The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 18??-1882, 1881-12-16

5U, 1917, OF *540, ,445 ~. Inc entre numDer ol
letters and packages registered during the
year was S,3S8,914, OF which only 2061
061 or lost In transit Operations Of the money
order system are multiplying yearly. Under
the impulse OF immigration, OF the rapid devel
Opment OF the newer states and territories and
the consequent demand for additional means
of inter communication and exchange, during
the past year, 1888 additional money order Off
ces have been established, making total OF
5,499 In operation at the date of this report
During the year the domestic money orders
aggregated in value$105,075,769 30.
A modification Of the system Is suggested
reducing the fees for money orders not exceed.
ing IS from 10 cents to Eve cents, and making
the limit 800 In place OF $50.
| AN INDIAN POLICY.
For the success OF the efforts now making Ia
to introduce among the indians the customs
| and pursuits of civilized life, and gradually
to absorb them into the mass OF our citizens,
sharing their rights and holding their RESPONSE
bilites, there is an imperative need for legsla-
tive action. My suggestion In that regard
will be chiefly such as has been already called
| to the attention of congress and have received
| to some extent its nsideratiOn.-( First
recommend the passage Of an act making the
laws of the various states and territories appli-
cable to the Indian reservations within them,
| and extending the laws of the state OF Arkan-
sas to the portion of the Indian territory not
occupied by the five civilized tribes. The In
dian should receive the protection Of the law.
He should be allowed to maintain in court his
rights of person and property. He has repeat
edly begged for this privilege. Its exercise
| would be very valuable to him in his progress
toward civilization. Second, of even greater
importance is measure which has been ur-
gently recommended by my predecessors in
Office and in furthurence Of which several bills
have from time to time been introduced in both
houses of congress. The enactment Ofa gen.
eral law permitting the allotment in severalty
to such Indians at least as desire 1t of a reason
able quantity Of land secured to them by pat
| ent and for their own protection made inalien-
! able from 20 TO rs years is demanded for their
present welfare and their permanent advance
ment. la return for such consideration on
| the part of the government there is reason to
| believe that the Indians in large numbers
would be persuaded to sever their tribal re-
| latiOns and to engage at once In agricultural
pursuits II persuaded that their hunting days
were over and that Is now for their best inter-
ests to conform their manner OF life to the
new order OF things. BY no greater induce
ment than the assurance OF permanent title
| to the soil can they be made to engage in the
occupation OF tilling 1t. The well attested re-
| ports Of their increasing interest in husbandry
| justify the hope and belief that the enactment
| OF such statute as / recommend would be at
| once attended with gratifying results. A re-
sort to the allotment system would have di-
| rect and powerful influence in dissoving the
| tribal bond which Is prominent feature OF
savage life. and which tends 30 strongly to
perpetuate it. Therefore advise a liberal ap-
preparation for the support OF Indian schools,
because or my confident belief that such
course is consistent with the wisest economy.
Even among the most uncultured Indian
tribes there is known to be general and ur-
gent desire on the part OF the chiefs and older
members for the education Of their children.
ta NNAR Rt.vNa atn rAyF nj hla hat
during the past year the means which have
been at the command OF the interior depart
ment, for the purpose of Indian instruction
have proved to be utterly inadequate. The
success of the schools which are in operation
at Hampton, Carlisle and Forest Grove,
should not only encourage more generous
provision for the support Of those institutions,
but should prompt the establishment OF others
of similar character. They are doubtless
much more potent for good than the day
schools upon the reservation, as the pupils are
altogether separated from the surroundings of
savage life and brought into constant contact
with civilization.
PoLYaAMYIN UTAH.
There are many other phases OF this subject
which are of great interest but which cannot
beincluded within the becoming limits OF this
communication. They are recorded ably in the
reports of the secretary of the interior and the
commissioner of Indian affairs. For many
years the executive in his annual message to
congress has urged the necessity OF stringent
legislation for the suppression OF polygamy in
the territories and especially in the territory OF
Utah. The existing statute for the punishment
of this OdiOus crime so revolving to the moral
and religious sense of Christianity has been
peristently and contemptuOusly violated ever
since its enactment Indeed, In spite OF com
mendable efforts on the part OF the authorities
who represent the United States In that terri
tory, the law has in very rare instances been
enforced, and for a cause to which reference
will presently be made is practically dead
letter. The fact that adherents OF the Mormon
chunch, which rests upon pOlygamy as its cor.
ner stone, have recently been peOpling in large
numbers Idaho, Arizona and other OF our
western territories is well calculated to excite
the liveliest interest and apprehension. 1t i'm
poses upon congress and the executive the du-
ty Of enlisting against this barbarOus system
all the power which under the constitution and
law they can WELD for its destruction. Refer
ence has been frequently Tade to the obstacles
which the United States officers have found tn
their efforts to punish violations OF law. Prom.
ineDt among the obstacles is the difficulty of
procuring legal evidence sufficient to warrant
conviction even IN the case OF the most no.
tOrious offenders Your attention Is called to
the opinion OF the supreme court OF the United
States explaining its judgment Of reversal in
the case OF Miles, who has been convicted OF
that the secrecy attending the celebration Of
marriages in that territory makes that part Of
pOlygamy very difficult, and the prOpriety Is
suggested Of modifying that law Of evidence
| which now makes wife incompetent to testi-
| fy against her husband. This suggestion is ap-
| proved. recommend also the passing OF an
act providing that in the territories OF the
United States the fact that woman has been
married to person charged with bigamy shall
not disQuaIify her from appear
| ing here az witness upon his trial for
| that offense. further recommend legislation
| by which eny person solemnizing marriage
In any of the territories shall be required, un-
der stringent penalties for neglect or refusal,
| to file contract OF such marriage In the su-
preme court OF the territory, unless congress
devise other practicable measures for obyiatlng
| the difficulties which have hitherto afforded
the efforts to suppress this iniquity. assure
| you of my determined purpose to cooperate
with you In any lawful and discreet measures
which may be proposed to that end.
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
| In my letter accepting the nomination for
| the vice presidency stated that In my judg
ment "no man should be an incumbent OF an
office, the duties of which he Is for any cause
unfit TO perform, or who Is lacking In that abil-
ity, fidelity, or integrity which proper admin
| stratIOn OF the office demands" But opinion
has been widely divided upon the wisdom Of
various reformatory schemes which have been
suggested and of certain proposed regulations
governing the appointments h. the public Of
fee. The efficiency OF such regulations has
been distrusted mainly because they have seem
ed to exalt mere educational and abstract tests
above general business capacity and even spe-
caI fitness for the particular v 0rk In hand. It
seems TO me that the rules that should bs APP
piled to the management Of public service may
properly conform In the main 10 such as regu-
late the condition of successful private busi-
i raaa rla orininal annointmenta ahnnld be