Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1909-12-10

in the operation of those laws, as
shown by indictments, trials, judicial
decisions, and other sources of in
formation, call for a discussion and
some suggestions as to amendments.
These / prefer to embody in a spe-
cial message instead of including
them in the present communication,
and shall avail myself of the first
convenient opportunity to bring these
subjects to the attention Of Congress.
Second-Class Mail Matter.
The deficit every year in the Post
Office Department is largely caused
by the low rate of postage of 1 cent
a pound charged on second-class mail
matter, which includes not only news
papers but magazines and miscellan-
eous periodicals. The actual loss
growing out of the transmission or
this second-class mail matter at L
cent a pound amounts to about $685.
OOO, 900 a year. The average cost OF
the transportation of this matter Is
more than cents pound.
A great saving might be made,
amounting to much more than half OF
the loss, by imposing upon maya
zines and periodicals higher rate
of postage. They are much heavier
than newspapers, and contain much
higher proportion of advertising to
reading matter, and the average dis
lance of their transportation is three
and half times as great.
commend the whole subject to
Congress, not unmindful of the
spread of intelligence which low
charge for carrying newspapers and
periodicals assists. l very mucn
doubt, however, the wisdom OF
policy which constitutes so large a
subsidy and requires additional taxa
ton to meet 1t.
Postal Savings Banks.
The second subject worthy OF men,
ton in the Post-Office Department
is the real necessity and entire prec-
ticability of establishing postal saving
banks.
Ship Subsidy.
Following the course Of my distin-
guished predecessor, l earnestly re-
/ commend to Congress the considera-
ton and passage of a ship subsidy
bill. looking to the establishment oil
lines between our Atlantic seaboard
and the eastern coast CT South Amert-
ca, as we'll as lines from the west
! coast of the United States to South
America, China, Japan, and the Phil
ippines.
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
i New Mexico and Arizona.
The successful party in the las
election in its national platform de
clared in favor of the admission as
separate States of New Mexico ano
Arizona, and l recommend that leg
islation appropriate to this end bt
adopted.
Alaska
With respect to the Territory o.
Alaska, recommend Legislation
which shall provide for the appoint
ment by the President of governor
and also of an executive council, tbs
members of which shall during theil
term of Office reside in the Territory
and which shall have Legislative
powers sufficient to enable it to give
to the Territory local laws adapted tt
its present growth. / strongly depre
cate legislation looking to the cleo
ton of a territorial legislature IN tina
vast district.
Conservation of National Resources
In several Departments there 1
presented the necessity for legisla
ton looking to the further conserva
ton of our national resources, an
the subject is one of such import
ance as to require a more detaile'
and extended discussion than can b
entered upon in this communication
For that reason / shall take an earl
opportunity to send special messag
to Congress on the subject of tn
, Improvement of our waterways, upo
, the reclamation and irrigation o
, arid, semiarid, and swamp lands; up
!, on the preservation of our forest
and the reforesting of suitable areas
upon the Redistribution Of the pub
+, lie domain with view of separatin
, from agricultural settlement minera
coal, and phosphate lands and site
, belonging to the Government border
ing on streams suitable for the uttl
zation of water power.
: Department of Agriculture.
, commend to your careful cons
' Iteration the report Of the Secretar
: of Agriculture as showing the in
: mense sphere of usefulness whic
: that Department now fills and tn
z wonderful addition to the wealth
: the nation made by the farmers
o country in the crops of the currer
9 year.
Dx-.olsHa ~ pnroana