The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1910-12-09

operation than any similar system
abroad. Arrangements have been per-
fected so that savings banks will be
opened in some cities and towns on
the LIST of January, and there will be a
gradual extension of the benefits Of
the plan to the rest Of the country"
1T is gratifying" says the president,
that the reduction in the postal
deficit has been accomplished without
any curtailment of postal facilities.
On the contrary, the service has been
greatly extended during the year in
all its branches"
Second-class Mail.
I'm my last annual message I IN
yited the attention of congress to the
inadequacy of the postal rate imposed
upon second-class mail matter in so
far as that includes magazines, and
showed by figures prepared by experts
of the postofice department that the
government was rendering a service
to the magazines, costing many mil
lions in excess of the compensation
paid. An answer was attempted to
this by the representatives of the
magazines, and a reply was filed to
this answer by the postoffice depart
ment. The utter inadequacy of the
answer. considered in the light of the
reply of the postoffice department,
minded person. Whether the answer
was all that could be said in behalf of
the magazines is another question.
agree that the question is one of fact;
but | insist that If the fact is as the
experts of the postoffice department
show. that we are furnishing to the
owners of magazines a service worth
millions more than they pay for it.
then justice requires that the rate
should be increased. The increase in
the receipts Of the department result
ing from this change may be devoted
to increasing the usefulness of the 6e
partment in establishing a parcels
post and in reducing the cost of first
class postage to one cent. 1t has been
said by the postmaster general that
Aetll lnlSlll DS uuutl
which the advertising part of the
magazine should be charged for at a
different and higher rate from that of
the reading matter. This would re
lieve many useful magazines that are
not circulated at profit, and would
not shut them out from the. use of the
mails by a prohibitory rate
with respect to the parcels post,
respectfully recommend its adoption
on all rural delivery routes, and that
II pounds-the international limit-be
made the limit of carriage in such
post"
Abolish Navy Yards.
The president calls attention to GER
tain reforms urged by the secretary of
the navy which he recommends for
adoption, and continues:
"The estimates of the navy depart
ment are s5,OO0,O0O less than the ap-
preparations fer the same purpose last
year, and included in this is the build
ing program of the same amount as
that submitted for your consideration
last year. 1t is merely carrying out
the plan of building two battleships a
year, with a few needed auxiliary YES
sells. | earnestly hope that this pro-
gram will be adopted.
THE secretary of the navy has
given personal examination to every
navy yard, and has studied the uses
of the navy yards with reference to
the necessities of our fleet. With a
fleet considerably less than half the
size of that of the British navy, we
have shipyards more than double the
number, and there are several of these
shipyards extensively equipped with
modern machinery, which, after inves-
tigation the secretary of the navy be-
lieves to be entirely useless for naval
purposes. He asks authority to aban-
don certain of them and to move their
machinery to other places, where 1t
can be made of USE"
THE complete success of our coun-
try in arctic exploration should not re-
main unnoticed. The unparalleled
achievement of Peary in reaching the
north pole, April 6, 1909, approved by
critical examination of the most ex-
pert scientists, has added to the dis
tinction of our navy, to which he be-
longs, and reflects credit upon his
country. recommend fitting recogni-
ton by congress of the great achieve
ment of Robert Edwin Peary."
Conservation.
THE subject of the conservation of
the public domain has commanded the
attention of the people within the last
two or three years.
There is no need for radical re-
form in the methods of disposing of
what are really agricultural lands. The
present laws have worked well. The
enlarged homestead law has encour-
aged the successful farming of lands
in the semi-arid regions.
Nothing can be more important in
the matter of conservation than the
treatment of our forest lands. 1t was
probably the ruthless destruction of
forests in the older states that first
called attention to the necessity for a
halt in the waste of our resources.
'ln the present forest reserves there
are lands which are not properly for
est, and which ought to be subject to
homestead entry. This has caused
some local irritation. We are care
fully eliminating such lands from for
est reserves or where their elimina-