Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-12-07

truders into the Indian reservations, as me
only way in which the evil can be checSed:
The actual expenditures of the Department
for the year, were $42, l22, 20l 80, and the
estimates for the ensuing years as sf4''ii,-
go 81. - - 5N
49, Navy Department.
He calls especial attention tOthe repoH
of the Advisory Board, embraced i'll tde
Secretary's report. which, has been already
publishea, relative to the building OF new
and swift vessels for the navy, in order 70
place it on a footing commensurate WIZ
the necessities of the Government anu the
national safety, and earnestly recommends
compliance with the suggestion, although
it will require large expenditure or pun
lie monies, as matter OF puoilc ecoiioin!'
Postoffice Department.
The report of the Postmaster General
shows gratifying growth and efficiency IN
the postal service. The receipts from All
ordinary sources during the year were $50
4S9 SIC. SO, and from money order business
s2a5, ,5sl. .39, making a total OF $36, iS5, ,3oI9I,
while the expenditures were $69, 9,25l, $50, TO-
The deficit supplied from the general treas
ury was $24, ,Sl1, 1850, or 63 per cent. OF the
amount. The receipts were IS, 4G9,9l In
excess of last year. He then proceeds with
a summary of the business of the depart
ment for the year, as heretofore given III
Secretary James report, and then recon-
mends the reduction of the fees in money
orders not exceeding $500 to five cents ana
making the maximum limit $1,000. he
also advocates the establishment OF syS-
TEN OF savings banks, and then deVotes con-
siderable space 10 statement OF the lncreas.
ed mileage in steamboat ana rail- routes anu
the decrease OF the
Star Routes
and the saving made thereby, and then pro-
ceeds: The Investigations of the Depart
ment of Jnstice and the Postoffice Depart
ment have resulted in the presentation OF
indictments against persons formerly con-
nectcd with that service, accusing them OF
offenses against the United States. | have
enioined upon the officials who arc charged
with conduct of the cases on the part OF
the government. and upon the eminent
counsel who, before my accession 10 the
Presidency. were called To their assist
ance. the duty of prosecuting. with the
utnnst vigoY of the law, all
bersons who may he found charge
alte with fraud upon the postal service.
= Department of Justice.
He calls attention to the recOmmenda'
ton OF the acting Attorney General, To
modify the present system OF Courts OF the
L. :. in order to expedite the decision OF
causes. and says that so long as the cXpan-
sion OF litigation was due to abnorma!
causes. no change was proper; but now that
it has become apparent that the increase l.
due To the wonderful growth and develop
ment of the country, Congress should take
the necessary steps to remedy the matter
in such way rs may bc deemed best. He
also recommends legislation making brig
andagc and armed marauding expeditions
in the territories, crimes against the Uni
ted States, in order that such may be dealt
with by the Government authorities, aS the
territorial governments are, in many cases,
unable to punish the depredators.
Department OF Interior.
lie calls attention to the elaborate report
of the Secretary of the Interior in regard tn
the management of Indian affairs Here
tofore system OF makeShifts has been re-
sorted to rather than grapple with the prob
lem. This fact has been the fruitful source
of our Indian complications. The time has
come when the policy of regarding them a'
separate nations, giving them immense
reservations and encouraging them To lead
savage lives. without an effort to bring
them under the influences of civilization
should cease. Thousands OF lives have
been sacrificed and millions OF dollars eX
pended in the attempt To solve the Indian
problem and yet ii seems scarcely nearer
solution than half century ago
OF late the attempt has beer
made to introduce among them tho
custums of civilized life and To gradually
absorb them into the mass of our citizens
protecting their rights and holding then
10 their responsibilities. lie therefore re
Commcnds the passage of an act making the
laws of the various States and tcrrItOrle!
appliCable to the Indian reservations with
in its borders and extending the laws %
the State OF Arkansas TO thc Indians within
! its borders. He also recommends the allot
| ting of the lands. in Scveralty. among thu
| individuals of each tribe, and appropriations
! for SCcOOl>
MOrmOnism.
The President then pays his respects t
! the Latter Day Saints III manner not L
| be misunderstood. He calls attention t
| the fact that the statue for the punishment o
| polvgamOrS marriages has been pcrsistantll
| and ContemptmSlY violated ever since IL
enactment and in spite OF the efforts OF th'
| authorities. the law is dead letter. ll'
| Therefore calls upon Congress to exercise IL
| undoubted power under the Constitution
| to destroy this great evil and prevent IL
| sprcad to other sections. The prcSen
| difficulty seems to be in obtaining eNidenC
| of polyCamOuS marriages, and III order t
| obtain the necessary evidence ii is Sug
gcsted that the law of evidence be so modi
| fed to permit the wife to testify in SuCi
cases. lie also recommends that law b
| passed. applicable to all the territories o
! the United States, providing that the fac
| that a woman has been married to
man charged with bigamy, shall not bs
| disqualified from being witness upon hi
trial for that offence.
Public Education.
| Although our system Of government doe
| not contemplate that the nation should pro
! vide or support Il system for the education
| of our people. no measures calculated [,
promote that general intelligence and vir
tue upon which pcrpetuity of our in>titu
| tionS sogreatly depends have ever been re-
| garded with indifference by Congress ~
| eXcCutiveS--a large portion Of the publ,
| domain having been from time to time de
| voted to promotion Of education. There i
now special reason why, by setting arar
| the proceeds Of its sales of public lands, NJ
| by some other cause. the government
! should aid the work of education. Many
! who now exercise the right of suffrage arC
/ unable to read the ballot which they cast
Upon many who had just emerged from
| condition of slavery, were suddenly dc
volved the responsibilities of citizenship
! In that portion of the country more i'm
| puvcriShed by the war. have been pleased
! to learn from the report Of the COmmiS
! Sioncr of Education. there has been lately
| a commendahle increase of interest, and
| effort for their instruction. but all thai
| can be done by local legislation, andpriyatc
generosity should be supplemented by
! such aid as can be COnStitutiOnally afford
! cd 10y the National Government. ] would
suggest that if any fund be dedicated L
/ this purpose it may be wisely diStribu
| ted in the different States according to the
the ratio of illteracy. ~ by this means
| those localities which are most in need Ol
! such assistance will reap its especial bcnc'
iii.
Agriculture.
The report of the Commission OF Agri
culture exhibits the results of the eEper'
imcnt> in which that department has been
engaged during the past year and makes
important suggestions III reference I" aSri'
cultural dcYelopucr; OF the country,
IEr steady Increase ii our population