Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1865-12-06


can b. justified IL any device to TAI ~
Transit Of trave1or commerce between 6tates
The uoeifjOn Of mAny Otatee y such nm r
they VEN I'll allowed 10 take advsntase 81
Il for purposes Of locnl revenue, The com.
mesce between Sasaes might b. ihjuriouslv
burlensfl or even greatly pfoetsaGed. II 4
best while the ,ountry ID still young, and
while the tendency t0dangerOus monopolirs
Of this kind b still fee0aes 70 Ne the power
Of Congress 20 - 10 prevent any selfish i'm
pediment to the free circulation OF men end
merchandise. Ajax on travel and merchan.
disc in their transit constitutes one Of the
worst forms of monopoly and She evils are
increased, If coupled with denial Of the
choice Of route. When the vast extent Of
our country is considered it IL plain that eve
~ obstacle to the free circulation of com.
merce between the States ought to be strong
" guarded against by appropriate legislation
within the limits Of the Constitution.
DEPARTMENT or lNTRRiOR
The report Of the Secretary Of the Int.
rior explains the condition of the public
lands. the transactions Of the Patent Ofice
and the Pension Bureau, the management OF
our Indian affairs, the progress made in the
construction of the Pacific Railroad. and fur
nishes information in reference to matters
Of local interest in the District Of Columbia;
il also presents evidence OF the successful
operations of the Homestead oct, under the
provisions of which 1,l6O5S3 acres of the
public lads were entered during the last fis-
cal year. More than one fourth Of the whole
number of acres were sold or other wise dis
posed of during that period. It is estimated
that the receipts derived from this source
are sufficient to cover the expenses incident
to the survey and disposal of the landsen
tered under this act, and that payment in
cash 10 the extent of from forty to fifty per
cent will be made by settlers, who may thus
at any time acquire title before the expira-
ton of the time ut which Il would other
wise rest.
The homestead policy was establish d on
ly after long and earnest resistance expe
ricnce proves it, wisdom. The lands in the
hands Of industrious settlers, whose labor
creates wealth and contributes 10 the pub.
lie resources, are worth more to the United
States than il they had been reserved as q
solitude for future purchasers.
THE PENSION BUREAU.
The lamentable events Of the last four
years, and the sacrifices made by the gallant
men Of our army and navy, have swclled
the records oil the Pension Bureau to an
unprecedented extent. On the Both of June
last, the total number Of pensions was So.
$50, requiring for their annual pay, cxclu
sive If expenses, the sum Of e8,O23,4i6 The
lumber Ofapplications that have been al
lowed since that date will require y large
increase Of this amount for the next fiscal
year. The means for the payment Of the
stipends due under existing laws to our dis
abled soldiers and sailors, and to the fam
lilies of such as have persisted IN the service
of the country. will, no DOUBT, be cheerful
ly and promptly granted. A gratiul peo
pie will not hesitate to sanction any meas
ures having for their object the relief Of
soldiers mutilated, and families made father.
less in the effor to preserve our national
existence.
POSTOFFICE DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Postmaster General pre-
sents an encouraging exhibition Of the Op-
erations of the Post Office Department du.
ring the year The revenue Of the past
year. from the loyal States alone exceeded
the ma ximum annual receipts from all the
States previous to the rebellion, in the sum
of *G,O3S ,09l and the annual average in
crease of revenue during the last four years
compared with the revenues Of the -four
years Immediately proceeding the rebellion.
was $353S,s46. The revenue oi tne ,as'
expenditure to $l3,694, 12S-leaving q sur
plus of receipts over expenditures, If 1851, !
430 Progress has been made in restoring
the postal service in the Southern States
The views presented by the Post Master
General against the policy of granting sub
sides to ocean mail steam lines upon estab
lished routes, and in favor OF cOntinuin
the present system, which limits the com
pcnsatiOn of ocean service, to the postage
earnings, are recommended to the careful
consideration of Congress
THE NAVY.
1t appears from the report of the Secreta.
ry OF the Navy that while, at the commence
ment of the present year, there were in
commission $50 vessels Of all classes and de-
scriptions. armed with 1000 guns, and man
ell ly $1,000 men, the number Of vessels
at present in commission is III with $40
guns and 22,12S men. BY his prompt re-
duction of the naval force the expenses Oi
the government have been largely diminish
ed, and number Of vessels purchased for
naval purposes from the Merchant Marine
have been returned to the peaceful pursuits
of commerce. since the suppression of ac.
tive hostilitics our foreign squadrons have
been reestablishcd and consists of vessels
much more efficient than those employed
in similar service previous to the rebellion
The suggestion for the enlargement of the
navy yards, and especially for the establish
mcnt of one in fresh waters for iron clad
vessels, is deserving of consideration, as is
also the recommendation for a different 10
cation and more ample grounds fol- the Ma
val Academy.
THE ARMY
In the report of the Secretary of War a
general summary is given of the military
campaigns Of 1876 ending in the sup
preston OF armed resistance to the National
authorities in the insurgcnt states. The
operations Of the general administrative
bureaus of the War Department during the
past year are detailed, and an estimate made
of the appropriations that will be required
for military purposes in the fiscal year, COM
nencing on the Both day of June, 1896.
The National military force on the Isl day
of May, 1865, numbered 900, $40 men; it Is
proposed to reduce the military establish
meat to peace footing, comprehending fifty
thousand troops of all arms organized SO US
to ADMIT of an enlargement by filling up the
ranks to eighty-two thousand, if the
circumstances Of the country should
require an augmentation of the army.
The volunteer force has already been re-
duced by the discharge from service Of over
SOO 900 troops. The Department is pro
ceeding rapidly in the work of further re-
duction. The war estimates are reduced
from *516,24O,l3l to *33,Sl4,4Gl, which
amount in the opinion OF the Department, is
adequate for peace establishment. The
measures of retrenchmcnt in each bureau
and branch Of the service exhibit dliyent
economy worthy Of commentator. Refer
ence is also made in the report 10 the neces
sity OF providing for a uniform militia sys
TEN, and to the propriety of making suitable
provisions for wounded and disabled officers
and soldiers
REVENUE AND TAXATION.
The revenue system Of the country is a
subject Of vital interest to its honor and
prosperity and should command the earnest
consideration of Congress The Secretary
of the Treasury will lay before you a full
and detailed report of the receipts and dis
bursements OF the last fiscal year, of the first
quarter OF the present fiscal year, of the
probable receipts and expenditures for the
other three quarters, and the estimates for
the year following the goth Of June, 1885,
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