Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1885-12-10

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wasnine them to remove was complied With
Mfroops we're aisn sent 70 Rock sprinrs III
Wyoming Territory. after tho massacre OF
Sn@sse ra sneffe 70 prsy w nsn' ~ wash
ington Territory. to avert threatened at,
tack Upon chinese laborers aud domestic
violence there; In both cases the more pres
pears that tho number OF distortions have
diminished, but that during the last hscal
year the number vas W., ana one instance le
assertions by TIE same recruit I am con.
vinced that this number OF desertiOns can be
much diminished by better discipline ana
treatment but the punishment should be
increased for repeated oncnses
The Judge Advocate General reports that
ihs nuTbe, Of trials b genera, court @P.tss iS
took place before garrison and reglmcntal
court martials. The suggestion that probably
more than tcnth OF the army has been tried
for oifenses great and small In one year may
well arrest attention. OF course many of
these trials OF garrison and rcRmentnl court
martials were FOR onenses almost frivolous,
and there should, think, be a way devised
20 dispose Of these In n moro summary and
less incOnvcniont manner than by court
ma-,la. OF some Of the proceedings OF
court martial, which ! had occasion 70 OK
anime. the present ideas'o justice which
generally prevail in the trials, l am satisfied,
should be much reformed " the honor
are,by their iustrumentality,to be vlndioated
The Board Of Fortlacatlons and Harbor ne.
fcnses, appointed In pursuance OF provisions
OF the act OF Congress, approved March 3,
1885. will, In n short time, present n report,
and 4 y hoped that this may greatly aid the
legislation so necessary TO remedy the pres
ent defenseless condition OF our sea coast
THE SIGNAL SERVICE.
The work OF the signal service has been
prosecuted during the last year with results
OF increasing boncht 70 the country. The
field of instruct on has been enlarged with
view OF add ng to its usefulness. The mum.
Der of stations in operation June ~
1885, was tsa Telegraphc reports are re-
ceived daily from 100 stations; reports are
also received from 70 Canadan stations, g7b
volunteer observers, 81 army surgeons At
military posts, aud 5B foreign stations. Tho
expense OF the service during the fiscal
year, after dcducting receipts from
military telegraph lines was s5g7, ,iO2 O7
WEST POINT ACADEMY.
Tho military academy nc West Point is re
ported as being IN high state Of efficiency
and u equipped for the accomplishment OF
the purposes Of its maintenance. The fact
that the class which graduates next year Is
an unusually largo one, has constrained me
20 decline to mako appointments 60 second
iieutcnantcles IN the army from civil life 80
that such vacancies us exist In these places
may be reserved for such graduates, and yet It
Is not probable that there will be vacancies
enough to provide positions FOR them all when
they leave the military school,
NAvGGABLE WATERS.
There should be a general law of Congress
prohibiting the construction Jf bridges over
navigahlewnters in such manner as to ohstruct
navigation, with provisions for preventing.
the same. IL seems, under existing statutes
- tnat inc 10Y &GoSornment can not intervenp TO
upon without It's consent, though when such
consent Is asked, and granted upon condition
that authority to insist upon such condition
Is clear.
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Secretary OF the Navy
gives a history OF the operations Of his dc.
partment, and the present condition OF the
work committed 10 his charge. lie details
in tull the course pursued by him to protect
the rights OF the Government in respect to
certain vessels unfinished .. the time nf his
accession to Office, and also concerning the
dispatch boat, Dolphin, claimed To BE- com.
pleted aud awaiting the acceptance e.! the
department..
tained In these reports that only the RNqlica-
ton OF business principles has bcoD insisted
upon in the treatment OF these subjects, gra
that whatever controversy has arisen was
caused by the exaction on the part OF the De-
partmcnt OF contract obligations ps they
were legally construed. In the case OF the
Dolphin, with entire Justice 20 the contract
viding for the ascertnnment by n judicial In
quiry, OF the complete or partial compliance
with the contract In her construction, and
further providing for the assessment OF any
damage 70 which the Government may
be entitled on account OF partial failure 20
perform such contract, or payment Of the
sum stu remaining unpaid upon her price In
case n full performance Is adiudged. Tho
contractor. by reason OF his failure in bust
ness being unable to complete the other
three vessels, they were taken possession Of
by the Government In their unhn shed state,
under n clause in the contract permitting
such n course, and are now In process Of
complet on In the yard of the contractor. but
under the supervision OF the Navy Depart
ment.
Congress at It's last session authorized the
construction of two add dtional new cruisers
and two Runboats. at a cost not to exceed in
the aggrcgatH s2Ii.0OO. The appropriation
for this purpose having become ava liable on
the LIST day OF July last, steps were taken for
the procurement OF such plans for the con
structiOn OF those vessels as would be likely
TO insure their usefulness when completed.
These are OF utmost importance. consider
ing the constant advance In the art Of build.
ing vessels of this character. aud the time is
not lost which Is spent IN their careful con.
s.derati on and selection.
All must admit the Importance Of an effec-
tive navy TO n nation like ours, having such
an extended sea coast 10 protect. and yet we
have not single vessel OF war that would
keep the seas against q fTst-class vessel of
any important foreign power. Such ~ condl-
ton ought not longer 10 cont nue.. The nation
that can not resist aggression n constantly
eNpOsed to is fore en- pol cy, Is OF ucccs.
sity weak, aud It's negotiations are con.
Quoted with disadvantage. because IL IN not
in a condition 10 enforce the terms dictated
hN liN sense OF flHNt ana Justice.
Inspired as am by the hope shared by all
patriotic citizens, that the day j. not far dis
thant when our navy will be such as belts
our standing among the nations OF the earth,
and rcloiccd az every step that leads In the
direction Of such cOnsummatiOu. deem It
my duty TO especially direct the attention OF
Congress to the close nf the report OF the
Secretary Of the Navy, In which the humili.
uting weakness of the present organization Of
this department is exhibited, and the startling
abuses and waste Of its prCscut methods are
with q certainty Of mathematical dcinoustra-
ton that before We proceed further on the
restoration OF navy we need thoroughly
rcorganizcd navy department.
THE POSTAL SERVICE.
The affairs Of the postal service arc ex.
hiblted hy the report of the Postmaster Gen.
oral, which viii be laid before you. The pos.
tai revenue. whose rtte OF gain upon the ris.
ing prosperity OF lNss aud 1873. 0utstr pped
the increasing expenses Of our growing ser.
vice, was checked hy the reduction In tho
rate OF letter postage. which took effect with
the beg nning Of October Ia the latter car
aud u dim nlshed during the past two fiscal
years Ss,1uOOJ0. In aboit the proportion Of
f2,EiOnO In lsst 10 fisU Oh in lssi Natural
growth and development have, in the
meantime, increased the eXpend ture, re-
sultinR In a deficiency in the revenue to
meet the expenses Of tire department of S..
a1OD for the year ls.A, and ss,sEl EEi 5iiS In
natural revival OF the revenue has been
oppressed and retarded by the unfavornhlo
business condition OF the country, OF which
the postal service Is a faithful Indicator.
The graf fying fact Is shown. however. by
tue report that our returning prosperity Is
marked by gain OF S;i-0,01 In the revenue
OF the lntter half Of the last year. over the
correspond ng period of the preceding year.
The change In weight OF first class matter
ch may be carried for nglc rate post.
HHe from half ounce TO an ounce, aud the
reduction by One-half cent Of newspaper
postage, which. under recent legislation, be-
gan with the current year, VIII operate 10
restrain the augmentation OF receipts which
otherwise might have been expected o. such
degree that the scale Of expense may gain
upon the revenue and cause an incressyd a
dchciencF % be shown at 10 close. Yet after
50 long period u increased prosperity. IL s.
confidently anticipated that even the present
low rates are as favorable a. any country NJ.
ioTds, ana viii be adequate 20 sustain the
coat Of service.
iNTEHIOn DEPARTuEST.
The report of the Secretary Of the Interior.
containing an account Of tho operation OF
this important department aud much inter.
eatiug Information, will be submitted for
your consideration. The most intricate aud
dlnlcult subject ln charge Of this Il dcunrtfnouf