The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-12-14
yoIoEs IN THE MESSAGE.


The increase in the postal receipts during
the last decade is very gratifying. In 1877
the receipts were $S,51s,o67. In 1880 they
we're $50, 315,4 79. Notwithstanding thisf fiat
tering showing the president says that an ap'
; preparation Of 8 ,6s0,757 will be required
over and above the receipts of the psstofice
department to meet its expenses for the en-
suing year,
The president recommends that ar appro'
priatien be made by congress OF an amount
of money sufficient to build a har.
Dor on the Pacific coast, somewhere between
San Francisco and the Straits Of Fuca. The
appropriation Of $15O,0OO that has already
been made for this purpose is not deemed uf'
fcient. Hence the call for more.
The Commissioners of education recon-
mends that can educational fund be set
apart from the net proceeds of sales Of the
public lands annually, the income of which,
and the remainder Of the net annual pro-
ceeds, to be distributed OF some satisfactory
plan to the southern states and territories and
the District of Culumbia.". This would be a
| WGlCOIQC duultlOA u II 0VASlo SAOO uAo
new possessed by the places mentioned, but
we fear that the members in congress from
the eastern and northern states would OPP
pose this distribution Of the money arising
from the sale of our public lands.
The commissioner of agriculture thinks
that tea can be raised in portions of the Uni
ted States. This fact has already been de-
monstrated. A colony of Japanese purchas-
ed some land near Coloma, CAL, and enter
ed into the cultivation of the tea plant. They
found no difficulty in producing a fine leaf,
but they learned that their n%eighbors, the
Chinese, were making more money by work.
ing over old placer mine tailings than they
themselves could make in the tea plant cul-
ture. They, therefore, abandoned the enter
prise and turned their attention to mining.
A fine field for tea plant culture may yet be
opened in SEINE of the southern states that
will furnish employment for our surplus
aJohns,H
Tie secretary of war recommends that $50
school masters be enlisted in the army, giving
them the rank and pay of commissary ser
geants. He states that there are now seventy
eight schools in operation in the army, with
an aggregate attendance of 2,5O5 enlisted
men and children. The recommendation is
a good one and should be carried out.
The president indorses the recommends
ton of Gen. Sherman, that our small inland
military posts be abandoned and sold and
that congress be asked to authorize this dis
position of them, the proceeds of such
sales to be devoted to the erection of other
posts at railroad centers and cities. As rail-
road centers and cities like St. Louis, Chica-
60 and San Francisco are subjected to the IN
yasion OF the savage foe, the propriety of car
rying out the recommendation of Sherman to
transfer the troops to these exposed points is
apparent TO the most obtuse frontiersman.
The army medical library contains $1,000
volumes and $4,000 pamphlets. The army
medical museum contains $4,000 specimens.
There are filed in another division 10000
bound volumes of hospital records. The
president asks that an appropriation of $780,
900 be granted by congress for the purpose of
erecting a new fire proof building in which to
preserve these works. 1t should be granted.
A sanitary conference, in which foreign
maritime states are expected to join, will
commence its first session at Washington at
the beginning of next month. The object of
this conference is "to establish q system of
notification by which the spread OF Infectious
or epidemic diseases may be more effectively
checked or prevented"
In speaking in reference to the inter ocean
ic canal, President Hayes reiterates his adher.
ance to the Monroe doctrine in the following
words: "That it is the right and duty of the
United States to assert and maintain such
supervision and authority over any inter.
oceanic canal across the isthmus that con.
meets North and South America as will pro.
tect our national interests" In these words
the president gives voice to the opinion held
by the American people on the subject.
The secretary of the navy recommends thai
some form of civil government for the people
of Alaska be established.
There are $685. s1 ,O16 of United States le
gal tenders in circulation. Up to the LIST o
November ofthe present year there have beer
72,S47, $50 silver dollars coined by the United
States minis.
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