The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-12-07

made without material d1m1nutlon
of the revenue. The tariff law also
needs revision, but that due regard
may be paid to the conflicting inter
- our citizens, important
changes should be made with eau.
ton. If q careful revision cannot
be made at this session, a commas
sion such as was lately approved oy
the Senate and snow recommended
by the Secretary Of the treasury,
would doubtless tighten the labors
of Congress whenever the subject
shall be brought to its consideration.
WAR DEPARTMENT.
The accompanying report of the
secretary Of war will make known
the operations Of the department.
for the past year. He suggests
measures for promoting the eff
cheney of the army, without adding
to the number of its officers, and
recommends the legislation neces-
sary to increase the number OF en-.
listed men to $4,000, the maxi
mum allowed by law. This he
deems necessary to MAINTAIN
uuietness on our ever-shlftl ag
frontier, to preserve peace and sup
press disorder, and maraudlng In
new settlement, to protect settlers
and their property, against Indians,
and Indians against the encroach-
ment of intruders and to enable
peaceable emigrantS to establish
homes in the most remote parts OF
our country. The army is now ne
cessarily scattered over such a vast
extent Of territory that whenever
an outbreak occurs, reinforcements
must be hurried from many quarters
over great distances and always at
heavy cast for transportation OF
men, horses. wagons, and supplies. |
concur in the recommendation OF
the secretary for increasing the
army to the strength Of 10000 en-
listed men. It appears by the secre-
tary's report that in the absence OF
disturbances on the frontier, the
troops have been actively employed
in collecting Indians hitherto hos
tile, and locating them on their
proper reservation; that Sitting
Bull and his adherentS are now
prisoners at Fort Randall, that the
UteS have been moved to their new
reservation in Utah; that during
the recent outbreak of the Apaches
it was necessary to reinforce the
garrisonS in Arizona, by troops
withdrawn from New Mexico, and
that some Apaches- are now held
prisoners for trial.
while some have escaped and
the majority Of the tribe are now on
their reservation. There is need of
legislation to prevent intrusion on
the lands set apart for the Indians.
a large military force at great ex-
penSe is now required to patrol the
boundary line between Kansas and
the Indian territory. The only pun
ishment that can at present be in
ficted is the fOrcible removal of the
and the imposition of a
pecuniary fine, which in most cases
it is impossible to collect. There
should be a penalty by imprisonment
in such cases.
The separate organization of the
signal service is used by the secre-
tary of war, and a full statement of
the advantages Of such permanent
is presented in the re-
port of the chief signal officer. A de-
tail of the usual work performed by
the signal CORPS and the weather
bureau is also given in that report. l
ask attention to the statements of
the secretary of war regarding the
requisitiOn frequently made by the
Indian bureau, on the subsistence
of the army, for the
casual support Of bands in tribes
whose appropriations are exhausted.
The war department should not be
left by reason of inadequate prOvis-
ions for the Indian bureau to con-
tribute for the maintenance of the
Indians.
RIVERS AND HARBORS.
The report of the chief engineer
furnishes detailed account Of the
operations for the I'M royement of
rivers and harbors. L recommend to
your attention the suggestions con-
tanned in this report in regard to
the condition of our Notifications,
especially our coast defenses, and re-
commend an increase of the strength
of the engineer battalion by which
the efficiency of our torpedo system
would be improved. I also call your
attention to the remarks upon the
improvement of the south pass Of the
Mississippi. river, the proposed free
bridge over the Potomac river, at
Georgetown, the Importance of COM
plotting at an early day the north
wing of the department building,
and other recommendations of the
secretary Of war, which appear in
his report. The actual expenditures
of this department, for the fiscal
year ending June 30th, 1881, were
$42, 122,201.39. The appropriations
for the year 1882 were $44,SS9, 725.42
The estimates for 1888 are S44,541-
256.9l.
THE NAVY.
The report Of the secretary Of the
navy exhibits the condition of that
branch of the service, and presents
valuable suggestions for it's i'm
provement. [ call your especial
attention also to the appended
report of the advisory board, which
convened to devise suitable
measures for increasing the eff