The river press., 1909-12-15

the low rate of postage of 1 cent
pound charged on second class mail
matter. which includes not only news
papers. but magazines and miscella-
neous periodicals. THE actual loss grow
ing out of the transmission of this
second class mail matter at cent a
pound amounts to about Se3, ,OOU. 900 a
year. The average cost Of the trans
portatlon OF this matter is more than
y cents pound. The statistics of 1907
snow that second class mail matter
constituted 65.91 per cent of the
weight of all the mail and yielded
only $40 per cent of the revenue.
The figures given are startling and
show the payment by the government
OF an enormous subsidy to the news
papers, magazines and periodicals. A
great saving might be made, amount.
ing to much more than half of the loss,
by imposing upon magazines and peri
odicals a higher rate Of postage.
Postal Savings Banks.
l believe postal savings banks to be
necessary in order to offer a proper
1nducement to thrift and saving to a
great many people of small means who
90 not now have banking facilities and
TO whom such system would offer an
opportunity for the accumulation of
capital. They will furnish a satisfactory
substitute, based on sound principle
and actual successful trial in nearly
all the countries Of the world, for the
system Of government guaranty of
deposits now being adopted in several
western states which, with Difference
to those who advocate it, seems to me
to have In it the seeds Of demoraliza-
tion to conservative banking and GER
tain financial disaster.
Ship Subsidy.
Following the course of nv distin.
guished predecessor, l earnestly rec
ommend to congress the consideration
and passage OF ship subsidy bill.
Interior Department-New Mexico and
Arizona.
The successful party in the last elec-
don In Its national platform declared
In favor of the admission as separate
states OF New Mexico and Arizona,
and l recommend that legislation ap-
propriate to this end be adopted.
Alaska.
With respect to the territory of Alas.
ka, l recommend legislation which
shall provide for the appointment by
the president Of governor and also
OF an executive council, the members
OF which shall during their term Of
Office reside in the territory and which
shall have legislative powers sufficient
to enable it to give to the territory To-
cal laws adapted to it's present growth.
strongly deprecate legislation looking
to the election Of territorial legisla-
ture in that vast district.
Conservation Of Natural Resources,
In several departments there is pre-
sented the necessity for legislation
ooking to the further conservation of
our national resources, and the SUBJ
|ect is one Of such Importance as to
'equ1re mere detailed and extended
discussion than can be entered upon
n this communication. For that rea-
'on l sh;l! take an early opportunity
% send s'.ecial message to congress.
The White Slave Trade.
There is urgent necessity for addi-
1onal legislation and greater executive
lctivity to suppress the recruiting of
the ranks Of prostitutes from the
streams OF immigration into this coun-
ry-an evil which. for want of a bet
er name, has been called the white
lave trade"
Bureau Of Health.
There seems to be no reason why all
he bureaus and Offices in the general
which have to do with
he public health or subjects akin
hereto should not be united in a bu-
eau to be called the "bureau of pub
lc health"
Political Contributions.
l urgently recommend to congress
hat a law be passed requiring that
andidates in elections Of members of
he house of representatives and COM
aittees in charge of their candidacy
nd campaign file in a proper Office Of
he United States government a state
aent of the contributions received and
t the expenditures incurred in the
for such elections and that
imilar legislation be enacted in re-
pect to all other elections which are
onstitutionally within the control of
ongress.
Conclusion.
Speaking generally, the country is
high state of prosperity. There is
very reason to believe that we are on
be eve of a substantial business ex-
ansion, and We have just garnered
arvest unexampled in the market val
g Of our agricultural products. The
Ugh prices which such products bring
1ean great prosperity for the farming
but on the other hand