacturing facilities prA ct
this time ample for all possible naval
contingencies. Three OK our govern
ment navy yards. those al Mare Island.
California, Norfolk. Va, and Brooklyn.
y. Y. are equipped FOR s~hlp-bulldinE,
cur ordinance plant in Washington Is
equal 10 any In the world. and at the
torpedo station We are successfully maxi
ing the highest grades OF smokelesS
pOwder. Three tirst-class private ship
yards. AZ SepOrt News. Philadelphia n
San Francisco. are building battle ships:
even contractors situated In the states
OF Maine. Rhode Island, Pennsylvania.
New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia. and
the state of Washington. are construct
ing Sun-boats or torpedo boats. Two
plants are manufacturing larG" Qu2Dtl-
ties OF iirst-CiasS arnlOT, and American
factories are producing automobile tor
pcd0es, powder. prOJtCt!leS, r7pl1-ire
guns, and everything else necessary ior
the complete outfit Of naval vessels.
There have been authorized by Con-
Sress since March. 1899. 1--WE bnttlc-
ships, six iICht-draft g~un-bOlts. sixteen
torpedo bolts and one submarine tOrpe-
do boat. Contracts for the building Of
all OF them have been let. Thu Sccreta-
~ expresses the opinion thlt we have
for the present a sufficient supply "
cruisers and %gunbOats, and thai hcreaf-
ter the construction o, bnttlcshlpS u
torpedo boats will supply ouC needs.
The war college has developed into mn
institution which II Is believed Will b" OF
Ercat value 10 the navy. In teaching fhG
science Of war. as well IS In stimulating
professional zeal in the navy. and II
will be especially useful in the dcT'sinS
/. of plans Tor the utilization. in case OF
necessity. OF all the naval r"snurc"s Of
the United States.
The 1eCrctory has p"rsl';catly ndier-
cd TO the plan he found in operation for
securing labor AZ nav yards, trough
boards nf labor employment, and has
done much 10 make !; more complete
and efficient.
Interior iIrpNrfniriit.
The report Of tn" secretary of tn" In
tcrIor presents a Compreh"nSiv" and In
tercstinS exhibit OF The numerous and
important AFFAIR." committed to his su-
pervisIon. It l6 impossible In thIs com
m]unIcition to do NOR. han briefly refer
10 a few OF the subjects concerning
which the secretary gives full -HI IN
gtructivG Information.
The money appropriated on account
OF this department and FOR It's disbuTsG-
mrnt for The fiscal year ended June 80.
1896, amounted to more than SlJI ,OhD.-
900, or a greater sum thaa was uppro-
PIRATE fpr Tn" entire maintenance OF the
government for the two ii5CIi years
ended June 70, 1851.
Our pIhllC lands. originally mount
inE 10 l.SiO.0OU. 900, go aCros. have been
80 reduced that only nhout 600, 900 900
acres Sill remain in government con-
trnl. excluding Alaska. Tn" balance,
- -. a. Na4a 1l = art. "a