, 1878-03-23
GENERAL NEWS.

GENERAL NEWS.
WASHINGTON, March 1.-THE navy ap-
preparation bill recently introduced in
the house by Representative Clymer ap~
propriates The total sum of $14, ,GSi ,CS4.
Throughout the bill the specific objects
of the appropriation are stated. Only
81, 500 600 are appropriated for the pre-
seivation Of vessels on the stocks. and
in ordinary purchase of material and
stores OF all kinds, labor in navy yard
ani in foreign stations. preservation of
materials. purchase of tools, wear and
tear and repair OF vessels aAoat, and for
the general care and protection of the
navy in line, on construction and repair.
incidental expenses, namely. advertis-
ing and foreign postage.
Ten thousand new dollars were re-
ceived at the treasury to-day aud three
thousand paid out for gold.
Secretary Schurz being asked what he
thought of yesterdays debate in the
senate upon the prosecution of timber
depredators in Montana. said: Some
senators attacked the interior depart
ment for doing thing it has rot done.
We are arraigned for having prosecuted
settlers and minors WHO wanted little
wood and timber for their stores and
mines, while We really had only prose>
cuted spectators who had deprecated
upon the public lands on large scale
for the sake of personal profit. Under
instructions of this department not
settler nor a miner has been touched
except where persons had cut timber
under fraudulent pre.emption or home.
stead claims. When these spectators
obtained from SIS to 50 per cord fer
wood and from $40 to $50 per thousand
feet FOR manufactured lumber which they
had taken from the public lands, they
could afford to pay the government at
least small part of their profit. as pec>
pie in other parts of the country have
to do. AS to depopulating the territory.
there are no signs of that either in
Montana or any other territory in con-
sequence of the action of the interior
department.; but it is notorious fact
tnat the consumption of timber which
persons take for nothing from the pub
liza lands will be indefinitely more waste
full than if they had to pay for it. In
this way mountain sides in these terri>
tories will very soon be stripped of their
forests, and if the forests once be de-
stroyed the mountain sides will be bare
forever. If that goes on in the present
wasteful manner only a short period
longer, then these territories will in part
become uninhabited and depopu'ate1,
especially the valleys which depend
upon regular supply of water. If the
consumption of timber can be reduced
to the actual necessities of the people
by the action of the government and
tie waste now going on prevented, the
territories, instead of being depopu,
lated. will be protected agains. the most
disasterous consequences, which other
wise must necessarily ensue. notice
cur method of doing this has been CALI
ed un-Amerlcan. never though that
it WAS un-Amer;can toVprevent stealing
or to enforce the laws. We are bound
to execute laws as they are as well as
we can. If the laws are not as they
should be, it is the business of congress
to make them. The operations Of the
department for the prevention of TIM
Der devastation apply only in very lim>
tied extent to the territories. The prin-
cipal field of operation is in the timber
states, such as Minnesota, Michigan,
Wisconsin, Florida, Louisiana, Missis-
sippi and others.
Schurz being asked whether he had
made speech while in the senate on
the nolety system, denouncing spies
in the revenue service, said: So far as
he could remember he had not uttered
q word in that debate nor in any other
about spies. Those who were called
spies in the employ of the interior de-
partment were simply agents. who were
sent out to discovere what depredations
had been committed and who committed
them. and if the department wanted to
know anything about matters these
agents had to be called on for informa-
tiop, as the depredators had not been in
the habit of reporting themselves.
New YORK, March Is. The Tribune $
Washington special says; Evarts during
an interview to-day said the reductions
in the salaries of minister will prejudice
the diplomatic service. The minister
to England. he said, must pay from
thirty to forty Thousand yearly more
than his salary.
WASHINGTON, March 16.-The Sub
Committee of the Senate on Pacific
Railroads to>day made unanimous res
port to full Committee in favor Of