The Portland daily press., 1880-12-07

Cdu iIucb VI otodtASio OUA OWA oieiLcu3, W
carry the mails between our own ports and
those of Mexico, Central America, South
America, and of trans Pacific countries, ia
commended to the serious consideration of
Congress.
The attention of Congress is also invited to
to the suggestions of the Postmaster Geneal
in regard to postal savings.
FEDERAL COURTS
The necessity for additional provision, to
aid in the transaction of the business of the
Federal courts becomes each year more ap-
parent The docket of the Supreme Court
and of the circuit courts, in the greater num-
Der of the circuits, are encountered with the
constant accession Of cases. In the former
court and In many instances in the circuit
courts, years intervene before it is practicable
to bring cases to hearing
The Attorney General recommends the es.
tablishment of an intermediate court OF errors
and appeals 1t is recommended that the
number of Judges of the Circuit Court in each
circuit, with the exception OF the second Cir
cult should be creased by the add ition OF
another Judge; in the second circuit, that two
should be added; and that an intermediate
appellate court should be formed in each cir
cult, to consist of the circuit judges and the
circuit justice, and that in the event of the
absence of either of these judges, the place of
the absent judge should be supplied by the
judge of one of the district courts in the cir
cult. Such an appellate court could be safely
cisions would satisfy suitors in many cases
where appeals would still be allowed to the
Supreme Court. The expenses incurred for this
intermediate court will requirea very moder-
ate increase OF the appropriations for the ex-
penses of the Department of Justice. This
recommendation is commended to the careful
consideration of Congress.
1t is evident that delay of Justice. in many
instances oppressive and disast ronS to suitors.
now necessarily occurs III the Federal courts,
which will i'll this way be remedied.
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
The report of the Secretary of the Interior
presents an elaborate account of the operations
of that Department during the past year. 1t
gives me great pleasure to say that our Indian
affairs appear to be in more hopeful condition
now than ever before, The Indians have made
gratifying progress in agriculture, herding and
mechanical pursuits. Many who were few
years ago in hostile conflict with the Govern
ment are quietly settling down on farms where
they hope to make their permanent homes,
building houses and engaging in the occupa.
tions of civilized life. The introduction of
freghting business among them has been re-
markablv fruitful of good results, in giving
many of them congenial and remurerative en-
ployment and in stimulating their ambition to
earn their own support. Their honesty, fideli-
~ and efficiency as carriers are highly praised.
The organization Of police force of Indians
has been equally successful in maintaining
law and order upon the reservations aud in ex-
ercisng wholesome moral influence among
the Indians themselves. concur with the
Secretary of the Interior in the recommenda-
ton that the pay of this force be increased as
an inducement to the best class of young men
to enter it.
Much care and attention has been devoted to
the enlargement of educational facilities for
the Indians. The means available for this inn
pOrtant object have been very inadequate. A
few additional boarding schools at Indian
a,.osa, txnv h1r., c%rI,l I&1n
ton of buildings has been begun for several
more, but an increase of the appropriations for
this interesting undertaking is greatly needed
to accommodate the large nu iber Of Indian
children of school age The number offered
by their parents from all parts of the country
for education in the Government schools is
much larger than can be accommodated with
the means at present available for that
purpose. The number of Indian pupils at the
Normal school at Hampton, Virginia, under
the direction of Gen. Armstrong, has been
considerably increased, and their progress is
highly encouraging. The Indian school estab-
lished by the Interior Department in 1879 al
Carlisle, Pennsylvania, under the direction of
Captain Pratt, has been equally successful. 1t
has now nearly 200 pupils of both sexes,
east of the Rocky Mountains. The pupils in
both these institutions receive not only an
elementary English education, but are also in
structed in house work, agriculture and use.
seful mechanical pursuits. A similar school
was established this wear at Forest Grove,
Oregon, for the education of Indian youth on
the Pacific coast In addition to this, thirt v
six Indian boys and girls were selected from
the Eastern Cherokees and placed in boarding
schools in North Carolina, where they are to
receive an elementary English education and
training in industrial pursuits. The interest
shown by Indian parents, even among the So
called wild tribes, in the education of their
children is very gratifying and gives promise
that the results accomplished by the efforts
now making will be of lasting benefit.
The expenses of Indian educ alton have so
far been drawn from the permanent civiliza.
tion fund at the disposal of the Department. of
the Interior, but the fund is now so much re-
duced that the continuance of this beneficial
work will in the future iepend ON specific ap.
preparations by Congress for the purpose, aud
L venture to express the hope that Congress
will not permit institutions SO fruitful of good
results to perish for want of means for their
support. On the contrary, an increase of the
number OF such schools appears to me highly
probable.
The past year has been unusually free from
disturbance among the Indian tribes. An
agreement has been made with the UteS, by
which they surrender their large reservations
in Colorado in consideration Of an annuity, to
be paid to them, and agree to settle in sever
atty on certain lands designated for that pur-
posa, as farmers, holdin. individual title to
their land in fee simple, inalienabe for Ger.
tain period. In this way costly Indian war
has been avoided, that at one time seemed i'm
mnent, and for the first time in the history of
the country all Indian nation has given up its
tribal existence to be settled in SO veraty, and
to live as individuals under the common
protection of the laws of the country. The
conduct of the Indians throughout the coun-
try during the past year,, with but few
noteworthy exceptions, has been orderly
and peaceful. The guerilla warfare
carried on for two years by Victoria
and his band of Southern Apaches has
virtually come to an end by the death of that
chief and most of his followers, on Mexican
SOIL The disturbances caused on cur iJorth-
ern frontier by Sitting Bull and his men, who
had taken refuge in the British dominions, are
also likely to cease. A large majority of his
followers have surrendered to our military
forces, and the remainder are apparently IN
progress of disintegration.
concur with the Secretary of the Interior
in expressing the earnest hope that Congress
will at this session take favorable action on the
bill providing for the allotment of lands on
the different reservations in severalty to the
indians, with patents comforting fee simple
title inalienable for certain period, and the
eventual disposition of the residue of the reser-
vations for general settlement, with the con-
sent and for the benefit of the Indians, placing
the latter under the equal protection of the
with vigorous prosecution Of our educational
effoF is. will work the most important and ef-
fective advance toward the solution of the In
dian problem, in preparing for the gradual
merging of our Indian population IN the great
body of American citizenship.
DISPOSAL OF PUBLIC LANDS.
A large increase is reported in the disposal
of public lands for settlement during the past
year, which marks the prosperous growth of
our agricultural industry, and a vigorous
movement of population toward our unoccu-
pied lands AS this movement proceeds, the
codifcatiOn of our land laws, as we'll as proper
legislation to regulate the disposition of public
lands, become of more pressing necessity, and
therefore invite the consideration of Congress
to the report and the accompanying draft Of y
bill. made BY the public lands commission,
which were communicated by me to Congress
at the last session. Early action upon this inn
portant subject is highly desirable.
DEPREDATIoNs ON PUBLIC TIMBER LANDS.
The attention of Congress is again asked to
the wasteful depredations committed on our
public timber lands, and the rapid and lndis-
criminate destruction of onr forests The
urgent necessity for legislation to this end is
now fully recognized. In view of the iawless
character of the depredations committed, and
the disastrous consequences which will inevita.
bly, follow their continuance, legislation has
again and again been recommended to arrest
the evil, and to preserve for the people of our
Western sta es and territories the timber need
ed for domestic and other essential uses.