The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1874-12-19

majority of the Indians occupying tbs t "a great
are believed to be incapable of maintaining tb"/s
| rights against the more civilized and enl rgItar,
man. Any territorial form of government nc
them, therefore, should protect them in {b:t
| homes and property for a period of at least On
years, and before its final adoption should he rot
fed by a iority of those affected The renort -
the Secretary of the Interior, herewith attached
gives much interesting statistical informstio'
which abstain from giving an abstract OF but -
fer You to the report itself.
THE CENTENNIAL.
| The report of the Commissioner of Agricr1t,,
herewith submitted, contains suggestions of nncb
interest to the general public and refers to the an
preaching Centennial and the part this depart1ne,
j is ready to take in it | feel that the na+;nr -
large is interested in having this exposition srr
| cess and commend to Congress such action "a win
secure greater general interest in it. Already
foreign nations have signfed their intention to h.
represented at it. 1t may be expected that ever
| civilized nation will be represented
THE CIVIL SERVICE
The rules adopted to improve the civil service of
the government have been adhered to as closely as
! has been practicable, with the opposition with
which they met. The effect of il has been assentad
on the whole, and has tended to the elevation OF
| the service, but 1t is impracticabe to maintain
I them without the direct and positive support of
Congress- Generally the support which this reform
receives is from those who give it their sun,.ort
only TO ind fault when the rules are apparently de-
parted from Removals from Office without preferru
| charges against parties removed are frequently
cited as departures from the rules adopted and the
retention OF those against whom charges made
by irresponsible persons, and without good grounds
Is also often condemned as a violation of them
announce that if Congress adjourns without posi-
tive legislation ON the subject of civil service re-
form, | VIII regard such action as a disap-
proyal of the system, and viii abandon i,
except so far to require examina-
tons for certain appointees to determine
their fitness. Competitive examinations will be
abandoned. The gentlemen who have given their
services without compensation, as members of the
board to devise rues and regulations for the gey-
eminent OF the civil service of the country, have
| shown much zeal and earnestness in their work,
and to them, well to myself it viii be source
OF modification if it is to be thrown away. But
repeat that il is impossible TO carry this system =.
assistance, and positive law to support it.
THE ATTORNEY GENERALS REPORT.
The report of the Attorney General contains val
liable recommendations relating to the administra-
ton OF justice in the courts of he United States to
which invite your attention. l respectfully
suggest TO Congress the prourety of increas
ing the number of judicial districts in the United
States to eleven. the present number being nine
and the creation of two additional judges. The
great, and the business of the courts SO
steadily increasing, that it is growing
more and more impossible for them to keep NJ.
Win the business requiring their attention.
Whether this would involve the necessity of adding
two more justices of the superior to the pres
ent number, | submit to the Judgment of Congress
PENSIONS.
The act of Congress prescribing the oath which
pensioners must subscribe before drawing then
pensions, cuts off from this bounty few survivors
of the of 1872 residing in the southern states
l recommend the restoration of this bounty to all
such. The number of persons whose names would
be restored to the list of pensioners is not large
They are all old persons who could have taken no
part IN the rebellion, and the services for which
they were awarded pensions We're in defense of the
whole country.
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
The attention of Congress is invited to the re-
port of the Secretary of the interior, and to the leg
islation asked for by him. The domestic inter
ests of the people are more intimately connected
with this department than with any of the other
departments of government. Its duties have been
added to from time TO time until they have become
so onerous that without the most perfect system
and order It viii be impossible for any Secretary
the Interior to keep trace OF all official transactions
having his sanction and done i'll his name, and for
which he Is held personally responsible.
CHEAP TRANSPORTATION.
have stated that the elements of prosperity to
the nations capita-labor, skilled and unskilled
and the products of the soil-stiIl remain with us
To direct the employment of these is problem de
serving the most serious attention of Congress. If
emp loyment can be given to all labor Offering it
self, prosperity necessarily follows. / have eN-
pressed the opinion and repeat it, that the first
requisite to the accomplishment of this end is the
substitute of sound currency for of a fiuctu-
atlng value inns secured, there are many inter
ests that might be fosered to the great profit of
| both labor and capital. Row to induce capital to
employ labor Is the question. The subject of cheap
transportation has occupied the attention of Con-
gress. New light on this question will, without
doubt be given by the committee appointed by the
last Congress to investigate and report upon this
subject
OCEAN TRAFFIC.
revival of ship building and particularly of iron
steamship building, is of vast Importance to our
national prosperity. The United States is now
paying over s1,000.000 per annum for freights and
passage on foreign ships, TO be carried abroad and
expended in the employment and support of
other peoples, beyond a fair per centage of what
should go to foreign vessels estimating on the ton
mage and travel of each respectively 1t is to be
regretted that this disparity in the carrying trade
exists, and TO correct it l would be willing to see
great departure from the usual course of govern
ment in supporting what might usually be termed
private enterprise" would not suggest as
remedy, direct subsidy to American steamship
lines, but would suggest the direct offer of ample
compensation for carrying the mails between the
Atlantic seaboard cities and the continent
American owned and American built steamers
aud would extend the hberaity to vessels carrying
mails to South America and Mexico, and would pur-
sue the policy from Pacific seaports to
foreign seaports the Pacific. 1t might be demand
ed that vessels built this service should come up
to standard fixed by legislation in tonnage speed
and all other qualities looking to the possibility OF
the government requiring them at some time for
war purposes. The right also, of taking possession
OF them IN such emergency should be guarded. /
offer these suggestions, believing them worthy of
consideration IN all seriousness affecting all sec
tons and all interests alff.
If anything better be done to direct the coun-
try INTO course of general prosperity, will
be more ready than to second the plan.
THE DISTRICT GovERNMAINT.
Forwarded herewith viii be found the report of
the Commissioners appointed under act Of Con
gress, approved June %, 1874 to wind up the at
fairs of the District government 1t will be seen
from the report that the total debt of the District
OF Columbia less securities on hand and available,
is
Bodned debt prior to July 1st 1874 s. 1888 $40 -;
500 bonds by act OF Congress June DO 1874 81 0sS,-
l6S. 10; certificates of the Board Audit, S4770-
558. AS total 1912 CO.. 81: less special muroys-
ment assessments Chargeable to private property
excess of any demand against such assessment 81
OLE, 053.37; less Chesapeake and Ohio canal bonds
S15,O0O0O and Washington and Alexander
railroad bonds, S59,00O.00; in the hands
OF the commissioners of the sinking funds
81, 74S. O5437 leaving the actual debt less said as
sets, Sl3Syi,hl3,24. In addition to this there
claims preferred against the government of the
District amounting in the aggregate, reported by
the board OF audit to $3,l47 787.4S, of which the
greater part will probably be rejected.
priety, be included in the debt of the District
government than the thousands of
claims against the general government be included
as portion OF the national debt. But the aggre-
gate sum thus stated includes something more
than the funded debt chargeabe exclusively to the
District of Columbia. The act of Congress of Nov.
18th, 1874, contemplates appOrtionment between
the United States government and the District of
Columbia in respect of the payment of the princi-
pal and interest of the 365 bonds Therefore in
computing with precision the bonded debt of the
District, OF the aggregate above stated as re-
spects 3.65 bonds now issued the outstanding Ger
hfcates Of the board of audit, and the unadiusted
claims pending before that board, should
be reduced to the extent of the amount which
be apportioned to the United States government III
the matter indicated in the act of Congress June
20th 1874.
I especially invite your attention to the recon-
mendaton of the commissioners of the sinking
fund relative to the ambiguity of the act of June
2jth, 1874 the interest the district bonds and
the consolidation of Indebtedness to the district |
feei much indebted to the gentlemen who consented