The New York herald., 1873-10-20
w a S HIN CT o NJ
WASHINGTON, D. G., Oct 1s, 1913.
Can VAc Estlm atcs be Reduced

cial administration Of affairs have been looking
over vIe appropriations made by the late Congress
WILD view OF seeing what reduction can be made
IN the forthcoming estimates Onicial data show
Wat the appropriations made for the fiscal
year 1874 were In excess OF those Tor 1878 more
than SIS, 100000 or this amount $3,2oo,ooo were
Tor light steam sloopsotwar, and $6,ooo,ooo In ex-
cess OF the previous appropriations ior pubic
works. not including appropriations for rivers and
harbors. In these two items alone over $s,Oooooo
could be saved, and also 100000 in the matter
VI public printing the printing appropriation for
1874 being 81, 100000 The ranking privilege has
been abolished and the amount OF public printing
will necessarily be lessened. as members OF Con-
gress are NOE expected to pay postage ON the tons
OF matter heretofore sent free.
Mr.. Shanks' Indian Reforms.
Representative Shanks, Chairman OF the House
Committee Indian Affairs in the late Congress,
has just returned from an extensive tour IN wash
ington and other Territories which he undertook.
officially at the instance of the Department OF the
INTERIOR in order to obtain better understand
ing of the questions concerning the relations Of
certain Indians with the government, and also
with design to reforms. The following statement
embodies that genteman's viewss-
The Indian question has greatly changed and
Formerly the Indians were practically, outside OF
the government, but now the entire country being
under our political and practical control IL is
question as to how soon the people will compel
bad and mlschievous white men to keep the peace
with Indians, ana bad Indians to keep the peace
with whites. The people IN nearly all the set
Elements are now able to enforce this
necessity, and will insist upon its consummaton.
Until the Indians shall be made voters and citizens
in TACT the following are some OF the things that
should be done by law and judicial enforcement to
secure justice, the only true lorernnner OF peace:-
Allow Indians TO testify in courts as the whites
do; protect Indians in their real and personal
property from the encroachments OF trespassers;
ters from the pollution OF bad white men, the
same as white mems wives and daughters are pro-
liable for their debts contracted ior the necessa-
ries OF e protect their real estate or reservation
homes from liabilities for debt; prevent, by severe
law, polygamy among them; compel by law en-
to provide for the support Of their lneglti-
| OF white men by Indian women, and let them take
by descent from both father and mother; prohibit
| voluntary divorces OF Indians or OF white men
| from Indian women with whom they have been
cohabiting; allow Indians to procure divorce in
| Court, after luI hearing, and then only for Grim.
| lnal causes to be set out in the law require the
i same restrictions in procuring divorce by white
! men who have cohaoited with Indian women that
shall be required OF Indians; declare the cohablta-
| tion OF white men with Indian women marriage
TO all ntents and purposes. and enforce 1t by order
OF Court when Its duties are violated or neglected;
/ II either the white man or the Indian woman Is
married at the time OF cohabitation punish botn
for adultery f0rnication, and make the
| punishment of such white men severe; protect by
law informers OF violation OF these laws; compel
| INDIANS VINO nave not adopted the civilized MODE
| OF dress to do SO; compel Indians TO have fixed
abode and allow them the same privileges OF trade
| and travel now possessed by whites; extend and
enforce the criminal law over Indians IOr offences
against one another, and also for offences against
| whites; extend and enforce the criminal law
| against white men Tor offences against Indians;
compel every white employs on reservations TO
have continually IN his service one or more Indian
apprentices at the work in charge on the reserva-
ton; employ only married men on the reservation
as agents. farmers, mlllers, DC, and make their
employment conditional upon their removing their
reservation The presence OF white women
and white children among the Indians is
and Indians schools on the reservations to be
kept open as continuously as practicable. There
Is now serious neglect in this important matter.
Compel every agent to report under oath the re-
spectlve violations OF law by Indians under his
against Indians, giving Names dates and lacts.
Provide by law for Furnishing agents and employees
for violations OF their duties as such Prevent by
law the trespassng OF cattle on Indian farms, as
white men are protected in their farms. Provide
by law against British Indians furnishing intoxlcat
Ing liquors TO indians IN the states and territories
These, Mr.. Shanks says are some OF the things to
be done TO secure justice to the Indians and pro-
lection to the white people, and that the honest
industrious settlers sustain these views. 1t is
probable that legislation will be proposed at the
next session OF Congress in accordance with the
above programme.
Revision OF the Laws.
The Congressional Joint Committee on the Re-
vision Of the Laws THE United States after them
selves examining the work OF the codiers (Messrs.
Abbott, James and Barringer), appointed Thomas
]. Durant to further revise the work and prepare
| it for Congress, subject to the supervision
and approval Of Attorney General Williams.
Mir. Durant has submitted the result OF his labors
| TO the Attorney General, who is now carefully
examining in detail the 400 or 150O printed pages
into which, by the omission OF notes and other
extraneous matter, the two volumes containing
the statutes revised by the codifcation commits
sions, have been condensed. In this form, sub
stantialy. they will be submitted to Congress for
enactment at the next session. The committee
will hold meeting tomorrow, mainly, 1t is under
Stood for the purpose OF arranging for the payment
OF Mr.. Durant's services. Judge Poland and Gen.
eral Butler are now here, and Senators Conkling
and Carpenter and other members Of the joiut
committee are expected tomorrow morning.
The Demand for Postal Cards.
All deferred orders for postal cards have now
been filed, and the government has about
100000 OF them on hand, stored in nreproof
vaults at Springfield, Mass, whence they
distributed by the special agent in charge upon
acquisitions approved by the Third Assistant Post
master General. The cards now supplied by the
contractors are fully up to the standard. The
total demand for postal cards has settled down to
average Of between $4,000 and 4o0, 900 per day,
which is believed to indicate almost exactly their
daily consumption at the present time.
The Transportation Question.
The Senate Committee on Transportation, OF
which Hon. William WINDOW Of Minnesota, is
chairman, Will hold session at st. Louis on the
Both inst, at which time they desire to meet per.
sons at the West who may wish to confer with
them in regard to the subject OF cheap transporta
tion.
The Winfield Scott Monument.
1t Is stated in the report Of the Commissioner OF
Public Buildings and Grounds that the granite
platform quarried for the Winfield Scott monument
weighs $50 tons, and is believed TO be the largest
stone ever successfully quarried in this country.
Caring for the Birds.
During last winter 42s bird cages for sparrows