The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1870-12-08

ST. CLIO I'D JOURNAL.
it plan by which naval vessels can be
built and repairs made with great saving
upon the present cost. 1t can hardly be
wise craftsmanship in Government which
represents country with over 5000 miles
of coast line, on both oceans, exclusive OF
Alaska, and containing 40, 600, 900 of pro.
gressive people, with relations of every
nature with almost every foreign country,
to rest with such inadequate enforcing OF
any foreign policy.
rHB POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT..
The accompanying report of the Post
master General shows most satisfactory
working of the department. with the adop-
ton Of the recommendation contained
therein, particularly those relating to q
reform in tho Thanking privilege, and the
adoption of correspondence cards. A
self sustaining postal system may be speed
lily looked for, and at no distant day a
further reduction Of the rate of postage
attained. l recommend the authorization
by Congress of the Postmaster General
and Attorney General 10 issue all commits.
sions to of1icials'appointed through their
respective departments. At present these
commissions where appointments are Pres.
idential, are issued by the State Depart.
ment. The law in all the departments of
the Government, except those Of the Post
Office and o: the Interior, authorizes the
department to issue its own commissions.
CIVIL SERVICE REFoRM.
Always favoring practical reforms, re-.
spectfully call your attention to one abuse
of long standing, which I would like to
have remedied by this Congress. 1t is a
reform in the civil service Of the country
l would have it 90 beyond the mere fixing
OF the tenure Of Office Of clerks and EN-.
ployees who do not require the advice and
counseIs OF the Senate to make their ap.
pointment complete. Iwould have it gov.
ern not the tenure but the manner of max.
ing all appointments. There is no duty
which 80 much emba.rasses the Executive
and heads of departments as that of ap-
peintments, nor is there any such arduous
and thaDkless labor imposed on Senators
and Representatives rs that of finding
places for constituents. The present sys.
EN- does not secure the best, and often not
TT men find their way into public places.
The publication of the civil service Of the
government will be hailed with approval
by the whole people Of the United
States.
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
Reform iu the management Of Indian
affairs has received the special attention of
the administration from its inauguration
to the present day. The experiment of
making missionary work was tried with
few agencies given to the denomination
Of Friends and has been found to work
most advantageously. All agencies and
superintendencies not 80 disposed of were
given to officers of the army. The act of
Congress regulating the army renders army
officers ineligible for civil positions. Indian
agencies being civil officers, determined
to give all the agencies to such religious
denominations as had heretofore establish.
ed missionaries among the Indians, and
perhaps to some other denominations who
would undertake the work on the same
terms, namely, as missionary work. The
societies selected are allowed to name
their own agents, subject to the approval
of the executive, and are expected to
watch over them and aid them as mission.
aries to Christianize and civiliEe the Indi.
an, and to train him in the acts Of peace.
The government watches over the official
acts of these agents and requires Of them
as strict accountability Us if they Wore ap.
pointed in any 9th r manner. (ntertain
the confident hope that the polly new.
pursued will in few years bring Ill tho
Indians upon reservations where they will
live in houses, and have school houses and
will be pursuing peaceful and
avocatiens, and where they
may be visited by the law abiding white
men with tho same impunity that he now
visits the civilized white settlements. I
call your especial attention to the report
Of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs for
full information on this subject.
PUBLIC LANDS.
During the last fiscal year 8,095,4l3
acres of public lands were disposed of.
OF this quantity 1893, $40 acres were taken
under the homestead law, and 2,l59,515
acres sold for cash. The remainder was
located with military warrants, college or
Indian scrip, or applied in satisfaction of
grants to railroads or other public uses.
The entries under the homestead law dur.
ing the last year covered 96l,5 45 acres
more than those during the preceding
years. Surveys have been vigorously
prosecuted to the full extent of the means
applicable to the purpose. The quantity
Of land in market will amply supply the
present demand.
The claim of the settlers under the
homestead or the presumption laws is not
limited, however, to lands subject to sale
at private entry. Any unappropriated
surveyed public land may to q limited
amount be acquired under the former laws
if the party entitled to enter under them
will comply with the requirements pre-.
scribed in regard to the residence and cul
tivation. The actual settlers preference
to the right Of purchase is even broader,
and extends to lands which were unsur.
veyed at the time of his settlement. His
right was formerly confined within much
narrower limits, and at one period Of our
history was confined only by special stat.
utes that were enacted from time to time
to legalize what was regarded a. an unau.
thorized intrusion upon the national