River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-12-06
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THE posT OFFICE DEPARTMENT
! The report of the postmaster general con-
/ tains q full and clear statement Of
/ the operations and condition Of the post
office department. The ordinary revenues
of the department for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1871, including receipts from the
money order business, from official stamps and
| stamped envelopes amounted to 81, 53l, 1885.
/ The additional SUN OF $1,Ol3O0O was received
/ from the APPROX istion from the general
/ treasury for various purposes. making the re-
| ceIpis from all sources So. SIT 1925. The
/ total expenditures duri~ the fiscal year
| amounted TO $50. 4S6, S23.44, leaving an excess
OF total receipts over total expenditures Of
| 81 ,05S562.S -, and an excess Of total expendi-
| lures over ordinary receipts Of $500, 49,. Is
/ Dedueting from the total receipts the sum of
| S2,6lS.4l, received from International money
orders of the preceding fiscal rear, and deduct
| ing from the total expenditures the sum Of
81 los SIS 20, paid on liabilities incurred in pre-
yious fiscal years, tie expenditures and receipts
/ appertaining 10 the business Of the last fiscal
year were rs follows: Expenditures SS2..32s-
| 1914; receipts ordinary from money order
| business and from official postage stamps.
/ So, 46S, 9343; excess of expenditures s+,S54,-
/ 1902. Ihe ordinary revenues Of the post office
| department for the year ending june 30. 1872,
| are estimated at an Increase of three per cent.
over those of 1877, making S29,oS4,09S,2S, and
| the expenditures Tor the same year are esti-
| mated.at $50 4271Tt leaving an estimated de-
I
tiOnal legislation recommended by the post
master general for Improvements Of the mail
/ service and 10 protect the postal revenue
from the abuses practiced under existin
laws Is respectfully recommended 10
| the careful consideration of congress.
DEPARTMENT cF JUSTICE.
! The report of the attorney general contains
several uggestions rs 10 the administration
/ of justice 10 which | invite attention The
pressure OF business in the supreme court aud
certain circuit courts Of the United States Is
such now that serious delay TO the great in
| jury and even oppression OF suitors occurs,snd
| a remedy should be sought for this condition
| of affairs. Whether IL VIII be found in the
plan briefly sketched in the report, of inereas-
! Ing the number Of judges OF circuit courts
and by means OF this addition 10 judicial force,
Of creating an intermediate court OF errors
| and appeals or whether some other mode can
be devised obviatIng the difficulties which
/ now exist leave 10 your mature considera-
ton.
rHR INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
The present condition of the Indian tribes
| in the territories Of the United States and our
relations with them are fully set forth in the
| reports of the secretary Of the interior aud the
/ commissioner OF Indian affairs After series
| Of most deplorable conflicts, the successful
| termination OF which while rejecting honor
/ on the brave soldiers, who accomplished II
| cannot lessen our regret at the occurrence,
| we are now at peace with all the Indian
/ tribes in our borders. To preserve that
| peace by a Just and humane policy will be the
| object of my earnest endeayors Whatever
may be said of their character and savage
pTopcnsities, Of the difficulties Of introducing
| among them the habits of civilized life and the
! obstacles they have offered 10 the progress
Of settling In certain parts OF the country,
| the Indians are certainly entitled to our sym-
patty aud To conscientious respect on
/ our part for their claims upon our sense
! of justice. They were the original occupants
1 OF the land We now possess. They have been
driven from place to place. The purchase
! they called their own has STU left them poor.
In many instances when they had settled
| down upon land assigned TO them by compact
| and begun TO support Themselves by their own
1 labor, they were Tudely jostled Oft and thrust
! into the wilderness agasl. Many, If not most
I all our Indian wars have had their origin In
| broken promises and acts Of injustice ON our
part, and the advance of Indians IN civilization
| has been slow because the treatment they
received did not permit 1t to De faster
and more general. We cannot expect
/ them TO improve and follow our guidance I'M
/ less we keep faith with them in respecting the
/ rights they possess, and unless instead of de-
priying them of their opportunities, We lend
them helping hand. cordislly approve the
| policy regarding the management of Indian
affairs outlined IN the reports Of the Secretary
OF the Interior and of the Commissioner of In
| dian affairs. The faithful performance Of our
promises is the first condition of a good I'M
derstanding with the Indians. | cannot
/ too urgently recommend TO Congress
! that prompt and liberal provision be
made for the conscientious fulfillment
/ Of all agreements entered into BIZ the govern
ment with the Indian tribes. To withhold the
/ means necessary for the performance of
/ promise is always false economy,
/ and 10 apt to preve disastrous in its
/ consequences. Especial care il recon-
mended TO provide for the Indians settled
on their reservations, cattle and agriCu ltursl
! implements TO aid them in whatever efforts
| they may make TO support themselves, and by
! the rc-establishmcnt and maintenance of
schools 10 bring them under the control Of
civilized influences. see no reason why In
dams who can give satisfactory proof Of hav-
! ing by their own labor supported their
| families for a number of years, and who are
/ willing TO detach themselves from their
tribal relations, should not be admitted
| to the benefit Of the homestead oct and
the privileges OF citizenship, and recommend
the passage OF law to that effect II will be
an act OF justice as well as measure OF encour-
agement Earnest efforts are being made TO
purify the Indian service 20 that every dollar
Appropriated by congress shall rebound to the
benefit Of the Indian benefited. The effort
will have my firm support. With an impTOy-
ed service and every possible encouragement
held out to the Indians 10 better their cOndi-
tiOn and to elevate them in the scale OF civil
good work for them and ourselves.
PUBLIC TIMBER LANDS.
invite the attention Of congress to the i'm
pOrtance Of statements and suggestions by the
secretary of the interior, concerning the de-
predatons committed upon timber lands Of
the United States, and the necessity for the
preservation Of the forests. 1t Is
believed that the measures taken in
pursuance of existing law TO arrest these |
depredations win be entirely successful if con
gress by an appropriation for that purpose |
renders their continued enforcement possible |
The experience Of ether nations teaches ne that |
a country cannot be stripped of its forests with /
impunity, and we shall expose ourselves to 1
the gravest consequences unless the wasteful /
and improvident manneTinwhich the forests in /
the United States are destroyed be cifectually /
checked | earnestly recommend that the /
means suggested by the Secretary Of the Inter I
ior for the suppression Of depredatiOns on the /
public timber lands Of the United States for
the selling Of timber from the public 1
lands OF the United States. and for the /
preservation OF forests be embodied in
laws that considering the urgent necessity
of enabling the people of certain States and
Territories to purchase timber from the pub
lie land in legal manner which at present
they cannot do, such law be passed without
unavoidable delay. ] would also call the at
tentiOn of congress TO the statement made by
the Secretary of the Interior concerning the
disposition that might he made Of the desert
lands not iTrfgaOle, west II the one humid
redth meridian These lands are practically
unsuitable under existing laws and the sugges-
ton is worthy of consideration that a system of
lease would make them a source Of profit 10 the
United States, while at the same time legal.z- /
ing the business Of cattle raising which il at /
present carried on upon them
AGRICULTURAL PROGRESS.
The report Of the commissioner Of agricul-
ture contains the gratifying announcement Of
the extraordinary success which has reward ,
ed the agricultural industry OF the country ,
for the past year. With the fair prices which
were obtained for the products OF the soil es-
pecially for the surplus which our people
have to export, we may confidently turn to
this, the most important Of all our resources,
for the revival II the depressed industries Of