The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1883-11-08
PUBLIC LANDS.
Report Of the Commissioner OF the
General Land Office.
Gen. Sherman's Final Report Tile In.
dian Question Discnssed-Strength
OF the Army.
Ero., Erc., Ero,


The Commissioner of the General Land
Office, tho Hon. N. G. Mcfarland. In h's
annual report states that the di.inaals OF
public lands during the year embraced TO-
)3o, 169 acres. and Indian lands 3aa..3b acres.
an increase over lss2 of about 5a0o, 900 n res.
and over 1881 of about s,00e, 400 acres. The
receipts from all sources In connection witt
lsposals of public lani were Sil.0 '.t.a, and
from sales OF Indian lands S6.5. iUi, Il total OF
ell, 1883. Public lands were dispoec OF Us
follows.
Public sales, ....................... ..s.f.
Private entries. .....,
Presumption entries -
Homestead entries es....................s s.ll.olt
Timber f-cHture cntr -.
Entries with military bounty land war
En- r,s with land Claim scrip. .......... ,1os
Total number Of entries and filings postel
during the year .5i,ss5 aggicsating 80 u
Oo0 acres. The increase in numlcf of Claims
recorded in 1883 was 81. as over the year lss-
The Commissioner states that he i sa'i 'ict
| the presumption filings arc made or pro-
/ cured TO be male to great extent Tor
| speculative purlos, =. He rencws the recom-
mendatlon that the Pfc-empi,n law b" r.
| pcalc,l. Tho report recommends the afnrnd.
ment Of the Homestead laws r. IA ring u
period Of not less than six months
| after the settlement of Il Cam has been
4 placed on record before final proof shall D.
admitted, irrespective OF the allci 81 me af
/ residence prior TO the entry. he rel Orr
| further recommends the total repeal O. The
/ Timber Culture law account 81
It's inherent defects. The csns.iue.
4 tion OF l.2i0 miles OF land-4rant I'll iroaa
was reported during the yer. makiaga tosai
OF l..4aa miles OF road reported ~ CO. s'ract-
1 ell under all grants to June ~, lss3. The
| Commissioner asks that his salary lc fisea "
| $4,000 and for a moderate increase 81 the
| salaries of the principal officers ana clerks ~
| his department. The character and resron-
| sihility Of the Office, together with the Tact
that it, business has increased !. ler cent
since 1881. appears 10 the Commissioners 70
justify this request.
FOREIGN MAILS.
The Postmaster General has received tho
annual report Of Judge Blackfan SUPP rn-
tcndcnt of Foreign Mails. The ta.al W. ght
Of mails dispatched TO countries in the Postal
union. with the exception of Canada. was
| 2.53a.aa0 pounds. an incrsae 9 81 5.a,llf
pounds over the weight last year. III thc
letter mail dispatched. IL per ctnt. was scit
| 10 Great Britain AM ireland. y 10 Ger
many. >. to other counties 81 Europe.
ana per cent. 10 Postal union
countries and colonies outside OF Europe.
The amount Of letter mail dispatched last
year increased Z. per cent. over the amount
per cent In the same time. The SIN pal I
for sea transportation et mails was S3lb.a2.,
an increase over the cost OF lss. OF Soo.aaS.
or IS per cent. over 1850. The esSima'el
amount of postage collected in the lnitad
States ON foreign mail matter was s-,ots,alo.
GEN. sHERNAN's FINAL REPORT.
The last annual report of Gen. sherman IL
in the hands OF the Secretary Of War. The
army consists OF :, li3 officers and .s,3 % men
the figures being almost identical with those
of last year.
Gen. sherman considers Crooks Arachc
campaign success.
Military education is treated ut some
length. and the opinion expressed that the
Military academy at West Point and the
schools NJ Fortress Monroe and LeasenVortn
are among the hest in the world.
The Indians are regarded us SUBSTANTIALLY
eliminated from the problem OF the army.
The railroad which used TO follow in the rear,
and now goes forward with the picsct-lne III
the great battle of civilization with harhar-
ism, has had great influence. The recent
completion of the last of four great trans
continental lines of railway has settled Tor
ever the Indian question, the army question:
and many others which have hitherto
troubled the country. Tho recomiacnaa,
strongest posts be enlarged and the
minor places abandoned. The sol
der" says Gen. sherman. mus,
be treated as a felow-man. Let him live IN
comfort, and he will respond to the calt al
duty, even to death. When the soldier Is EN-
, ployed as Il carpenter. mechanic or lahorer
it is only fair that he should be paid for sacl
labor" The opinion is expressed that II VII
, be found wise to provide Il common organfza
tion for all such arms of the service. and
that Congress should provide for the transfe,
OF regiments from remote to home secfion'
! after a fair period of service. I'm this con
! nection particular attention Is called 10 ths
case of the Twenty. first infantry. which ha'
| been on the Pacific coast for fourteen years
> GEN. DRUMS REPORT.
Q Adjt. Gen. Drum has submitted his an
D nua report. He says the State militia ha.
1 steadily improved in discipline, soldseri,
i bearing and knowledge. He recommends III,
retirement on full pay of men who hass
: faithfully served thirty-five years. II Is suy
+ gested that increased pay for rc-cnlist.ng p
) made In depend on immediate rc-enli>tmcn
$ i'm the same regiment. and that the man IT
!. enli~tng he granted fnrlongh Of one. two
D OF three months. according to the number .
i terms he has already served. \ hi.monthl,
| settlement of the clothing accounts Is recon
Q mcnded. and Il statement made III this con
q necton tha, the Government lost Sin.ouu las
I year in clothing ascrdrawn hy dascrtsrs
Notwithstanding great efforts To I'LL the arm
) II the authorized strength, !. still lacks :. Ia
/ men OF the full quota.
! HERE AND THERE.
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