The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-12-06


which naval vessels can be built with great
saving upon the present cost. 1t can hardly
be wise craftsmanship in a government which |
country with 5000 miles OF coast
line ON both oceans, exclusive of Alaska, and |
49, 100000 of progressive people with
relations of every nature with almost every |
foreign country to rest with such inadequate
mo ans of enforcing any foreign policy, either |
of protection or redress. Separation by the
ocean from the nations of the eastern cOnti- |
nent our navy is our only means of direct
protection to our citizens abroad and for the
enforcement of our foreign policy.
POSTAL AFFAIR5.
The accompanying report of the Postmaster
General shows a most satisfactory working OF
that department. With the adoption of the
contained therein, particu-
larly those relating to the fIanking privilege
and the adoption of the correspondence cards.
a self-sustaining postal system may speedily be
looked for, and at no distant day further re-
duction of the rate of postage may be attained
l recommend the authorization by Congress
to the Postmaster General and Attorney Gen
eral to issue all commissions to officers APP
pointed through their respective departments.
At present these commissions, when the ap-
pointments are presidential are issued by the
State department. The law in all the depart
ments of the government except those of the
Post Office and Justice authorizes each to issue
its own commissions. >
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
Always favOring practical reform, respect.
fully call your attention to one abuse of long
standing which would like to see remeded
by this Congress. 1t is reform in the civil
service of the country. l would have it 90 be-
yond the mere fixing of the term of Office of
clerks and EMPLOYEES, who do not require "the
advice and consent of the Senate" to make
their appointments complete. 1t would have
it govern not the tenure but the manner of all
appointments. There is no duty which so
much embarrasses the executive and heads OF
departments as that of appointments. Nor is
there any such arduous and thankless labor
as that of finding places for constituents. The
present system does not secure the best men
for public place. The elevation and purfica-
ton of the civil service of the government will
be hailed by the government with approval by
the whole people of the United States
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
The reform in the management of Indian
affairs has received the special attention of the
administration from its Inauguration to the
present day. The experiment of making mis-
sionary work was tried with few agencies
given to the denomination of Friends, and has
been found to work advantageously. All
agencies and superintendencies not so dispos-
ed of we're given to officers of the army. The
act of Congress reducing the army renders ar
my officers ineligible for civil positions. The In
dian agencies being civil offices, determined to
give all the agencies to such religious denomina-
lions as had heretofore established missionaries
dmOuS LIE 4uulduS, anu perhaps sOm0 Otu6r
denominations who would undert AXE to work
on the same terms as missionary work. The
societies selected are to name their own agents,
subject to the approval of the executive, and
are expected to watch over them and aid them
as missionaries to ehristianize and civilize the
Indian and to train him in the arts of peace.
The Government watches over the official acts
of these agents and requires of them as strict
an accountability as if they were appointed in
any other manner entertain the confidence
that the policy now pursued will in a few years
bring all the Indians upon reservations, where
they will live in houses, have school houses and
churches and will be pursuing peaceful and
selfsustaining avocations, and where they may
be visited by the law-abiding white man with
the same IMMUNITY that he now visits the civil
lied white settlements. l call your special at
tention to the report of the Commissioner of
Indian Affairs for full information on this SUBJ
Ject. THE PUBLIC LANDS.
During the last fiscal year 8,095, Alb acres of
ty 3,69S $40 800 acres were taken under the
homestead law and 2,159, 515 8-10O acres were
sold for cash. The remainder was located
with the military warrant, college or Indian
scripor applied in satisfaction of grants to rail-
roads or for other public uses. The entries
under the homestead law during the last fiscal
year covered 961 ,545 acres more than those
during the preceding year. The surveys have
been vigorously prosecuted to the full extent of
the means applicable to the purposes. The
ply the present demand. The claim of the
settler under the homestead or the presumption
laws is not, however, limited to land subject to
sale at private entry. An unappropriated sur
vey of the public land may to a limited amount
be acquired under former laws if the party
entitled to enter under them will comply
with the requirements they prescribe in
regard to residence and cultivation
The actual settlers preference to the right of
purchase is even broader and extends to lands
fn1vr nd Of fhn af Il
tlement. His right was formerly confined
within much narrower limits, and at one pc
riod OF our history was conferred only by spe-
cial statutes. They were enacted for the time
to legalize what was then regarded as an un-
thorized intrusion on the national domain
The opinion that the public lands should be re-
garded chiefly as source of revenue is no long
er maintained. The rapid settlement and sue
cessful cultivation of them is now Justly con-
sidered of more importance to our well-being
than is the funds which the sale of them would
produce. The remarkable growth and pros
perity of our new States and territories attest
the wisdom of the legislation which invites the
tiller of the soil to secure permanent home on
terms within the reach of all. The pioneer
who incurs the dangers and privations of
frontier life (and thus adds in laying the foun-
dation of new commonwealth renders sig
nal service to his country and is entitled to its
special oaro and protection. The laws secure
eifare sturufore sn efIsrsfrus
as permanent feature of our land system.
Good faith requires us to give full effect to the
existing grants The time-hOnOred and benifi-
cent policy of setting apart certain sections
of public land for educational purposes in
the new States should be Continued
When ample provision shall have been made
for the objects, submit as a question worthy
of serious consideration, whether the residue
OF our national domain should not be wholly
disposed of under the provisions of the home
stead and foreign laws In addition to the
swamps and Overf10wed lauds granted to the
States in which they are situated the lands
taken under the agricultural college acts and
for internal Improvement purposes under the
act of September, 1871, and the acts supple
mental thereto there had been conveyed up to
the close of the last fiscal year by patent or
and corporations 27S,362 567 800 acres of rail-
ways, canals and wagon roads. 1t is estimat-
ed that an additional quantity of ia ,735 523
acres is Still due under grants for like uses
The policy of thus aiding the States in build
ing works OF internal Improvement was inau-
gurated more tnan 40 years since in the grants
to Indiana and Illinois to aid those States in
opening canals to connect the waters of the
Wabash with those of Lake Erie and the wa
tiers of Illinois with those of Lake Michigan.
1t was followed with some notifications in the
grant to Illinois of alternate sections of public
land within certain limits of the Illinois Cen
trail Railway. Fourteen States and sundry
corporations have received sundry subsidies in
cOuneCIlOD WIFI railways competed or IN pro-
cess of construction. AS the reserved sections
are rated at the double minimum, the sale Of
them at the enhanced prices has thus in MANY
instances Unidentified the treasury for the
granted land. The construction of some of
these thorouehfares has undoubtedly given |
vigorous impetus to the DEVELOPMENT of our
resources and the settlement of the more dis
tant portions of the country. 1t may, however,
be well insisted that much of our legislation in
this regard has been characterized by.indis-
crimiDate and profuse hberality. The United
States should not loan their credit in aid of
any enterprise undertaken by States or corpo-
rations, nor grant lands in any instance unless
the projected road is of acknowled yed import.
ance. l am strongly inclined to the opinion
that it is iHexpedient and unnecessary to be- |
stow subsidies of either description, but should
Congress determine otherwise earnestly rec
that the rights of settlers and of the |
public be more effectually secured and protect
ed by appropriate legislation.
THE PATENT OFFICE. |
During the year ending September 80, 1870,
tqere were filed in the Patent Office 19411 ap-
pIlcatiOns for patents 1874 caveats and 16O ap- |
plIcations for the extension of patents; Is, 400 |
paten's, including reissues and designs, were |
issued, 1109 extended and 1889 allowed but not |
issued by reason of the non-payment of the |
fiual fees. The receipts of the office during the
fiscal year were $136 324.2 in excess of its ex-
penditures.
THE CENSUS.
The work of the Census Bureau has been |
prosecuted. The preliminary re-
ports, containing much information OF special |
value and interest, will be ready for delivery /
during the present session. The remaining |
volume will be completed with all the dispatch |
,Opsistp with pertaot aco1racv ;, nr;,,r