New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-06

m trying situations. their willing sacrifices for
| their country, and the integrity and aplli. ny
with which they have performed o uhusu"' anu
In the organization If the volunteer d Ies ~ LIS
authorized by the act Of March Z, 1000, ~ We" ,
found that no provision had been maui ~
Che pains This omission was doubtless from IN
advertence. | recommend the early au,noiis 20
ton for the appointment or one chapra are
each of said regiments. These regiments az.
now In the Philippines, and 1t Is important 'ha'
immediate action be had
POSTAL SERVICE FOR THE COLONIES.
In restoring peaceful conditions, orderly rule
and civic progress In Cuba, Porto Rlco, anu, Do
far practicable, In the Phlipplhes' tne or
habiljtation of the postal service has been an
essential and important part or the W0rh. ~
became necessary to provide mai faclltles pVtn
for our forces Of occupation and for the native
population. To meet this requirement mas IN
yoived a substantial reconstruction Inc exist,
ing systems were fragmentary, detective ana
inadequate that q new and comprehensve I'VE, o.1
ganization had to be created. American trained
officials have been assigned to the directing anu
executive positions. while natives nave peen
chiefly employed in making up the DOdy OF tne
force In working out this plan the merit rule
has been vigorously and faithfully applied.
The appointment of Director General OF POSTS
of Cuba was given to an expert who had been
chief postoIice inspector and Assistant fos.o
master General, and who united large experience
with administrative capacity. For the post,
mastership at Havana the range Of skilled and
available men was scanned, and the choice tell
upon one who had been twenty years IN the ser
large city. This principle governed and deter
mined the selection of the American OHclals
sent not only to Cuba but to Porto tlco anu rhe
Philippines and they were instructed 10 Apply
Il so far as practicable In the employment Oh
the natives minor postmasters ana clerks
The postal system In Cuba, though remaining
under the general guidance OF the Postmaster
General was made essentially independent. ~
was felt that 1t should not be burden upon
the postal service OF the United States, and pro-
vision was made that any deficit in the postai
revenue should be a charge upon the senerai
revenues OF the island -,
| a different relation to the United states, yet
for convenience of administration. the same
principle OF an autonomous system has been ex-
tended to them. The development Of the SER
vice In all OF the Islands has been rapid and
successful. 1t has moved forward on American
lines with free delivery, money order and reg
stry systems, and has given the people man
facilities far greater and more reliable than
any they have ever before enjoyed; 1t IS thus
not only vital agency Of Industrial, social ana
business progress but an important influence IN
difusing just understanding Of the true spirit
and character Of American administration.
GROWTH OF DOMESTIC MAIL SERVICE.
The domestic postal service continues to grow
| with extraordinary rapidly. The expenditures
| and the revenues will each exceed AlOoOoo,UUO
during the current year. Fortunately, since the
revival of prosperous times the revenues nave
grown much faster than the expenditures, ana
there is every indication that a short period VIII
/ witness the obliteration Of the annual denct
In this connection the report Of the Postmaster
| General emDOdieS a statement OF Soiilc eN
| which have grown up outside Of the contempla-
ton of law in the treatment Of some classes OF
| mail matter which wrongly exercise the privilege
of the pound rate. and shows that If this matter
had been properly classified and had paid the
rate which il should have paid, instead or a pos
tai deficit for the last fiscal year of S6,6lO,tD,
there would have been on one basis surplus
of 81 I 637 so and on another Of 81, 133 S36 The
! reform thus suggested in the opinion or the
! Postmaster General would not only put tne
! postal service at once on self-sustalnlng OASIS
| hut would permit great and valuable improve
| ments and / commend the subject to the con-
| sideraton Of the Congress.
The Navy has maintained the spirit and hlgn
| efficiency which have always characterized that
! service, and has lost none of the gallantry IN
heroic action which has signazed its brilliant
! and glorious past. The nation has equal pride
| in it's early and later achievements. Its habltual
| readiness for every emergency has won the con-
| fdence and admiration of the country The peo-
pie are interested in the continued preparation
| and prestige of the Navy and will justify liberal
| appropriations for its maintenance and improve
| ment The officers have shown peculiar adapta-
! ton for the performance or new and delicate
duties which our recent war has imposed
It cannot be doubted that Congress will at
once make necessary provision for the armor
| plate for the vessels now under contract and
! building. Its attention Is respectfully called to
the report of tho Secretary Of the Navy, In which
the subject is fully presented. unite in his rec
| ommendation that the Congress enact such
special legislation as may be necessary to enable
! the Department to make contracts early in the
coming year for armor Of the best quality that
can he obtained in this country for the Maine
the Ohio and the Missouri. and that the proyl-
sion OF the act OF March ,, 1S09 limiting the price
of armor to $500 per ton be removed In the
matter Of naval construction, Italy and Japan,
of the great Powers. laid down less tonnage In
the year 1890 than this country, and Italy alone
has less tonnage under construction heartily
| concur In the recommendations for the increase
! of the Navy az suggested by the Secretary
Our future progress and prosperity depend
! upon our ability TO equal IL not surpass other
| nations in the enlargement and advance or
| science. industry and commerce. To invention
% t1an CT
TO the accomplishment Of such a result The at
tentiOn Of the Congress is directed to the report
Of the Commissioner of Patents, In which viii be
found valuable suggestions and recommended
lions
PENSIONS.
on the Both OF June 1899 the pension roll OF
the United States numbered 90l ,0l9. These IN
clude the pensioners OF the Army ana Navy IN
all our wars. The number added TO the rolls
! during the year 991. The number dropped
by reason OF death remarriage, minors by legal
limitation failure to claim within three years:
and other causes was AZ. 1S6. and the number of
claims dsallowed was 10I,919. During the year
S9,054 pension certificates were issued. of which
3IO77 were for new or original pensions. The
amount dsbursed for Army and Navy pensions
during the year was S13S,3j5,O 52 %, which was
81 Col 4Gl Gl less than the sum of the appropria-
tons.
The Grand Army OF the Republic at its recent
National Encampment held in Philadelphia, has
brought to my attention and TO that OF the Con-
gress the wisdom and justice OF a modification Of
the third section OF the act Of June -, 1890
which provides pensions for the widows Of off,
GERS and enlisted men who served ninety days or
more during the War Of the Rebellion and were
honorably discharged provided that such widows
are without other means OF support than their
daily labor and were married to the soldier
sailor marine on account of whose service they
claim pension. prior to the date Of the act
The present holding of the Department Is that
II the widows income aside from her daily labor
does not exceed in amount what her pension
would be. to wit. 500 per annum, she would be
deemed TO be without other means Of support
than her daily labor and would be entitled TO
pension under this act while If the widows in
come Independent OF the amount received by her
az the result of her daily labor exceeds 500 she
would not be pensionable under the act / am