Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-12-05

present fiscal year Sli 52H 43l. I0 which, in the
current expenses of the department during the
year. The amount drawn from the treaS ury from
so @ " as hcGm eted ed Is iea%ng ~ & I 1ne HsS eXpen- y
than rhc corresponding perto' U the last fiscal
year.
TIE POSTAL DEPARTMENT.
The report of the postmaster general embraces
detailed st5ement of the operations of the post
Office department. The expenditures of that de-
M r. SSs TGs receipts SsF neIug rns o
tamPs 9rdsE 95S s7 5s business e5 rba and Gca
$3.50 436 so included in the foregoing statement
Of expenditures, is chargeable to preceding
years, so that the actual expenditures fDr the is
cal year ending June 80, 1880, are estimated at
S56,571 800, and the receipts from al sources
$50 664 023 80, leaving deficiency to be apprO-
priated out of the treasury of So. .907, $3.50 The
report calls attention to the fact that the COmpen
sation of pOstmastcrS and or railroads for carry
ing the mails is regulated by law, and that the
failure of congress to appropriate the amount
required for these purposes does not relieve the
government OF the responsibility, but ntceSSari-
ly increases the deficiency bills which congress
will be called upon to pass. In providing for the
sented: ShoLld congress annually appropriate
for its expenses largely in excess of It's lcVe
nueS: or should such rates of postage be estab-
lished as will make the department selfSuStain-
ing? or should the postal service be reduced by
excluding from the mails matter which does not
pay Its way? should the number of
post routes he dimini ished? or should
some other methods be adopted which will in
crease the revenues or diminish the expense OF
the postal service. The International postal con
gress which met at Paris in May, 1878, and con-
tinued in session until June of the same year,
was composed of delegates from neaIly all the
civilized countries of the world 1t adopted q
new convention to take the place of the treaty
concluded at Berne Oct. 8, 1874, which goes into
effect on the 1st of April, 1879 between the coun-
tries whose delegates have signed 1t. 1t was rat
ifed and approved by and with the consent of the
president Aug. 13, 1878. A synopsis of this uni
oil
port of the postmaster genera and the full text
in the appendix thereto. IN its origin the postal
union comprised % countries having a popula-
tiOn Of 350,0O00O0 of people On the first of April
next 1t will comprise 43 countries and colonies,
with a population of more than $50 00u 000 of
people, and viii soon, by the accession of the
few remaining countries and colonies, which
maintain organized postal services, constitute in
fact, well as in name, as the new title indi-
Gates universal union, regulating, upon uni
form basis of cheap postage rates. the postal in
tel course between all civilized nations Some en-
barrassment has arisen from conflict between the
custom laws Of this country and the provision of
the postal canon in regard to the transmission of
foreign books and newspapers to this country by
mail. 1t is hoped that congress will be able to d.,
wise some means of reconciliug the ficulties which
have thus been created so to do justice to all par
ties involved,
THE JUDICIARY.
The business of the supreme and of the courts in
many of the circuits has Increased to such an extent
during the past years that add tiona legislation is
imperative to relieve and prevent the delay of justice
and posi be oppression 10 suitors which is thus
stoned. The incumbered condition of these dock
cts is presented in the report of the attorney
general and The remedy suggested is earnestly urged
for congressional action. The creation of additional
circuit judges, proposed would afford complete
remedy, and would involve expense at the presect
rate of salaries of not more than Sc ,OCO year.
THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
The annual report ofthe secretary of the nterioand
of the commissioner of Indian affairs, presents
aia he Of
tribes and of that branch of the public service which
ministers to their interests. While the conduct of
Indians generally had been orderly and their rel
tionS with their nelghbors friendly and peaceful,
two local disturbances have occurred, which
deplorable in their character but remained happily
confined to comparatively small number of In
dians. The discomfort among the Bannocks which
led first to some acts of violence the part of
soHe members of the tribe and finally to
caused by an lnsuficiency of food on the rcserya-
tion, and this inSuflciency to have been owing to
the lnadequacy of the appropriations made by
congress to the want of the Indians at time
when the Indians were prevented from supplying
the deficiency by hunting. After an arduous pur-
suit by the troops of the United States, and sew
eral engagements, the hostile Indians were re-
duced 10 subsection and the larger part OF them
surrendered themselves prisoners. In this
connection desire TO call attention to the rec
ommendation made by the secretary of the inie
rio', that sufficient fund be placed at the dis
po.al of the executive. to be used with prope; ac-
countabillty at his discretion. in sudden emer-
L
disturbance was that of the abandoned Northern
Cheyennes, who suddenly left their reservation
in the Indian Territory and marched rapidly
through the states Of Kansas and Nebraska in
the direction Of their old hunting grounds, COM
hitting murders and other crimes on their wav.
From documents accompanying the report OF the
secretary of the interior 1t appears that disorder
ly band was as fully supplied with the necesSa-
ries OF life .UJ DINER Indians who remain.
ed Quietly on the reservation. and that the dis
turbance was caused by men OF a restless and
mischevous disposition, among the Indians
themselves. Almost the whole of this band have
surrendered 10 the military authorities and it is
q gratifying fact that when some Ofthem had
taken refuge in the camp of the Red Cloud Sioux
with whom they had been Oil friendly relations,
the Sioux held them as prisoners and readily
gave them up TO the officers of the United States,
alarming rumors TO the contrary Notwithstanding,
they have uniformly shown ever since the wishes
they expressed at the council of Sept 1877, had
been complied with. Both the sec
retary OF the interior and secrc-
rary Of unite III the recommendation
that provision be made by congress for the organ
izatiOn of a corps OF mounted Indian auxlliarics'
to be under the control of the army and to be
used for the purpose of keeping the Indians on
their reservations and preventing or represSing
this Tccommen datl0n. It is believed that the
organization Of such body of Indian cavalry,
receiving q moderate pay from the government.
would considerably weaken the ruthless element
among the Indians by Withdrawing from it
number of the Young men and giving them con-
genial employment under the government. it
being matter OF experience that the Indians in
our service, almost without exception, fai III
full in the performance Of the duties assigned to
them. Such an organization would materially
which its numerical strength is sometimes found