The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-12-09

ed so that on the first day OF january,
1870, the number of commissioned Of
ficer5 and men will not exceed the num-
Der contemplated by the law.
The War Department building Is an
old structure, not fire proof, and en-.
tirely Inadequate in dimension to ous
present wants. Many thousands of dol
lars are now paid annually for rent OF .
private building to accommodate vhri-
Gus bureaus of the department. i rec
ommend an appropriation for new
War Department building suited to the
present growing wants fthe nation.
The report of the Secretary Of War
shows very satisfactory reduction IN
the expenses of the army for the last
fiscal year. For details you are reierreo
TO his accompanying report.
The expenses of the navy ior tne
whole of last year, from December 10
1869, the date of the last report, are less
than $l9, 900, 600, or about 81, 900, 900 less
than they were the previous year. Inc
expenses since the commencement OF
the fiscal year--since July l--show fof
the five months decrease of over $2,-
400 900 from those of the corresponding
months of the last year. The estimates
for the current year were $2S, ,205,615,3I
Those for the next year are $40 O,6S3,3l7,
with $3.50, 100 additional for necessary
and permanent improvements. Ihe5o
estimates are made closely for the mero
maintenance of he naval establishment
as it now is without much in the ma
ture of permanent Improvement. The
appropriat made for the last ana
current years were evidently intended
by Congress and are sufficient only 10
keep the navy on its present footing Dy
the repairing and refitting of our OLD
ships. This policy must of course grad,
ually but surely destroy the navy. and
it is in itself far from economical, as
each year that it is pursued the neces5i-
ty for new repairs in ships and navy
yards becomes more imperative anu
more costly, and our current ex-
penses are annually increased for the
mere repair of ships, many OF when
must soon become unsafe and useless.
| hope during the present session OF
Congress to be able to submit TO III q
plan by which naval vessels can be built
and repairs made with great saving up
on the present cost. 1t can hardly be
wise craftsmanship in governments
which represents country win over
five thousand miles OF coast lines Oh
both oceans, exclusive OF Alaska, ana
containing forty millions OF. proSres-
sive people, with relations oi every ma
ture with almost every foreign country.
to rest with such inadequate means OF
en- forcing any foreign policy, eitner OF
protection or redress. Separated py
the ocean from the nations OF the Eas.
tern continent, our navy Is our only
means of direct protection TO our clti
zens abroad, or for the enforcement OF
any foreign policy.
The accompanying report OF the POST
master General shows most satlsiact0'
| ry working of that department. Win
| the adoption of the recommenuatione
contained therein, particularly those re-
| lating to reform in the lranklhs ply
| ilege and the adoption OF the CORES.
po6dence cards, a selfsustaining posta!
system may speedily be looked for ano
at no distant day further reduction OF
| the rates of postage be attained. REQ
ommend the authorization by CongreS
| to the Postmaster General ana the Az
| torney General to issue all the comnis'
sions to officials appointed through
their respective departments. AL press
ent these commissions, where appoiut-
ments are presidential, are issued DH
the State Departy ent The law lh all
the departments OF the govefhinehe'e eA'
cept those of the post office ana OF JUS
tice, authorizes each to issue It's own
commissions, always favoring practicai
forms. l respectfully call your atten'
ton to one abuse of long standing,
which would like to see remedied ny
| this Congress. 1t is reform IN the CIV
| il service of the country. Wouiu haVe
| 1t 90 beyond the mere fixing of the ten
ure of office of clerks and employees =,
who do not requie the advice ana con-
sent of the Senate. To make their APP
pointmentS complete Woulu nave IL
govern not the tenure but the manner
Of making appointments. There Is no
Inr
tive and heads of departments, nor Is
tbpre any such arduous and thanklt -
labor imposed on Senators and repre-
sentatives as that of finding places Tor
constituents. The present system ooe5
not secure the best men and often hot
even fit men for public places. Inc ei-
ovation and publication OF the ciVii sec
vice of the government will be hailed
with approval by the whole people OF
the United States. Reform in the man,
agemeut of Indian affairs has received
the special attention of the admlnistra-
ton from its Inauguration TO the pres
ent day. The experiment OF making
it a missionary work was tried WIN u
few agencies, given to the ues'oull ~, u.
ton of Friends, and has been iouhu 10
work most advantage 1usly. All agen-
cies and superintendents not so dispos-
ed of were given to officers of the army.
The act of Congress reducing the army
renders army officers ineligible for civsI
service. Some of the Indian agenc'eS
being civil offices | deem it my duty 10
give all the agencies to sucn reliSious
denominations as had heretofore eStab-
lished missionaries among the Indians,
and perhaps to some other uehomlha-
tions who would undertake the work
on the same terms, i. e., as mlsslona'
ry work. The societies seiecteu are az
lowed to name their own agents, SUD-
ject to the approval of the executive,
and are expected to watch over ana AID
them as missionaries to christianize ana
TO ciyiliZe the Indians and to train them
i'm the arts of peace The governments
watches over the official acts of these
agents and REQUIRES of them as strict an
accountability as if they were appointed
i'm any other manner. l entertain the
confident hope that the policy now pur'
sued will in few years bring an .lio
Indians upon reservations Where ihey
will live in houses, and nave scnooi
houses and churches, ana WIN De pur'
suing peaceful and selfsuStalhlhe aVo,
cations and where they may be visited
by the law abiding white man with the
same immunity that he now visits th8
civilized white settlements. leali your
special attention to the report or the
q Commissioner of Indian affairs for iull
Information on this subject. during
the last fiscal wear S,095, Alb acres OF pup
lie land were disposed of. Oi TINS guam
tity 3,698, ,9l0.05 acres were taken unae, .,
the homestead law, and 2,l99,olo.ol
acres sold for cash. The remainder was
located with military warrants, COT
lege or Indian scrip, or applied IN satls. Is.
faction of grants to railroads, OF ior
other purposes. The entries uhaer .lie
homestead law during the last year
h gel 1lo nreseG1g seGG1 Sea year Surveys
have been vigorously prosecuted to the
full extent of. the means appllcapie 70
the purpose. The quantity OF land In
market will amply supply the .presens
| dnrnnnh phn rlaim of the settler un