Gilpin observer., 1907-12-05

time of completing the canal.
President Recommends
Postal Savings Banks.
Il commend to the favorable consd-
Grafton of the congress n postal saw
ings bank system. recommended by
the postmaster general The primary
object is to encourage among our peo-
pie economy and thrift and 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 money in savings banks. Viewed,
however, from the experience of the
past few weeks, it is evident that the
advantages of such an institution are
still more far-reaching. 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itors have withdrawn their savings for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of which money has been withdrawn
and kept in hiding or in the safe de-
post 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.
Il 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,-
2l5 rural routes. serving nearly $4,000,
900 people who do not have the ad-
vantages of the inhabitants of cities in
obtaining their supplies. These recon-
mendations have been drawn up to
benefit the farmer and the country
storekeeper; otherwise, / should not
favor them. for l believe that it 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 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 partisan
politics 1t would be most desirable
thing to put the fourth-class postmas-
ters in the classified service"
He renews his recommendations of
last year in regard to Alaska: calls at
tention to the admission of Okla homa
as 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 bureau
OF mines; recommends the providing of
funds for preserving The Hermitage
the home of Andrew jackson; and the
erection of a naval monument at
Vicksburg.
Corporation Contributions
to COmpaign Expenses.
Under our fern of government voting
is not merely a right but a duty. and,
du al
duty If a man is to be 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 unscrupulous, so
as to act only as a penalty upon honest
men. Moreover, no such law would ham
means from buying his own way into of
nee. There is. very radical measure
which would, l believe. work a substan-
ual Improvement in our system of con-
Quoting a campaign, although l am well
aware that ii Will take some time for
people to so familiarize themselves with
such a proposal to be willing to con-
slider its adoption. The need for collect
ing large campaign funds would vanish IL
congress provided an appropriation for
the proper and legitimate expenses of
each of the great national parties. an ap-
preparation ample enough to meet the
necessity for thorough organization and
machinery, which requires a large ex-
penditure of money Then the stipula-
uon should be made that no party re-
ceivins campaign funds from the treasury
should accept more than 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.
Il call your especial attention to the un-
satisfactory condition OF our foreign mail
service, which, because of the lack of
American steamship lines. is now largely
done through foreign lines. and which.
particularly so far South and Central
America are concerned is done in a man.
ner which constitutes a serious barrier
to the extensions of our commerce.
THE time has come, in my Judgment
to set to work seriously to make our
ocean mail service correspond more
closely with our recent commercial and
political development. A beginning was
made by the ocean mail act OF March J.
1881. but even at that time the act was
known to be inadequate in various par
moved rapidly in our history. We have
acquired Hawaii. the Philippines. and
lesser islands in the Pacific. We are
steadily prosecuting the great work OF
uniting ut the Isthmus the waters OF the
Atlantic and the Pacific. To greater
extent than seemed probably even a
dozen years ago we may look to an
American future on the sea worthy OF
the tradition of our past AS the first
step in that direction. and the step most
feasible at the present time, I recommend
the extension of the ocean mail act OF
1891. That act has stood for some years
free from successful criticism OF its prin-
ciple and purpose. II was based on theo-
ries of the obligations of n great mari
time nation. undisputed In our own land
and followed by other nations since the
beginning of steam navigation. Briefly
those theories are, that II is the duty OF
a frst-class power so far as practicable
to carry its ocean mails under its own
flag: that the fast ocean steamships n nd