The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1907-12-06

iHc tNlHN1HH COnultlOnB, CntCh PTOBTtb5
Ind Increase the cost and lengthen the
time of completing the canal.
President Recommends
Postal Savings Banks.
II commend to the favorable consid-
Grafton of the congress a postal saw
ings bank system, as recommended by
the postmaster general. The primary
object Is to encourage among our peo-
ple economy and thrift n by the use
of postal savings banks to give them
an opportunity to husband their re-
sources, particularly those who have
not the facilities at hand for depositing
their honey In savings banks. Viewed.
however, from the experience of the
past few weeks. II Is evident that the
advantages OF such an institution are
still more far-reachins. Timid depos-
itors have withdrawn their savings for
the time being from national banks; in
dividuals have boarded their cash and
the workingmen their earnings; all
of which none has been withdrawn
and kept in hiding or in the safe de-
posit box to the detriment of pros
perity. Through the agency of the pos
tai savings banks such money would be
restored to the channels of trade, to
the mutual benefit of capital and labor.
e" further m to the congress
the consideration of the postmaster
generals accommodation for an ex-
tension of the parcel post, especially on
the rural routes. There are now 49,
21b rural routes, serving nearly 10000
900 people, who do not nave the ad-
vantages of the inhabitants of cities in
obtaining their supplies. These recon-
mendations have been drawn UP to
benefit the farmer aad the country
storekeeper; otherwise. 1 should not
favor them. for 1 believe that 1t Is good
policy for our government to do every
thing possible to aid the small town
and the country district. 1t Is desirable
that the country merchant SHOULD not
be crushed out.
"The fourth-class postmasters' con-
vention has passed a very strong reso-
luton In favor of placing the fourth
class postmasters under the civil-serv-
Ice law. The administration has al
ready put into effect the policy of re.
fusing to emove n fourth-class post
masters save for reasons connected
with the good Of the service; and 1t is
e~ndeavoring so far as possible to re-
move them from the domain of partisan
politics. 1t would be a most desirable
thing to put the fourth-class postmas-
tiers in the classified service"
He renews his recommendations of
last year in regard to Alaska; calls at
tention to the admission OF Oklahoma
as a state; urges the Importance Of pro-
viding shipping relief for Hawaii; asks
for citizenship for Porto Ricans, and
promises submission of Secretary
Taft's report on Philippines when that
official returns.
He asks for the creation of a bureau
of mines; recommends the providing Of
n for preserving The Hermitage,
the home of Andrew jackson; and the
erection of a naval at
Vicksburg.
Corporation Contributions
to COmpaign Expenses.
Under our form OF government voting
is not merely a right but a duty, and,
moreover, a fundamental and necessary
duty II a man is to be a good citizen.
1t is well to provide that corporations
shall not contribute to presidential or
national campaigns. and furthermore to
provide for the publication of both con-
tributions and expenditures. There Is,
however. always danger in laws Of this
kind, which from their very nature are
difficult. of enforcement; the danger being
lest they be obeyed only by the honest.
and disobeyed by the INSCRIPTIONS, so
as to act only as q penalty upon honest
men. Moreover. no such law would ham,
per an INSCRIPTIONS man of unlimited
means from buying his own way into Of
flee. There Is a very radical measure
which would. I believe, work a substan-
tial improvement in our system of con-
Quoting a campaign. although I am well
aware that 1t will take some time for
people to so familiarize themselves with
such a proposal as to be willing to con-
slider its adoption. The need for collect
ing large campaign funds would vanish II
congress provided an appropriation for
the proper and legitimate expenses OF
each Of the great national parties, an APP
preparation ample enough to meet the
necessity for thorough organization and
machinery, which requires a large ex-
penditure of money. Then the stipula-
ton should be made that no party re-.
ceiving campaign funds from the treasury
should accept more than a fixed amount
from any individual subscriber or donor
and the necessary publicity for receipts
and expenditures could without difficulty
be provided"
Wants Improvement In the
Ocean Mail Service.
IT call your especial attention to the un.
satisfactory condition of our foreign mai
service. which, because of the lack OF
American steamship lines, is now largely
done through foreign lines, and which
particularly SO far as South m Contra
America are concerned, is done in a man
ner which constitutes a serious barrier
to the extensions of our commerce.
1.-THE time has come, in my judgment
to set to work seriously to make GU
ocean mail service correspond more
closely with our recent commercial ant
political development. A beginning wa.
MADE by the ocean mall act OF March 8
1891, but sven at that time the act wa.
known to be inadequate in various par
t~iculers. Since that time events hav,
moved rapidly In our history. We la
acquired Hawaii. the Philippines, ant
lesser islands in the Pacific. We ar,
steadily prosecuting the great work O.
uniting at the Isthmus the waters of tn,
Atlantic and the Pacific. To a CREATE
extent h q seemed probably even
dozen years ago we may look to al
American future on the sea worthy o
the tradition Of our past AS the frs
step in hat direction. and he step mos
feasible at the present time. I recommen,
the extension Of the ocean mail act o
1891. That act has stood for some year
free from successful criticism Of its prin
ciple and purpose. It was based on thee
ries Of the obligations Of q great mari
time nation. undisputed in our own LAM
and followed by other nations since tn
beginning of steam navigation. Brief,
those theories are, that 1t 10 the duty o
a frst-class power 30 far as practically
to carry its ocean mails under its owl
flag; hat the fast ocean steamships an,
their crews. required for such mail serv