I returned without my approval a bill entitled
"An act to prohibit bookmaking and pool selling in the District of
Columbia," and stated my objection to be that it did not prohibit but in
fact licensed what it purported to prohibit.[11] An effort will be made
under existing laws to suppress this evil, though it is not certain that
they will be found adequate.

The report of the Postmaster-General shows the most gratifying progress
in the important work committed to his direction, The business methods
have been greatly improved. A large economy in expenditures and an
increase of four and three-quarters millions in receipts have been
realized. The deficiency this year is $5,786,300, as against $6,350,183
last year, notwithstanding the great enlargement of the service.
Mail routes have been extended and quickened and greater accuracy and
dispatch in distribution and delivery have been attained. The report
will be found to be full of interest and suggestion, not only to
Congress, but to those thoughtful citizens who may be interested
to know what business methods can do for that department of public
administration which most nearly touches all our people.

The passage of the act to amend certain sections of the Revised Statutes
relating to lotteries, approved September 19, 1890, has been received
with great and deserved popular favor. The Post-Office Department and
the Department of Justice at once entered upon the enforcement of the
law with sympathetic vigor, and already the public mails have been
largely freed from the fraudulent and demoralizing appeals and
literature emanating from the lottery companies.

The construction and equipment of the new ships for the Navy have made
very satisfactory progress. Since March 4, 1889, nine new vessels have
been put in commission, and during this winter four more, including one
monitor, will be added. The construction of the other vessels authorized
is being pushed both in the Government and private yards with energy and
watched with the most scrupulous care.

The experiments conducted during the year to test the relative
resisting power of armor plates have been so valuable as to attract
great attention in Europe. The only part of the work upon the new ships
that is threatened by unusual delay is the armor plating, and every
effort is being made to reduce that to the minimum. It is a source of
congratulation that the anticipated influence of these modern vessels
upon the _espr