Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-07-22
Not an Expensive Government.

The appropriations for the support of the ma
nonai government during the fiscal year which
began on the first of this month"; amount to, in
the aggregate, S1T .00O, 900, in round numbers.
THIS sum Is FOR ordinary expenses" ard is ex-
elusive OF interest on the public debt. For the
present fiscal year over s., 0OO, 600 are appro-
priated for Congressional expenses, of which
sum $40 43.OO0 are for the pay and mileage OF
members OF Congress. The sum of .f5;700, COO
goes to the maintenance of the executive branch
OF the government. For the expense of main
tanning our foreign relations the amount of
81 pa 900 is set apart of which S341 600 are for
diplomatic salaries, $500 900 for consular salaries
and sl66.OO0 for contingent expenses of eonsuls.
The sum of S27, 500 600 is for the maintenance of
our military establishment, and for the navy and
its expenses S14. 750. 900 are set apart The
largest appropriation for any one purpose is for
pensions, that being S5OOOO,OOO. For public
works SIS. coo are to be expended. Deduct
ing the amount for pensions. which does not be-
long to expenses, and the figures show that this
: extensive government is run economically.
The action OF the commissioner of the General
Land Office in reporting fayorably upon the re-
quest of the Yosemite commission and the
governor of California for the increase of the YO-
semitic valley reservation, to include the Mari
posa Big Tree reservation and surrounding ter
nfory, is very proper one. This grant ought
TO cover not only the groves of the gigantic Sc
quota, but also some of the groves of the mag
nihcent sugar pine, which in many respects is a
timer tree than the sequOia OF big tree" as it
holds its size more uniformly to great height,
and is most stately and symmetrical tree. 1t
is very desirable that some good specimens
of these trees should be covered by reserva-
ton, in time to save them from the lumberman's
*. For the present they are not accessible to
market but the plans are already laid to get at
them by railroad, or by fumes, and the steps to
save them cannot be taken moment too soon
With the surrender of Sitting Bull. Indian
border hOstilties virtually terminate. The march
OF civilization has conquered the red man, and
hereafter he will exist only as pensioner upon
government bounty. Sitting Bull is the ablest
Indian chief who has figured in border history
for more than quarter of a century. His cum
ming, ferocity, and ability enabled him to rally
band, made up of the various tribes of the
northwest, and to hold his warriors together
after all other chiefs had succumbed The
Custer massacre gave to sitting Bull a prestige
which induced predatory Indians to join him.
victory to impress his followers with the belief
that the whites could be driven out of the yell
lowstone country. The surrender of Sitting
Bull relieves the northwestern frontier of its
only terror. The great chief will probably end
his career as an attraction in some show.
The Pennsylvania railroad company yesterday
reduced emigrant fares to western points four
dollars. This ''cut" was intended particularly to
hurt the Erie road, which gets a large proper
tiOn of the emigrant traffic. The Erie company
have been very active in the present war Of
rates, and it is said to be the purpose of the
Pennsylvania company to maintain the fight
until the Erie shall be willing to come to terms
The Pennsylvania railroad is doing larger pas
senger business than ever before and can afford
to cut rates Its passenger receipts for the first
half of this year were S4OO 600 in excess of those
for the corresponding period of 1880, and the
daily increase now, over last year, is from So 600
TO $4,000.