Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1878-12-05
bills which congress will be called upon to

bills which congress will be called upon to
pass.
In providing for the postal service, the
questions are presented: Should
Congress annually appropriate q sum for it's
expenses largely in excess of its revenues,
or should such rates of postage be estab-
lished as will make the department self-sus-
duced by excluding from the mails matter
which does not pay its way? Should the
number of post-routes be diminished?
Should other methods be adopted which will
increase the revenue or diminish the ex'
peuses of the postal service?
The international postal congress, which
met at Paris May l, 1868, and continued in
session until June of the same year, was
of delegates from nearly all the
civilized countries OF the world. 1t
adopted new convention to take the place
of the treaty concluded at Berne, October 9,
1874, which goes into effect on the LIST OF
delegates have signed it. 1t was ratified
and approved, by aud with the consent OF
the president, August IL, 1878. A synopsis
of this universal postal convention will
master general, and the fun text
in the appendix thereto. In its origin
the postal union comprised twenty
three countries, having population OF
$50 900, 900 OF people, and will soon, by the
accession of the few remaining countries
and colonies which maintain organized
postal services, constitute, in fact as we'll as
in name, as its new title indicates, a uni.
versal union, regulating, upon u uniform
basis of cheap passage rates, the postal in.
tercourse between all civilized nations.
Some embarrassment has arisen out of
the conflict between the customs laws Of
this country and the provisions of the
postal convention in regard to the trans
mission of foreign books and newspapers
to this country by mail. 1t is hoped that
congress will be able to devise some means
of reconcilng the difficulties which have
thus been created, SO as to do justice to all
parties involved.
THE JUDICIARY.
The business of the Supreme Court, and
of the courts in many of the circuits, has
increased to such an extent during the pas,
years that additional legislation is impera'
tive to relieve and prevent the delay OF JUS
which is thus occasioned. The encountered
condition of these dockets is presented
anew in the report of the attorney general
and the remedy suggested is earnestly urged
for congressional action. The creation OF
additional circuit judges, as proposed
would afford complete remedy, and would
involve an expense-at the present rate Of
salaries-of not more than $4,000 year.
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
The annual reports of the secretary of thu
in rior and of the commissioner of lndiaI
affairs, present an elaborate account of thu
present condition of the Indian tribes, ant
of that branch of the public service which
| ministers to their interests While the con
duct Of the Indians, generally, has beer
orderly, and their relations with thei
! neighbors friendly and peaceful, two loca
disturbances have occurred, which were de
happily, confined to comparatively small
number of Indians. The discomfort among
the Bannocks, which led first to some act
of violence on the part of some of the mem
bers of the tribe and finally to the outbreak
appears to have been caused by an Insult
cheney Of food on the reservation, and thi
insufficiency to have been owing to the in
adequacy OF the appropriations made b.
congress, to the wants of the Indians, at
time when the Indians were prevented fro1
supplying the deficiency by hunting. Afte
an arduous pursuit by the troops of tn
United States, and several engagement
Tue uUStllc 1uulduS "CAC 1OuuCCu w 6uOJC<
ton, and the larger part of them surre1
dcred themselves as prisoners. In this COZ
nection, l desire to call attention TO IN
recommendation made by the secretary G
the interior, that a sufficient fund be place
at the disposal of the executive, to be usec
with proper accountability, at discretion
IN sudden emergencies OF the Indian sci
vice.
The other case of disturbance was that Q
band Of northern Cheyennes who sue
denly left their reservation in the India
territory and marched rapidly through til
states of Kansas and Nebraska in til
committing murders and other crime
on their way. From documents a.
companying the report Of the secre
tary of the interior, it appears tina
this ,lsorder]v band was as fully supple
with the necessaries of life as the 4,7C
other Indians who remained quietly O
the reservation, and that the disturbant
was caused by men of a restless and mi
chievous disposition among The Indian
themselves. Almost the whole of this ban
have surrendered to the military author
ties, and it is gratifying fact that whe
some of them had taken refuge in the cam
of the Red Cloud Sioux, with whom the
had been in friendly relations, the Siou
held them as prisoners and readily CAV
them up to the officers of the United State
thus giving new proof Of the loyal spir
which, alarming rumors to the contrar
notwithstanding they have uniform]
shown ever since the wishes they expresse
at the council of September, 1877, had bee
complied with.
Both the secretary of the interior and tn
secretary of war unite in the recommend
ton that provision be made by congress
for the organization OF corps Of mounte
4" Indian auxniaries," to be under the cor
troll OF the army, and to be used for the pul
pose of keeping the Indians on their reese
vations and preventing or depressing di
turbance on their part. earnestly concu
in this recommendation. It is believed thu
the organization of such body of India
cavalry, receiving a moderate pay from tn
government would considerably weaken tn
restless element among the Indians by will
drawing from it number of young me
and giving them congenial employment
under the government, it being a matter 9
experience that Indians in our servic
almost without exception are faithful in tn
performance of the duties assigned to then
Such an organization would materially al
the army in the accomplishment of tas
for which its numerical strength is some
times found insufficient.
But, while the employment of force TO
| the prevention or repression OF lndlal
troubles is of occasional necessity, and wis
preparation should be made to that end
greater reliance must be placed on human
! and civilizing agencies for the ultimate Sc
luton of what is called the Indian prob
lem. 1t may be very difficult, and requir
much patient effort, to curb the unrul,,
spirit of the savage Indian to the restraint
of civilized life, but experience shows tina
it is not impossible. Many of the tribe
which are now quiet and orderly and self
supporting were once as savage as any tina
at present roam over the plains or in tn
mountains of the far west, and were thel
considered inaccessible to civilizing infiu
ences. 1t may be imrossible to raise then
fully up to the level of the white population
of the United States; but we SHOULD not for
get that they are the aborigines of the coun
try, and called the soil their own on whicl
our people have grown rich, powerful ant
happy. We owe it to them as moral dut.
! to help them in attaining at least that de
gree Of civilization which they may be abb
to reach. 1t is not only our duty-it is ais
our interest to do so. Indians who hav
become agriculturists or herdsmen, and fee
an interest in property, will thencefort]
cease to be q warlike and disturbing ele
ment. It is also q Rell.authenticated fac