The Lincoln County herald., 1870-12-15

sun" W 'bc present una growing wants
OF the nation. The report of the see.
retsry OF War shows u very satisfactory
reduction IN the expenses OF the army
ior the last 6scal year. For details YOU
are refereed 10 his accompanying 70
port
THE NAVY.
The expenses o. The navy for TIC whole
OF the last year, from December, 1869,
the date Of the last report, are lc,s than
nineteen millions OF dollars or about one
million less than they were the pre- ious
year. The expenses Of the Navy de-
partnent in this fiscal year, since July
LIST, show for Eve monihs q decrease Of
over Two millions four hundred thousand
dollars from those Of the corresponding
mouths last year. The estimates for
the current year we're S2S 2Oj, ,677 those
for next year $50. 6s3,317, with e95, 100
additional for temporary and permanent
improvements These estimates are
made closely for the mere maintenance
oil the navy establishment as it now is,
without much in the nature Of permsnent
Improvement. The appropriations made
for the last eight curreut years we're thus
evidently intended by Congress, and are
sufficient only TO keep the navy on its
present footing without tie repairing and
rrGliing Of our old ships This policy
must, Of course, gradually but surely,
destroy the navy, and it is in itself far
from economical, for each year that it is
pursued, the necessity for moro repairs
in ships and navy yards become more i'm.
pcraiive aud more costly. Cur current
expenses are actually increased for the
mere :epair Of ships, many Of which must
soon be unseaworthy and useless. |
hope during the present years session Of
Congress to he able to I'll omit to it a
plan by which naval vessels can be built
and repairs made with great saving upon
the present cost. 1t can hardly 10 wise
craftsmanship in government which
represents country with over five thou
sand miles Of coast line on both oceans,
exclusive Of Alaska. aud containing forty
millions Of progressive people, with rela
iions of every nature with almost every
foreign country, to rest WITH such made
qua'e means Of forcing any foreign policy,
either Of protection or redress. Separa
ted by the ocean from the nations Of the
eastern continent, our navy is our only
means of direct protection to our citizens
abroad or for the enforcement Of any for
eign policy.
~ POSTAL AFFAIR.
The accompanying report o! the post
master general shows a most satisfactory
working of that department With the
adoption of the recommendations con
tanned therein, particularly the lcsisla
ting to reform in the franking privilege
and the adoption of correspondence cards,
II sclf.sustaining postal system may be
speedily looked for, and at no distant
day the further reduction of the rate Of
postage can be attained. l recommend
that authority be given by Congress to
the postmaster genera! and attorney
general to issue all commissions to off
cials appointed through their respective
departments. At present these commits
soncrs, where appointments are made,
are issued by the State department. The
Law i" all departments Of the government,
except those Of postotfices and Of JUS
tices, authorizes each to issue its own
commissions.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
Always favoring practical reforms, l
respectfully call your attention to one
abuse Of long standing which would
like TO see remcdied by this Congress
1t is a reform in the civil service Of the
country. l would advise that it 20 be
yond the mere fixing Of tho tenure Of
oflico Of clerks and employees which do
not require the advice and consent of the
Senate to make the Appointment complete.
l would have it govern not the tenure
but the making of all appointments
There is no duty which SO much cmbar-
rasses the executive and heads of depart
ments as that Of appointments, nor is
there any such arduous and thaukless
labor imposed on Senators and repre-.
sentatives as that Of finding places for con.
stituents. The present system does not
secure the best men, aud often not even
6t men for public place. The elevation
and publication of the civil service of
the government will be hailed with ap,
proval by the whole people Of the United
States.
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
The management Of Indian affairs has
received special attention by the nd
ministraiion from its Inauguration to
the present day. The experiment OF
making it system Of missionary agen
cies, given to tho denomination OF
Friends. has been found to work mos,
ad advantageously. All agencies and su
perintendencies not so disposed of were
given to officers of the army. The act Of
Congress reducing 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
h,.ot fora nc to Il;.hoJ nj, q lon ,:os c.on~