The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-04

merely to Buffalo but to the United
States. The terrible tragedy of the
Presidents assassination interfered
materially with its being a financial
success. The exposition was peculiar
ly in harmony with the trend of our
public policy, because it represented an
effort to bring into closer touch all the
peoples of the Western hemisphere,
and give them an increasing sense of
unity. Such an effort was a genuine
service to the entire American public.
The advancement of the highest in
terests of national science and learning
and the custody of objects Of art and
of the valuable results of scientific eX-
petitions conducted by the United
States have been committed to the
Smithsonian Institution. In further
ance of its declared purpose-for the
increase and diffusion of knowledge
among men"-the Congress has from
time to time given it other important
functions. Such trusts have been ex-
ecuted by the institution with notable
fidelity. There should be no halt in
the work of the institution, in accord
ance with the plans which it's secre-
tary has presented. for the preserva-
ton of the vanishing races of great
North American animals in the Ma
tional Geological Park The urgent
needs of the National Museum are rec
commended to the favorable considera-
ton of the Congress.
Value of Public Libraries.
Perhaps the most characteristic edu-
cational movement of the past fifty
years is that which has created the
modern public library and developed
1t into broad and active service. There
are now over five thousand public
libraries in the United States, the prod
uct OF this period. In addition to ac-
cumulating material, they are also
striving by organization, by improve
ment in method, and hy' co-operation.
to give greater efficiclcy TO the mate
rial they hold, tc make it more widely
useful. and h. avoidance of unneces-
sary duplication in process to reduce
the cost of it's administration.
In these efforts they naturally
look for assistance to the Fed
eral library, which, though still the
Library of Congress, and so entitled,
IS the one national library of the
United States. Already the largest sim
gle collection of books ON the Western
Hemisphere, and certain to increase
more rapidly than any other through
purchase, exchange, and the operation
OF the copyright law, this library has a.
unique opportunity to render to the
libraries of this county-to American
cholarship-service of the highest i'm
portance. 1t is housed in a building
which is the largest and most magnifi-
cent yet erected for library uses. Re
sources are now being provided which
will develop the collection properly,
equip it with the apparatus and ser.
vice necessary to its effective use, rem
der its photograph work widely avail
able, and enable it to become, not
merely center of research but the
chief factor in great cooperative eff
forts for the diffusion of knowledge and
the advancement of learning.
A Permanent Census Bureau.
For the sake of good administration,
sound economy. and the advancement
of science, the Census Office as now
constituted should be made a perma-
nent government bureau. This would
insure better, cheaper and more sat
isfactory work, in the interest not only
of our business, but of statistic, eco
nomic. and social science.
The Postal Service and Second
Glass Mail Matter.
The remarkable growth of the postal
service is shown in the fact that its
revenues have doubled and it's expendi-
lures have nearly doubled within
bWtiNe y GdIS. It's progressive uGN6l-
opment compels constantly increasing
outlay, but in this period of business
energy and prosperity its receipts grow
so much faster than it's expenses that
the annual deficit has been steadily re-
duced from $11,411,779 in 1897 to 1928
727 in 1901. Among recent postal ad-
vances the success of rural free deliv4
cry wherever established has been so
marked and actual experience has
i l. 60 k1,a~. L.. L.
mand for its extension is general and
urgent.
1t is just that the great agricultural
population should share in the improve
ment of the service. The number of ru-
raj routes now in operation is $685.
practically all esta blished within three
years. and there are 5000 applications
awaiting action. 1t is expected that
the number in operation at the close
of the current fiscal year will reach s.
500. The mail will then be daily car
ried to the doors of $500, 900 of our peo-
pie who have heretofore been depend
ent upon distant offices and one-third
of all that portion of the country which
is adapted to it will be covered by this
kind of service.
The full measure of postal progress
which might be realized has
long been hampered and obstruc-
teQ DN Iue HedNy DuIfltIl llilpOS6u
on the government through the in
trenched and understood abuses
which have grown up in connection
with second class mail matter. The eX-
tent of this burden appears when it is
stated that while the second-class mat
ter makes nearly three -fifths of the
weight of all the mail. IL paid for the
last fiscal year only S4.294, 445 of the
aggregate postal revenue of $111 ,631 1893.
If the pound rate of postage which
produces the large loss thus entailed,
and which was fixed by the Congress
with the purpose of encouraging the
dissemination of public information,
were limited to the legitimate newspa-
pers and periodicals actually contem-
plated by the law, no Just exception
could be taken. That expense would be
the recognized and accepted cost of a
liberal public policy deliberately adopt
ed for a iustifable end. But much Of
the matter which enjoys the privileged
rate is wholly outside of the intent of
the law, and has secured admission
only through an evasion of it's require
ments or through lax construction.
The proportion of such wrongly in
cluded matter is estimated by postal
experts TO be one-half of the whole
volume of second-c class mail. If 1t be
only one-third or one-quarter. the mag
nitude of the burden is apparent The
Postofiice Department has now under
taken to remove the abuses so far as
is possible by a stricter application of
the law: and Il should be sustained in