Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-12-11

me c9ss Or malpssnance o. our murray 2! e..
work Of Constructing permanent infantry
and cavalry posts has been continued at
taPy e
that appropriations for barracks and quar-
ters, should more, strictly conform to tho
wishes and opportunities Of localities. II
vided for such construction should now be
allotted to the erection Of necessary quar-
ters for tho garrisons assigned to the coast
defenses, where many men will be needed
snns Is essential too 1 That early 9q pro
d r rasy t to saee s the 81
this service.
The Militia.
The organized militia numbers 112, $40 men.
ssy ana sssss sy a eRe
trseps to 81 asuas afsaS nd
ttany instances s they s arg SO deficient in
to aavs snf MRona hs% in
adsauately prepared for field service: I
that every ENCOURAGEMENT be given to
s stE1 ss SSay Of upn h es y0
ancs we must largely rely in time Of
Sea Coast Defenses.
been msde s t6Wsfd 1fs t eomp}stoa q tx tx
9, fer the sreeo and
yiding the material for submarine detenso
IN eonnecti2n with these works. It Is pecYl-
great advance. that has been made in this
Important. undertaking since the date Of
annIa m to the con
ssion, in December, 1888. AT that time In IN
ehe Of 81 Se o appos aaa
s;inch high power steel guns and rs Pinch
compared with the greet work remaining
to be done. Yet It was none the less q
he Of tbat to citizen zen
first installment Of the new ordnance Of
American design and American manufac-
ply from our own resources guns OF unex-
eelled power and accuracy; At that date.
rpdh he Ws to moan Hose Ss
for mOFIsars; ,,a Nor were al these smpiaes-
that time IN position for the defense Of the
guns astuay eompeted has been a
creased to q 12-lnch; Sc ten-inch; 81 eight
inch htgh-powsr breech,loading steel ten
tars. In addition there are in process of
construction Of one 16-inch type gun, 50 l2-
guns and 66 i2-inoh riaed mortars; in iii
s2S guns and mortars
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
20. 1885. II allowance is made for tmper-
SIGNATURES %sfe $50. 90, 2ee:s4. exclusive Of
flds railroad for trapsportation and cred
tied on their debt to the government; There
yous eas 81 Sses Or * the oan
and an increase Of expenditures Of $685..
!24o2 or Az per cent. The deficit was
year.
Abuse of second-Class Rates.
much less than that of the last and pre-
emphasizes the necessity for
81 second-ciass rates. to Which the aDd de-
mission at the rate OF one cent a pound
Of serial libraries, advertising sheets,
s6gs or
sample copies and the like ought certainly
Expenditures.
The remainder of our postal revenue,
boo, was derived from box rents, registry
ems The enre Of the
ti9n ,o credited to the Pacific railroads. was
So, II. which may be considered ~
the cost of receiving. carrying and delv-
ering the above mail matter. It thus APP
pears that though the second-class mat
ter constituted more than two-thirds of
the, total that was carried, the revenue
der I'VE from it was less than thirtieth
eaoh 81
Class, 81 nils of the s pd class ssss
pound Of third class, ISL cents. From each
pound Of fourth class. 1853 cents. The
Of %as 81 poanas n 49,
$4,000 900 in 1896, and It IS quite evident this
possible growth of postal revenues.
Abuses Must BE Corrected.
Our mail service should Of course be
as TO meet tine wants ans ana even the
charge upon them so light as perhaps to
exclude the Idea OF our post office DEPART
IN the face of a constantly recurring de-
hoiency IN Its revenues, and In view Of the
ea %or supg the best na fsfYes
to correct the abuses that swell enor-
mously our annual deficit. If we concede
papers free In the county OF publication.
and even the policy Of carrying at. less
de al and othe sra
be no excuse. for subjecting the service to
the further immense and increasing loss
Of one cent a pound the serial libraries,
sometimes including trashy and even
harmful litter th and other matter
loose statute. has been gradually given
second,elass rates. thus absorbing all
matter, which pays three or four times
more than Its cost. and producing a large
annual loss to be paid by general taxation.
tho cost of its handling our deficit would
might be used to give the people still better
: postage. I recommend that legislation be
at once enacted to correct these abuses and
Introduce better business ideas in the reg
ulation OF our postal rates.
: The Navy.
The work Of the navy department and Its
present condition are fully exhibited in the
report of the secretary. The construction
: getically prosecuted by the present admin
istration upon the general lines previously
adopted, the department having; seen no
DDS under which the work was found to be
progressing IN a manner highly satisfac-
vide in every shipbuilding contract that the
builder should pay all trial expenses, and
1t has also been determined to pay no speed
premiums in future contracts. The pre-.
miums recently earned and some yet to be
decided are features OF the contracts made
tins S9s hs was reaehed
turreted monitors Miantonomah and Mon.
fore authorized there have been placed 'p n
their first commission three tirst-class and
two second-class battle ships. two armor.t
double-turreted monitors, including the
Maine and the Puritan. Just completed
Eight new, armorea cruisers and two new
The Iowa, another battle ship, will be com
pleted about March I, and at least -four