, 1886-12-07

Ill urge HuluilEs-n many CASTS III tH'
hands of torelgners-invites the seriou
and immediate attention of congress. Tn,
energies OF the land department hav'
been devoted, during the present admins
%tration, to remedy defects and correc
abuses in the public service. The re
suits of these efforts are so largel,
In the nature of reforms i'll the process
and methods Of our land system us to pre-
vent adequate estimates, but it appears by
a compilation from the reports of thu
commissions Of the general land Office
that the immediate effect in leading case
which have come to Il final termination
has been the restoration to the mass o
public lands Of 2~,7jO,000 acres, tina
1870. 600 acres are embraced in the inves
legations now pending before the depart
ment, or the courts, and that the
action Of congress has been asked ia
effect the restoration of :. 790, 900 acres
additional, besides which 1000, 900 acres
have been withheld from reservation and
the rights of entry thereon maintained. |
recommend the repeal of the prc-emption
and timber culture acts, and that the
homestead laws be so amended AS to bet
ter secure compliance with, and cultivation
for the period of five years from date OF
entry without Communication or PROVISION
for speculative accomplishment. also
recommend the repeal OF the desert land
laws, unless it shall be the pleasure
of the congress to So amend
these laws as to render them less liable to
abuse. As the chief motive Tor the evas-
ion OF the laws and principal cause OF
their result IN land accumulation instead
Of land ltuf rtinti.p - tho 4n,itfxr utt IA
which transfers are made of the right in
tended to be secured to settlers, it may be
deemed advisable to provide by legislation
some guards and checks upon the allena-
ton of vested rights and lands covered
thereby until patents are issued.
Last year an executive proclamation
was issued directing the removal of
fences which inclosed the public domain.
Many Of these have been removed
in obedience to such order, but much of
the public land still remains within the
lines OF these unlawful fences. The in
genious methods resorted to in order to
continue these trespasses, and the hardi-
hood OF the p%retenses by which, in some
cases, such Enclosures are justified. are
fully detailed in the report OF the secre-
tary of the interior. The removal OF the
fences still remaining, which inclosc pub
lie lands, will be enforced with all the
authority and means with which the exec
utlyc branch OF the government is 0r shall
be invested By the congress for that pur-
pose
The ARMY.
The report of the secretary Of war
gives a detailed account OF the admins
tration of his department and contains
sundry recommendations for the improve
ment of the service which | fully approve.
The army consisted at the date OF the last
consolidated return of > ,lO3 officers and
81, 9l6 enlisted. pen-Tha oT-FF~s Of
Cne department. for the last fiscal Year
were $50, $50, 9O3. 2S,, including $6,294,-
305. i3 for public works and river and
harbor Improvements. especially direct
the attention of congress to the recon-
mendation that officers be required to
submit to an examination as a prelimin-
aIy to their promotion. | see no obiec-
ton but many advantages in a~doptinrthis
feature which has operated SO benelcially
in u navy department as well rs IN some
branches of the rmy
The subject of coast defences and forti
~ications has been fully and carefully
treated by the board on Notifications,
whose report was submitted at the last
session OF congress, but no construction
work of the kind recommended by the
board has been possible during the last
year from lack Of appropriations for such
purpose. The deienceless condition of
our seacoast and lake frontier is perfectly
palpable. The examinations made must
convince us all that certain OF our cities
named in the rcp0r. of the board should
be fortified, and hat work on the most
important of these Notifications should be
commenced at once. The work has been
thoroughly considered and laid out, the
secretary of war reports, but all is delayed
in default of congressional action. The
absolute necessity. Judged by all standards
of prudence and foresight, Of our prcpa-
ration Tor an eflectual resistance against
the armored ships and steel guns of mod
ern construction, which may threaten the
cities on our coasts, is 50 apparent that |
hope effective steps will be taken in that
direction Immediately. The valuable and
suggestive treatment Of this question hy
the secretary of war is earnestly conf
mendcd to the consideration of congress
In September and October last. the
hostile Apaches who. under the leader
ship Of Geronimo. had for eighteen
months been ON the warpath, and during
that time had committed many murders
and Teen the cause OF constant terror to
the settlers of Arizona, surrendered to
Gen. Miles, the military commander who
succeeded Gen. Crook in the management
and direction of their pursuit Under
the terms of their surrender, as then re
ported, and in view of the understanding
which this murderous savage seemed to
entertain of the assurances given them,
it was considered best to lmprison them
in such manner rs to prevent their ever
engaging III such outragcs again instead
ofArying them for murder. Fort Pick
ems having beer selected rs a safe place
of confinement, all the adult males were
sent thithcr and will be closely guarded as
prisoners. In the meantime the residue
of the band, who though still remaining
upon the reservation, were regarded as
unsafe, and suspected of furnishing aid
to those ON the warpath. had been re.
moved to Fort Marion. The women and
larger children OF the hostlles were also
taken there, and arrangements have been
made for putting the children OF the
proper age in Indian schools
Capital and labor.
The relations OF labor to capital and OF
laboring men to their employers are Of the
utmost concern to every patriotic citizen.
When these are strained and distorted,
uniustiiablc claims are apt to be insisted
upon by both interested, and in the con
t%roversy whieh results the welfare of al
and the prosperity Of the country arc
jcoparlizcl. Any intervention Of the
general government within the limits oi
its constitutional authority, to avert sucl
n condition should be willingly accorded.
In a special message transmitted to the
congress at its last session, ! suggested