The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1881-12-14


and suppress disorder and marauding in
new settlements; TO protect settlers and
their property against Indians and In
dams against the encrOachments Of in-
truders; and to enable. peaceable inn
migrants to establish homes in the most
remote parts Of our country.
The army is now necessarily scattered
over such a vast extent of territory that
whenever an outbreak occurs reinforce
ments must be hurried from many
quarters over great distances, and
always at heavy cost for transportation
OF men, horses, wagons, and supplies.
concur in the recommendation Of the
secretary for increasing the army to the
strength of thirty thousand enlisted
men. 1t appears by the secretary's re-
port that, in the absence of disturbances
on the frontier, the troops have been
actively employed in collecting the In
dians hitherto hostile and locating them
on their proper reservations; 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 Apaches it was
necessary to reinforce gaITisons in Ari-
zona by troops withdrawn from New
Mexico, and that some of the 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 upon Tie lands set apart for
| the Indians. A large military force, at
great expense, is now required to patrol
| the boundary line between Kansas and
| the Indian Territory. The only punish
ment that can at present be inflicted, is
! the forcible removal of the intruder and
! the imposition of a pecuniary fine,
which, in most cases, it is impossible to
compel. There should be penalty by
Imprisonment in such cases.
THE sIGNAL-sERvICE
The separate organization of the sig
nal-service is urged by the secretary Of
war, and full statement of the adj
vantages of such permanent organiza-
ton is presented in the report of the
chief signal officer. A detailed account
of the useful work performed by the
signal corps and the weather bureau is
also given in that report.
THE INDIAN BUREAU.
I ask attention to the statements OF
the secretary of war regarding the re-
QUESTIONS frequently made by the Indian
bureau upon the subsistence department.
of the army for the casual support Of
bands and tribes of Indians whose APP
propriations are exhausted. The war
department should not be left, by rea-
son of inadequate provision for the In
dian bureau, to contribute for the main
tenance of Indians.
RIVER AND HARBoR IMPROVEMENT.
The report of the chief of engineers
! furnishes a detailed account of the oper-
ations for the improvement Of rivers and
harbors. / commend to your attention
the suggestions contained in this report
in regard to the condition of our fortifi-
cations,e specially our coast defenses,
and recommend an increase Of the
strength of the engineer battalion, by
which the efficiency of our torpedo sys-
tenn would be improved | 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 inn
portance of completing at an early day
the north wing of the department build
ing, 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 80, 1881, were $40, ,l22, POI 80. The
appropriations for the year 1882 were
/, S44 $3.50, ,72542. The estimates for 1888
are $44 ,54l ,276.9l.
The report of the secretary of the
navy exhibits the condition of that
branch of the service, and presents val
liable suggestions for its improvement.
l call your especial attention also to the
appended report of the advisory board
which he convened to devise suitable
measures for increasing the efficiency Of
the navy, and particularly to report as
to the character and number Of vessels
necessary to place it upon a footing
commensurate with the necessities Of
the government. / cannot too strongly
urge upon my conviction that every
consideration of national safety, econ
omy and honor imperatively demands a
thorough rehabilitation Of our navy.
With full appreciation of the fact that
compliance with the suggestions of the
head of that department and of the adj
Yisory board must involve a large ex-
penditme of the public moneys, l earn
estly recommend such appropriations
as will accomplish an end which seems
to me so desirable.
Nothing can be more inconsistent
with true public economy than with
holding the means necessary TO accom-
plish the objects intusted by the con-
stimtion to the national legislature. One
of these objects, and one which is OF
paramount importance, is declared by
our fundamental law to be the provision
for the common defense" Surely
nothing is more essential to the defense
of the union state and of all our people
that the efficiency of ournavy. We have
for many years maintained with Tor
eign governments the relations Of hon
orable peace, and that such relations
may be permanent is desired by every