Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-12-04

hampton, ana last summer some charita-
bic and kind people asked permission to
send two teachers to these Indians for the
purpose of instructing the adults. as we'll as
such children as should be found there,
Such permission was readily given, accom-
modatlons were provided for the teachers.
| and some portions of the buildings at the
barracks were made available for this p1r-
pose. The good work contemplated has
been commenced, and the teachers engaged
are paid by the ladies with whom this plan
| originated.
am not at all in sympathy with those
benevolent but injudicious people who are
constantly insisting that these Indians
| should be returned to the reservation.
| Their removal was an absolute necessity.
II the lives and property of citizens of the
| fronner are to be at all regarded by the
Government their continued restraint at a
| distance from the scene of their repeated
and cruel murders and outrages is still
necessary. 1t is mistaken philanthropy
every way Injurious, which prompts the
desire TO see these savages returned to their
Ola haunts. They are in their present
| location as the result of the best Judgment
| of those having official responsibility in
the matter, and who are by no means lack
ing III kind consideration for the Indians.
A number of these prisoners have forfeited
their lives TO outraged law and humanity.
Experience has proven that they are dam
gerous and cannot be trusted. This is true
not only of those on the warpath. who
have heretofore been actually guilty of
atrocious murders, but of their kindred
and friends who, while they remained
upon their reservation, furnished aid and
comfort to those absent with bloody in
tent.
These prisoners should be treated kindly,
and kept in restraint far from the locality
OF their former reservation. They should
be subjected to efforts calculated to lead to
their improvement and to the softening of
their savage and cruel instincts; but their
return to their old home should be persist
emily rejected. The Secretary of War, in
b report, gives graphic history of thes
Indians and recites with painful vividness
their bloody deeds, and the unhappy fail
ure of the Government to manage them bv
peaceful means. 1t will be amazing if a
perusal of this history will allow the sur
v1val OF desire for the return of these
prisoners to their reservation upon senti-
mental or any other grounds.
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT
The report of the Secretary of the Navy
demonstrates very intelligent manage
ment in that department, and discloses the
most satisfactory progress in the work of
reconstructing the navy during the past
year OF the ships in course of construc-
ton five, viz: the Charleston, Baltimore,
Yorktown, Vesuvius and Petrol, have in
that time been launched, and are rapidly
approaching completion; and in addition
to the above the Philadelphia, the San
Francisco, the Newark, the Washington,
the Concord and the Herresshof, aorpedo
boats, are all under contract for delivery to
the department during the next year. The
progress already made, and being made,
gives good ground for the expectation that
these eleven vessels will be Incorporated rs
a part of the American navy within the
next twelve months.
The report shows that notwithstanding
the large expenditures for new construc-
ton, and the additional labor they involve.
the total ordinary current expenditures of
the Department for the three years ending
June 80, 1888, are less by more than 20 per
cent. than such expenditure fer the three
years ending June 80, 1884 The various
steps which have been taken to improve
the business methods of the Department
are reviewed by the Secretary. The pur-
chasing of supplies has been consolidated
and placed under q responsible Bureau
head. This has resulted in the curtailment
OF open purchases which in the years 1884
and 1885 amounted to over 30 per cent. of
all the purchases OF the Department. AT
the present time about 80 per cent. of the
total Departmental purchases are made by
contract and after competition As the
expenditures on the account exceeds an
average of S27, 100000 annually, it is evil
dent that important improvement in the
system has been inaugurated and substan-
tial economies introduced.
THE POSTAL DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Postmaster General
| shows marked increase of business in
every branch of the postal service The
number of Postofices on July l, 1883, was
81 ,376. an increase of 6,124 in three years
and of 2, ,219 for the last fiscal year. The
| free-delivery offices have increased from
ls9 in the fiscal year ended June 80 1887,
to S5S in the year ended June 80, 1888. In
! the railway mail service there has been an
increase in one year of 16S routes, and in
the number of miles travelled per annum
| an increase of 150 715 917 All. The esti-
mated increase of railroad service for the
year is 600 miles The volume of business
in the money-order division, including the
transactions in postal notes, reached the
sum of upwards of S143 100000 for the
year. During the past year postal coz
ventions have been concluded with the
Barbados, the Bahamas, British Honduras
and Mexico, and are now under negotia-
lions with all the Central and South Aneri-
can States.
The increase of correspondence with for
eign countries during the past three years
is gratifying, and is especially notable and
exceptional with the Central and South
American States and with Mexico. AS the
greater part of mail matter exchanged with
these countries is commercial in its char
acter, this increase is evidence of the i'm
proved business relations with them The
practical operation of the parcel post con-
ventions, so far as negotiated, have served
to fulfill the most favorable predictions as
to their benefits. In January last general
post convention was negotiated with the
Dominion of Canada which went into op-
Grafton on March last, and which practi-
cally makes one postal territory of the
United States and Canada. Under it mer-
chandise parcels may now be transmitted
through the mails at fourth-class rates of
postage.
II is not possible here to touch even the
leading heads of the great postal establish
ment to illustrate the enormous and rapid
growth of its business, and the needs for
legislative readjustment of its machinery,
that it has outgrown. For these and other
valuable recommendations Of the Post
master-General attention is earnestly in
vited to mis- report. a Department whose
revenues have increased from $40 772, 600
in 1870 to S52,7000o0 in 1888, despite the
reductions of postage, which nave enor-
mously reduced the rates OF revenue while
greatly increasing its business, demands
the careful consideration Of Congress as 70
all matters suggested by those familiar With
its operations, and which are calculated to
increase its efficiency and usefulness
PosToFFIcE BUILDINGS.
4 bill, prepared by the Postmaster
General, was introduced at the las. session
OF the last Congress, by which uniform
standard in the amount of gross receipts
would fix the right of a community 10 g
public building to be erected by the Gov
ernment for postoffice purposes. Il was
demonstrated that, aside from the public
convenience and the promotion Of harmony
among citizens, invariably disturbed by 8
measure of the highest economy and of
sound business judgment. 1t was found