The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-12-08

commission, such as was lately APP
proved by the senate and is now
recommended bv the secretary of
the treasury,wouldd doubtless tighten
the labors of congress whenever
this subject shall be brought to its
consideration. The accompanying
report of the secretary of war will
make known to you the operations
of that department for the past year.
lie suggests measures for promot-
ing the efficiency of the army with
out adding to the number of
officers and recommends the
legislation necessary to increase
the number of enlisted men to 80
900, the maximum allowed by law.
| This he deems necessary to main
tain quiet on our shifting frontier,
i to preserve peace and suppress dis
order and marauding i'll new settle
ments, TO protect settlers and their
property against Indians, and
against encroachments of intruders
and to enable peacable immigrants
to establish homes i'll most remote
parts of our country. The army is
now necessarily scattered over such
a vast extent ofterritOry that When
ever an outbreak occurs reinforce
ments must be hurried from many
quarters over great distance
aud always at heavy cost for
the transportation of men, horses,
wagons and supplies. concur in
the recommendations of the secre-
tary for increasing the army to the
strength of $4,000 enlisted men. 1t
appears by the secretary's report
that, in the absence of disturbances
on the frontier, the troops have
been actively employed in collect
ing Indians hitherto hostile and To-
eating them on their proper reserva-
tons; that Sitting Bull and others
of his adherents are now prisoners
at Fort Randall that the Indians
have moved their reservation in
Utah that during the recent out
break of the Apaches it was
rendered necessary to rein
force the garrisons i'll Arizona
by troops Withdrawn from New
Mexico, and that some of the
Apaches are now prisoners for trial,
while some have escaped, and the
tribe are now on the reservation.
There is need of legislation TO pre-
vent intrusion upon the lands set
apart for Indians. A large military
force, at great expense, is now re-
CURED to patrol the boundary line
between Kansas and the Indian ter
ritOry. The only punishment 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 collect
and there should be n penalty by
Imprisonment in such cases. The
separate organization of the signal
service is urged by the secretary of
war and a full statement Of the adj
vantages of such permanent or
ganiZation, is presented In the re-
port 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
his report. | ask attention to the
statements of the secretary Of war
regarding the acquisitions frequent
ly made by the Indian bureau
Oh the subsistence department of
the Army for the casual support of
the bands and tribes of Indians
whose appropriations are exhausted.
The war department should not be
left, by reason of inadequate pro-
visions for the Indian bureau, to
contribute for the maintenance of
the Indians
The report of the chief of ell
gineers furnishes q detailed account
of the operations for the improve
ment of rivers and harbors. / COM
mend to your attention the sugges-
ton contained in the report in re-
gard TO the condition of our fOrtifi-
cations, especially our coast de-
lenses, and recommend an in
crease of strength of the engineer
haI.-i;on, by which the sffinianny
of our torpedo system would
be improved. also call your at
tention to the remarks on the I'm.
provement ofSouth Pass, Mississippi
river, the proposed free bridge
over the Potomac at Georgetown,
and the Importance of completing it
at an early day. The north wing of
the war department building, and
other recommendations of the sec
rotary of war which appear in his
report.
The actual expenditures of The
department for the fiscal wear end
ing Jnne 80, 1880, were $42, l22, POI.
The appropriations for the year
1882, were S44,889, 1882. The esti-
mates for 1883 are 81, 541, 2S6.91.
The report of the secretary of the
navy, exhibits the condition of
that branch Of the service, and pre-
sents some valuable suggestions
for its improvement. call your
especial attention to the appended |
report of the advisory board. which |
herein tends to devise suitable meas
ures for increasing the efficiency of
the navy. and particularly To report |
az to the character and number of |
vessels necessary 10 place it on n |
footing commensurate with the nc
cessities of the government. | can-
not too strongly urge on you my
conviction that every consideration |
of national safety, economy and hon |
or imperatively demands thor
o1gh rehabilitation of our navy. |
With full appreciation of the fact |
that a compliance with the sug-
gestions of the head OF that |
department, and of the advisory |
board must involve large |
expenditure of public moneys, |
| earnestly recommend such an APP
preparation as will accomplish an
end which seems to Inc SO desirable. |
Nothing can be more inconsistent |
with true public economy than |
Withholding means necessary to ac-
complish objects intrusted by the |
constitution to the national legisla- |
ture. One of these objects, and |
one which is of paramount impor-
lance, is declared by our fundamen-
tai law to be the provision for our |
common defense. Surely nothing |
is more essential TO the defense of |
the United States and of all our |
people than the efficiency of our
navy. We have for. many years
maintained with foreign govern
inents the relations of honorable |
peace, and that such peaceful |
relations may be permanent is
desired by every patriotic citizen
of the republic. Bnt if we heed the |
teachings of history, we shall not |
forget that in the life of every ma
ton, emergencies may arise when a
resort to arms can alone save it
from dishonOr. No danger from |
abroad now threatens this people,
nor have / any cause to distrnst the
friendly professions of other govern
ments, but for avoiding, as well as