Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-12-03
PARCELS POSTS.
Extension of This Service Advisable,
 Especially in Rural Delivery.


 Extensior of This Service Advisable,
 Especially In Rural Delivery.
 further commend to the congress the consideration of the postmaster generals recommendation for an ex- tension of the parcel post, especially on the rural routes. There are now 3S,215. rural routes, serving nearly 15,- 100000 people who do not have the advantages of the inhabitants of cities in obtaining their supplies. These rec concentrations have been drawn up to benefit the farmer and the country storekeeper. Otherwise I should not favor them, for I believe that 1t is good policy for our government to do everything possible to aid the small town and the country district. It is desirable that the country merchant should not be crushed out
 The fourth class postmasters' con- vention has passed very strong reso- lution in favor of placing the fourth class postmasters under the civil serv. ice law. The administration has all ready put into effect the policy of re- fusing to remove any fourth class post masters save for reasons connected with the good of the service, and it is endeavoring so far as possible to re- move them from the domain of parti. san politics. It would be most de- sirable thing to put the fourth class postmasters in the classified service. It is possible that this might be done without congressional action; but, as the matter is debatable, I earnestly recommend that the congress enact a law providing that they be included under the civil service law and put in the classified service.
 Oklahoma.
 Oklahoma has become a state, stand. ing on full equality with her elder sisters, and her future is assured by her great natural resources. The duty of the national government to guard the personal and property rights of the Indians within her borders remains of course unchanged. "a. .,..a.
 .-- Alaska. t .-.5l
 I reiterate my recommendations of last year as regards Alaska. Some form of local self government should be provided, as simple and inexpensive as possible. It is impossible for the congress to devote the necessary time to all the little details of necessary Alaskan legislation. Road building and railway building should be encouraged. The governor of Alaska should be giv- en an ample appropriation wherewith to organize a force to preserve the public peace. Whisky selling to the natives should be made felony. The coal land laws should be changed so as to meet the peculiar needs of the territory. This should be attended to at once, for the present laws permit in- dividuals to locate large areas of the public domain for speculative pur- poses and cause an immense amount of trouble, fraud and litigation. There should be another judicial division es- tablished. As early as possible light houses and buoys should be establish. ed as aids to navigation. especially in and about Prince William sound, and the survey of the coast completed. There is need of liberal appropriations for lighting and buoying the southern coast and improving the aids to navi. gation in southeastern Alaska. One of the great industries of Alaska, as of Puget sound and the Columbia, is salmon fishing. Gradually. by reason of lack of proper laws. this industry is being ruined. It should now be talk. en in charge and effectively protected by the United States government.
 The courage and enterprise of the citizens of the far northwest in their projected Alaska -Yukon-Paciic exposi. tion to be held in 1900 should receive liberal. encouragement. This exposi- tion is not sentimental in it's concep. ton, but seeks to exploit the natural resources of Alaska and to promote the commerce. trade and industry of the Pacific states with their neighboring states and with our insular possessions and the neighboring countries of the Pacific. The exposition asks no loan from the congress. but seeks appropria- tions for national exhibits and exhibits of the western dependencies of the general government. The state of Washington and the city of Seattle have shown the characteristic western enterprise in large donations for the conduct of the exposition. in which other states are lending generous as. sistance.
 Hawaii.
 The unfortunate failure of the ship. ping bill at the last session of the last congress was followed by the taking of of certain Pacific steamships, which has greatly hampered the movement of ,~~~n-.--- r.1S-- WT--1FF --E St,r