Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-12-07

y
500 10.
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Postmaster-G General con-
tuins full and clear statement of the opera
tons and condition of the Post Office Depart
ment. The ordinary revenues Of the depart
ment for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1917,
including receipts from the money order
business and from official stamps and stamped
envelopes, amounted TO the sum of S27 j3l,
iSj 2G; the additional sum of ~1Ol3,0OO was
realized from appropriations from the general
treasury for various purposes making the re-
ceipts from nll sources r3l, j44, $50 20. The
total expenditures during the fiscal year
Amounted to S33 lsG, 500 a, leaving an excess
of total receipts over total expenditures OF
81 ,OjS, 1G2 ~, aud an excess OF total eXpen-
dtures over ordinary receipts of 81, 9jl, 137 Is.
Deducting from the total receipts the sum of
SOB. 2Gl 81 received from international money
orders of the preceding fiscal year, and de-
Quoting from the total expenditures the sum
Of II, 1913, SIS 20 paid on liabilities incurred
in previous fiscal years. the expenditures and
receipts appertaining TO the business of the
last fiscal year were as follows expenditures,
! So, 322, j0i ~; receipts Ordinary from
money-order business and from official post
age stamps, $50 49,, 1923 y; excess of eNpen-
ditures, -. SOL, $50 50.
! The ordinary revenues Of the Post Office
]
| 1879, ARE estimated at an increase Of three per
cent. over those of 1877, making 500, 034. O9S,
| -, and the expenditures for the same year
are estimated at S3G, 427,77l, leaving an esti-
mated deficiency for the year 1879 of - 1873.
! ca -. The additional Legislation recomend-
ed 10y the Postmaster-Gcneral for the i'm
provement of the mail service, and to protect
the postal revenues from the abuses practised
under existing laws isrespcctfully commend
| Cd ~, tltp full on do nj
DEPARTMENT OF JrsT1cE.
The report of the Attorney General con
tnins several suggestions rs to the administra-
! ton of Justice to which invite your atten-
ton The pressure Of business in the Su-
preme Court and in certain Circuit Courts of
the United States is now such that serious de
lays to the great injury and even oppression
| Of stitors occur, and remedy should he
! sought for this condition Of affairs. Whether
it will be found in the plan, briefly sketched
| in the report. of increasing the number of
Judges Of the Circuit Court. and by means of
this addition to the Judicial force of creating
an intermediate Court of Errors and Appeals,
or whether some other mode can he devised
for obyiating the difficulties which now exist,
leave to your mature consideration
TIIE INDIANS.
tn, present condition Of the Indian tribes
relations with them are fully set forth III the
reports of the Secretary Of the Interior and the
Commissioner Of Indian affairs After a Sc
ri,s of most drplorale conflicts. the success
ful termination of which. while rejecting
honor on the brave soldiers who accomplished
it, 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
inst and humane policy will he the object OF
] 1. Ia. goil
Of their character and savage propensities, OF
the difficulties Of introducing among them the
habits of civilized life. and the obstacles they
have offered to the progress OF settlement IL
certain parts Of the country, the Indians are
certainly entitled TO our sympathy and to q
conscientious respect on our part for then
claims upon our sense Of justice. They were
the aboriginal occupants of the land We nov
possess. They have been driven from place
to place. The purchase money paid to them
IN some cases for what they called their owl
, has still left them poor. In many instances
when they had settled down upon land AS
signed to them 10y compact and begun TO sup
port themselves by their own labor, they wcr,
rudely jostled of and thrust into the wilder
p ness again. Many. if not most of our Indian
2 wars. have had their origin Ill broken prom
I ises and acts of injustice on our part and til,
3 advance Of the Indians in civilization has
2 been slow. because the treatment they re
e ceivcd did not permit II to be faster or NOR,
! general. We cannot expect them to improy,
l and to follow our guidance unless We keel
faith with them in respecting the rights the!
possess. and unless. instead of depriving then
= of their opportunities. we lend them helping
p hand ! cordially approve the policy regard
I | ing the management Of Indian affairs outlined
T. in the reports of the Secretary Of the interior
I and the Commissioner Of Indian Affairs. tn,
I faithful performance Of our promises Is thu
( first condition Of good understanding witt
r the Indians ! cannot too urgently recon
I mend to Congress that prompt and hber1
y provision be made for the conscientious full
E filment Of all engagements entered into by
( the Government with Indian tribes To with
1 hold the means necessary for the performance
= Of a promise is always false economy, and il
n apt to prove disastrous in its consequences
u Especially it Is recommended to provide fo
e Indians settled ON their reservations cattl,
r and agricultural implements to aid them il
l. whatever efforts they may make 10 supper
70 themselves. and 10y the establishment ant
maintenance Of schools to bring them unde
j. the control Of civilizing influences.
Il see no reason why Indians who can Civ,
e satisfactory proof of having by their own Ia
q Dor supported their families for n number o
e years and who are willing TO detach them
l. selves from their tribal relations should no
p be admitted TO the benefit of the Homestead
l. act. and the privileges of citizenship and
= recommend the passage of law 10 that IF
e feet. II will be an act of justice AS well a.
II measure of encouragement. Earnest effort
It are being made to purify the Indian service
= so that every dollar appropriated 10y Congress
J. shall rebound TO the benefit of the Indians a
l. intended Those efforts will have my hru
Il support. with an improved service, and ever
o possible encouragement held out 10 the In
r. dions to better their condition and TO elevat
q themselves 10 the scale of civilization. W
= may hope to accomplish at the same time
good work for them and for ourselves.
=! GOVERNMENT LANDS
D, invite the attention of Congress to the i'm
V portance of the statements and suggestion
: made by the Secretary of the Interior con
d corning the depredations committed upon tn
V timber lands of the United States and til
Is necessity for the preservation of forests.
V is believed that the measures taken in pursu
il ance of existing laws TO arrest the depreda
l. tions will be entirely successful if Congress
is by an appropriation for that purpose, render
J. their continued enforcement possible Tn
p experience of other nations teaches US that
Ie country cannot be stripped of its forests wit
l. IMMUNITY and we shall expose ourselves I
4 the grayest consequences unless the wastefr
IF and improvident manner in which the forest
m in the United States are destroyed he effectU
10 | ally checked. ! earnestly recommend tina
lie the measures suggested 10y the Secretary q
D. the Interior for the supp ession of depredl
tions on the public timber lands of the Unite
v States for the selling of timber from tn
er public lands and for the preservation of fol
ests, be embodied in a law, and that consider
" ing the urgent necessity of enabling the pee
ID pie of certain States and Territories TO pul
chase timber from the public lands in a leg
I | oh at fl,axr a