Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-07-23
Not an Expensive flayernment.

Not IN Expensive Government.
The appropriations for the support of the ma
fiOnai government during the fiscal year which
began on the first of this month, amount to, in
the aggregate. S1T7. 600. 600. 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 S3,0OO,0O0 are appro-
priated for Congressional expenses. of which
sum y, O43 600 are for the pay and mileage of
members of Congress The sum Of SIS; zoo, 600
goes to the maintenance of the executive branch
of the government. For the expense of MAIN
tanning our foreign relations the amount of
81 ~, 600 is set apart, of which S341 900 are for
diplomatic salaries $500 600 for consular salaries
ana Sl65, 0O0 for contingent expenses of consuls.
The sum of s27, 800 900 is for the maintenance of
our military establish eRt. and for the navy and
Its expenses S14. $50 900 are set apart. The
largest appropriation for any one purpose is for
pensions, that being $4,000, 900. For public
works SIS, 200 600 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
r1fory, 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
hlfeenf sugar pine. which in many respects is
inner tree than the sequoia, or ''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
oil 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 hostiities 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 a 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 prestige
which induced predatory Indians to join him,
and he was willy enough to make use of that
victory to impress his followers with the belief
that the whites could be driven out of the Vel
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.
e--
The Pennsylvania railroad company Yesterday
rG1Trat ant faro 10
dollars. This ''eut" was intended particularly to
hurt the Erie road. which gets large proper
ton of the emgrant traffic The Erie company
have been very active in the present war of
rates, aid 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
70 cut rates. Its passenger receipts for the first
haf Of this year were S4G0 eco in excess of those
Tor the corresponding period of $780, and the
daily increase now, over last year. is from $1,000
to $4,000
DOnohugh, the delinquent tax collector of
Philadelphia, does not intend to surrender his
lat office without a struggle. He insists that as
ne was not appointed by Collector Hunter, the
latter has no power TO remove him. DOnohugh
has been making from 800, 600 to Sl5O,OOO per
year out OF the office and he is naturally disposed
- hold On to it. Collector Hunter, however
mas the support Of the people behind him and
Donohugh Will have to go. Under the old ring
regime in Philadelphia, the office holders made
all positions pay well. Think OF a municipal
Office paying the holder thereof three times as
much as the President of the United States
receives. No wonder Philadelphia tax payers
have suffered.
The gratifying progress of the President
towards recovery continues and each day brings
him nearer TO health. Yesterday the wound dis
Charged several small fragments of cloth, fibers
OF the coat and shirt worn by the President the
day he was shot The surgeons were particu-
larry Sratified at this. it removed irritating
substances from the wound and showed that
The latter was drained to the bottom" as one
OF the doctors expressed it. The President il
now permitted To hear the newspapers read for
q specified time daily. His strength is steadily
returning. and it is only question Of time as
to when the national jubilee over his restoration
shall occur.
The administration of the Post Office depart-
ment upon business principles has already re-
S<SSS~ VIC VApNhSCS ocVot TS,otV.VOU auuuu1
without In any manner impairing the efficiency
Of the service. Meantime the receipts are
steadily increasing and il is not improbable that
the department by the end Of the fiscal year will
become seif-supporting. The next step of the
government then, no doubt, will be to cheaper
the postal service. reduction upon letter
postage and Of the cost of money orders would
be acceptable to the people.
At the ction to be held on the Sth of NOyem-
Der the people of Maryland will vote upon con-
stitutional amendment providing for an election
Of judges next year. The purpose of the amend
ment is really to remedy defect in the cOnstitu-
ton. The terms of all the judges expire next
year, and under the present constitution there
could not be election TO fill the vacancies until
1883; the amendment is to provide for an election
IN 1882. and thus prevent vacancies which would
have to be filled by appointment.
Mr.. Forster's clause providing for the allotment
OF land and building of cottages for agricultural
laborers was ordered to be added to the Irish
land bill in the British House of Commons last