Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-12-09
den Break Up Annual Message Congress

NDleO us 10 ReJ SOME Vi tue cSsuVA<~
Indispensable in order to secure the
conviction OF the wealthiest and moat
formidable criminals with whom the
government has to deal, both those
operating in violation of the anti-truse
law and others. The amendment IN
question was Of benefit 10 no one exss
cepting to these criminals, and M
seriously hampers the Government 10
the deto elton OF crime and the secur-
ing OF Justice. Moreover. II not only
affects departments outside Of Inc
treasury. but 1t tends to hamper the
secretary Of the treasury himself 10
the cffort to utilize the employees OF
his department 80 az to best meet the
requirements OF the public services. IL
forbids him from preventing frauds
upon the customs service. from inves-
tigaGing irregularities In bremen
minis and assay offices, and has Sc.
riously crippled him. 1t prevents the
promotion Of employees in the See
crei service. and this further discour-
ages good effort. In its present form
the restriction operates only TO the
advantage Of the criminal. or the
wrongdoer The chief argument In
favor OF the provision waa that the
Congressman did not themselves wish
to be investigated by Secret Service
men. Very little OF such investiga-
ton has been done In the past: but
Il Is true that the work OF the Secret
Service agents was rartly Responsible
for the Indictment and conviction OF
Senator and GanGress man for
land frauds In oregon.
Postal Savings Banks. %
again renew MY recommendation
for postal savings banks, for depos-
itius savings with the security OF
the Government behind them. The
object Is to encourage thrift and
economy In the wage Garner and per-
son OF moderate means. In fourteen
States the deposits in savings banks
as reported to the Comptroller Of the
Currency amount to $3.50, 245. 400, or
9S.I per cent. OF the entire deposits.
while in the remaining 80 States there
are only $70,3oS.5i3. or 16 per cent,
showing conclusively that there are
many. localities in the United States
where sufficient opportunity Is not
given to the people 10 deposit their
savings. The result is that money
Is kept in hiding and unemployed. 1t
Is believed that in the aggregate vast
sums Of money would be brought into
circulation through the instrumen.
tally of the postal savings banks.
While there are only 1,453 savings
banks reporting to the Comptroller
there are more than CT COO postoficez.
10000 OF which are money order OF
fees. Postal savings banks are now
in operation in practically all they
great civilized countries with the ex-
ceplion of the United States.
Parcels Post.
In my last annual message rec
commended the Postmaster Generals
recommendation for an extension OK
the parcels post on the rural routes.
The establishment OF q local parcel
post on rural routes would be to the
mutual benefit of the farmer and the:
country storekeeper. and 1t Is desir-
able that the routes. serving more
than 100000 peoples, should be;
utilized to the fullest practicable ex-
tent An amendment was proposes
In the Senate at the last session, ~
the suggestion of the Postmaster GEN.
ercl. providing that. for the purpose
Of ascertaining the practicability o.
establishing a special local parcel
! post system on the rural routes
throughout the United StEtes, he
Postma ster-General be authorized and
directed to experiment and report TO
the Congress the result of such ex-
pertinent by establishing a special
local parcel post system on ru-
raj delivery routes in not to exceed
t.,
for packages of fourth-class matter
originating on a rural route or at the
distributing post once for delivery BY
rural carriers. II would seem only
, proper that such an experiment.
| should be tried in order to demon
strate the practicability Of the propo-
sition. especially as the Postmaster
General estimates that the revenue
derived from the operation OF such 2
system on all the rural routes WOULD
| amount to many million dollars.
Education.
The share that the National Govern
| ment should take IN the tCoad work
OF education has not received the 1T
tention and the care 1t rightly de-
| serves. The immediate responsible.
! ity Tor the support and ifHpfoSeHcne
! Of our educational systems and instf
tutions rests and should always resi-
with the people Of the several States
acting through their state and loeal
governments. but the Nation has an
opportunity in educational Work
which must not be lost and duty
which should no longer be neglected..
| Census.
strongly urge that the reQuese
of the Director Of the Census IN con
nection with the decennial work 60
soon TO be begun ne complied Win
ard that the appointments to the cen
sus force be placed under the civH
service law. waving the gcograpnf
cal requirements as requested By the
Director Of the Census. The super