Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1901-12-05

conducted by the United States have been
committed to the Smithsonian institution.
In furtherance of it's declared purpose
Tor the increase and diffusion of kncwl-
edge among men"-the congress has from
time to time given it other important
functions. Such trusts have been exc
cuted by the institution with notable fidel-
sty. There should be no halt in the work
of the institution, in accordance with the
plans which its secretary has presented,
for the preservation of the vanishing
| races of great North American animals in
the National Geological park The urgent
needs of the National museum are rec
commended to the favorable consideration
of the congress.
Perhaps the most characteristic edu-
cational movement of the past fifty years
! is that which has created the modern
public library and developed it into broad
and active service. There are now over
5000 public libraries In the United States
the product of this period. In addition
to accommodating material. they are also
striving by organization. by Improvement
in method and by cooperation to give
greater efficiency to the material they
hold. to make it more widely useful and
by avoidance of unnecessary duplication
in process to reduce the cost of it's ad-
| ministration.
In these efforts they naturally look for
assistance to the federal library, which.
though still the library of congress and
so entitled is the one national library
of the United States Already the largest
| single collection of books on the western
hemisphere and certain to increase more
rapidly than any other through purchase,
| exchange and the operation Of the copy
| right law, this library has unique oppor-
| tunity to render to the libraries of this
| country-to American scholarship-Service
| of the highest Importance 1t Is housed
| in building which is the largest and
most magnificent yet erected for library
uses. Resources are now being provided
| which will develop the collection properly,
equip it with the apparatus and service
necessary to its effective USE render it's
| photographic work widely available and
| enable it to become not merely center of
| research, but the chief factor in great CO.
| operative efforts for the diffusion of
knowledge and the advancement of learn
| ing.
For the sake of good administration,
| sound economy and the advancement of
science the census Office as now con stitut-
ed should be made a permanent govern
ment bureau. This would insure better.
| cheaper and more satisfactory work in
| the interest not only of our business, but
Of statistic, economic and social science.
The Postal Service.
The remarkable growth of the postal
| service is shown in the fact that it's rev.
| enues have doubled and it's expenditures
have nearly doubled within twelve years,
| Its progressive development compels con-
stantly increasing outlay, but in this Pc
Rod of business energy and prosperity its
| receipts grow SO much faster than its ex-
| penses that the annual deficit has been
| steadily reduced from S11, All, 779 in 1897 to
| So, 92S III in 1901. Among recent postal adj
| vances the success of rural free delivery
| wherever established has been SO marked
! and actual experience has made its bene-
| fits SO plain that the demand for its ex-
| tension Is general and urgent.
1t is just that the great agricultural
population should share in the improve
ment of the service. The number of rural
routes now in operation is 6,009, practical
ly all established within three years, and
there are 5000 applications awaiting ac-
ton. 1t is expected that the number in
operation at the close of the current fiscal
be daily carried to the doors of 5. 700, 900 of
our people who have heretofore been de-
pendent 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
burden imposed on the government
through the intrenched and well under
stood abuses which have grown up in con-
nection with second class mail matter.
The extent 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, it paid for the last fiscal
year only $4,294, AS of the aggregate postal
revenue of Sill, 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 newspapers
and periodicals actually contemplated by
the law, no just exception could be taken.
That expense would be the recognized and
accepted cost of liberal public policy de-
liberately adopted for a justifiable end
But much of the matter which enjoys the
privileged rate is wholly outside of the
intent of the law and has secured admis-
sion only through an evasion of its re-
quirements through lax construction
The proportion of such wrongly included
matter is estimated by postal experts to
be one-half of the whole volume of second
class mail. If 1t be only one-third or one
quarter, the magnitude of the burden is
apparent The postoffice department has
now undertaken to remove the abuses so
far as is possible by stricter application
OF the INV. anu II SilOulu ne SuStdAhSu III
it's effort.
The Chinese Situation.
Owing to the rapid growth of our power
and our interests on the Pacific, whatever
happens in China must be of the keenest
national concern to US.
The general terms of the settlement of
the questions growing out of the antifor-
eign uprisings in China of 1900, having
been formulated in joint note addressed
to China by the representatives of the in
jured powers in December last, were
promptly accepted by the Chinese govern
ment. After protracted conferences the
plenipotentiaries of the several powers
were able to sign final protocol with the
Chinese plenipotentiaries on the 7th of
last September, setting forth the meas
ures taken by China in compliance with
the demands of the joint note and ex-
pressing their satisfaction Herewith. 1t
will be laid before the congress. with re-
port of the plenipotentiary on behalf of
the United States, Mr.. William Woodville
Rockhill. to whom high praise is due for
the tact, good Judgment and energy he
has displayed in performing an exception
ally difficult and delicate task.
The agreement reached disposes in
manner satisfactory to the powers of the
various grounds of complaint and will
contribute materially to better future re-
lations between China and the powers
Reparation has been made by China for
the murder of foreigners during the up
rising. and punishment has been inflicted
on the officials, however high in rank
recognized as responsible for or having
participated in the outbreak Official ex-