Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-12-10


upon which are so many large cities whose
wealth and Importance to the country
would in time of war, invite attack from
modern-armored ships, against which our
existing defensive works could give no
adequate protection.
The Secretary of the Navy reports that
under the authority of the acts of August |
5, 1882, and March 3, 1888, the work of
strengthening our navy by the construc-
ton of modern vessels has been auspi-
ciously begun. Three cruisers are in pro-
cess of construction, the Chicago, of 1900 |
tons displacement, and the Boston and |
Atlanta, each of $500 tons. They are to
be built of steel with the tensile strength |
and ductility prescribed by law, and in
combination of speed endurance and arm
ament are expected to compare fayorably |
with the best unarmored war vessels of |
other nations. A fourth vessel, the Dol |
phin, is to be constructed of similar ma
terial, and it is intended to serve as fleet |
dispatch boat. The double-turreted mon
itors Puritan, Amphitrite and Terror have |
been launched on the Delaware River, and |
a contract has been made for the supply |
of their machinery. A similar monitor,
the Monadnock, has been launched in Cal
ifornia The Naval Advisory Board and
the Secretary recommend the completion
Of the monitors, the construction of four
| gunboats, and also Of three additional
steel vessels like the Chicago, Boston and
! Dolphin as an important measure of ma
| terial defence.
The Utah commission has submitted
to the secretary of the interior its second
annual report As a result Of its labors
in supervising the recent election in that
territory, pursuant to the act of March
%, 1882, it appears that the persons by
that act disqualified, to the number Of
about $4,000, were excluded from the
polls. This fact, however, affords little
cause for congratulation, and | fear that
it is far from indicating any real and sub
stantial progress toward the exterpation
of polygamy. All of the members of the
legislature are Mormons. There is grave
reason to believe that they are in sympa-
thy with the practices that this govern
ment IS seeking to suppress, and that its
effort in that regard will be more likely
to encounter their opposition than to re-
ceive their encouragement and support.
Even if this view should happily be erro-
neous, the law under which the commits
sioners have been acting should be made
more effective by the incorporation of
some such stringent measures as they
recommend, as were included in bill No.
t 2,23S on the calendar of the senate at its
last session. / am convinced, however,
that polygamy has become so strongly in
: trenched in the territory of Utah that it
Y is profitless to attack it with any but the
e stoutest weapons which constitutional
q legislation can fashion. I favor, there
/ fore, the repeal of the act upon which the
/ existing government depends, the as
n sumption by the national legislature OF
IS the entire political control Of the terrific
k ry, and the establishment of commits
n sion with such powers and duties as shall
D be delegated to it by law.
5. I trust that congress will not fail at it
So present session to put Alaska under tn
1t protection of law. Its people have re
peatedly demonstrated against our ne
N glect to afford them the maintenance ant
It protection expressly guaranteed by tn
~ terms of the treaty whereby that terrific
ne ~ was ceded to the United States. Fo
to sixteen years they have pleaded in val
If, for that which they should have receive
at without the asking. They have no la
ne for the collection of debts, the supppol
er of education, the conveyance of propert.
al the administration of estates, or the ell
es forcement of contracts. None, indeed
is for the punishment of criminals, excer
Ut such as offend against certain customs
nd commerce and navigation acts. The r.
nd sources of Alaska, especially in fu
ct mines and lumber, are considerable in e,
rt. tent and capable of large development
he while its geographical situation is one
an political and commercial importanc
ell The promptings of interest, therefore,
Ia well as considerations of honor and goo
TT faith, demand the immediate establis
SEES ment of civil government in that te
Is ritory.
OF Complaints have lately been numero
IN, and urgent that certain corporations, co
ex- trolling in whole or in part the faciliti
csc for the Interstate carriage ofpersons a
Sc, merchandise over the great railroads
dg- the country, have resorted in their de
ings with the public to divers measul
ana unjust and oppressive in their charact
Tor In some instances the state governmel
the have attacked and suppresse these evi
ace but in others they have been unable
rec afford adequate relief because of the
OPP risdictional limitations which are
ces- posed upon them by the Federal Cons
tuition. The question how far the
our tional Government may lawfully intef
liver in the premises, and what, if any, sup
it's vision or control it ought to exercise,
agal one which merits your crreful conside
lese ton. While we cannot fail to recogn
e of the Importance of the vast railway S
heir TENS Of the country, and their great ;
now beneficial influences upon the devel
dis ment of our material wealth. we shot
1ng- on the other hand, remember that no
ency dividual and no corporation ought to
heir invested with absolute power over the
Iints terest of any other citizens or class
the citizens. The right of these railway
fine porations to fair and profitable ret
upon their investments and to reasona
ouch freedom in their regulations must be
it's ognized. But it seems only just that,
the far as it's constitutional authority
re- permit, congress should protect the
} the pie at large in their Interstate TT
, has against acts Of injustice which the S
CHI l Governments are poWerless to proven
the The commissioners who were appoil
ster- under the act of January 16, 1888,
the titled can act to regulate and improve
oh it civil service of the United States,
Adj tered promptly upon the discharge
nises their duties. A series of rules, frame
| for accordance with the spirit of the stat
be was approved and promulgated by
Sc or president. In some particulars whe
sraph they seemed defective, those rules