The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-11
Chat Of De Capital City.
Time of Holding the National Democratic Convention
in -Bilion-Doar Nation.

spring rush. as is evidenced by the pres
ence along the water front of several
steamers and barges having combined
carrying capacity of nearly 5000 passen-
gers, which. for the first time in the his
tory of the country, are wintering this
far up the Yukon river.
1T Is now generally accepted that the
route to Cape Nome, via Dawson, will
bring the traveller to his destination fully
four weeks earlier than by the sea route.
This is based upon information given by
sea captains versed in the condition Of
the Ice In Boring sea and along the coast
between st. MichaeIs and Cape Nome
They assert that spring foes drive the Ice
of the Yukon river away from the
shore lines as far north as Cape Nome a
full month earlier than the pack ice In
Boring sea goes out. Another advantage
Is that those who so desire can get off
at Nulato and take the Indian trail across
the country to Cape Nome, which,
though more difficult, saves over 100 miles
Business In Dawson is very dull Many
restaurants and two hotels have been
forced to close their doors for want of
patronage. Prices remain about the same.
with apparently full lines of all staples"
A bill will be introduced in congress the
provisions of which are so drafted that
1t is believed 1t will encourage young
oOStOiS u enter the naval corps
OF the government. 1t Is stated that I'm
this corps there are always more va
cancies than candidates. This bill has the
approval OF Secretary Long. In sub
stance the bill proposes to increase the
rank Of assistant surgeons (the grade that
new men take on being commissioner to
that of Junior lieutenant, instead of con-
tluing 1t as ensign. which 1t has been
since the Civil war. One of the great,
DrQnTinaJIxv fha 1-,1x,
doctors have to joining the navy is that
their rank for the first year or two quar-
lers them In the steerage with the naval
CADETS and other junior officers The
promotion that follows Is rapid after
rev years of service, however Not since
the Civil war has the medical corps of
the navy had the full quota of officers
allowed 1t by law. There are always va
cancles In the lower grades, which the
navy department is unable to keep filed
unless there Is some change In the present
law.
Seven vacancies now exist, for which q
board Is waiting at the New York navy
yard to examine candidates who may ap-
ply Tor the service. Any young doctor
having good credentials may take this
examination. and IL he meets REQUIRE
ments the commission follows without the
exercise of political or other influences
IN fact the medical corps Is the only
branch OF the navy where one may enter
entirely on merit
The surgeon general hopes for the pas.
sage Of the bill increasing the rank OF
young assistants so that they may be
entitled to Wardroom messes Immediately
on entering the navy
Six vacancies in the grade of assistant
paymaster are also now at the disposal
OF the president, whose permission Is
necessary to take the entrance examina-
ton. Authority to be examined Is almost
equivalent to an appointment, for few
OF the candidates are. as rule, rejected
either mentally or physically. The
next examination for these places will
be held at the Washington navy yard In
March, and of the list Of 200 applicants
the president will choose a young man
for each place.
The postoffice department has developed
plan to simplify, perfect, extend safe
guard and expedite and thus popularize
the registry service in such a measure
as to bring about the use of this sys-
the people generally, for the transmits
sion of valuable matter The reasons for
seeking such a result are obvious
| The registry system is one of the most
| important and far-reachtng Of the. postal
| service, and in twenty-five years con-
gress has not been asked to allow any,
I thing for 1t but the recent appropriation
of $4,000 to pay the limited indemnity
for lost first-class matter
During the last fiscal year more than
ST. 600 900 of money were carried in the
registered mails for the treasury ana
postoffice departments alone. and fully
as much. If not more, for private indiYid-
uals and concerns. Indeed, at the pres
ent time, the system Is patronized by
none more than by the banks and money
ed institutions of the country.
Notwithstanding the fact that the sys-
tenn is In operation In every postoffice
in the country, upwards of 75.0oO in num-
Der. with their thousands Of stations and
substations, and that in large ma
jority of the small places 1t is absOlute-
ly the only means of sending remittances,
except in the ordinary malls, yet 1t Is
estimated that not one person in fifty.
outside of the business world, knows OF
It's advantages or has ever patronized
the service.
There are many millions of letters con-
tanning money or other valuable matter
sent in the ordinary mails every year.
These valuable unregistered letters are
the bane of the postal service, tempta-
ton to its employees, and the cause OF
thousands of fruitless expensive investiga-
lions, in many cases equally unSatis-
people whose letters have been lost.
stolen rifled or misdeliyered. The in
creased cost of the service herein recon-
mended will soon be saved In the de-
creased expenses for these Investigations,
not to mention the revenue which will ac-
crue from the greatly increased registry
business which Is sure to follow.
By proper effort and business manage
ment 1t is believed that a large majority
of these valuable letters now sent in
the ordinary mails may be gathered into
the registered mails, where every article
can be traced, and the department can
put it's hands on the men responsible for
any loss. Instead of the $4,000. 900 pieces
which were registered during the last
fiscal year, 1t is easily possible soon to
increase the number tenfold-to 160.000,000
and instead of more than $1,000,0G0 in
registry fees, which were received during
the last fiscal year. upwards of $4,000, 600
should be the revenue from this source.
With the facilities at Its command, the
department has already taken a step in
the registration of letters by carriers at
house doors, which promises substan-
tial increase in the registry business. and
there are other equally important meas
ures awaiting adoption when the proper
means to carry them out are provided.
The money order and free delivery
branches of the postal service, neither OF
which applies to half as many offices as
the registry service, are provided with
efficient superintendents and satisfac-
tory working force. The railway mail
service. too has its general superintend-
ent. assistant general superintendent and
a large and deservedly well paid corps
of superintendents and assistant superin-
tendents. Even the foreign mail office
has its superintendent and an adequate
force of capable subordinates.
The registry system alone is left under