Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-12-06
RETURNS corulsted Of a.lsp onleers and 24,t4s


4h, 1883, to prepare the necessary plans
and specifications for the establishment OF
an army gun factory at that point. This
boards preliminary report Is briefly re-
Viewed, and 1t is stated the shop will prob
1890.
IT is expected that all the pneumatic
dynamite guns will he bought during 1889.
determination OF officers to test fitness
1 for promotion Is recommended,
Tho death Of General Sheridan Ia feel
ingly referred to.
/ Tho total number Of Apache prisoners
now In Alabama is 3s2-s3 men, 40 women,
| 70 boys and 60 girls. It 10 thought best to
| keep these Apaches where they are.
IMPROVING THE NAVY.
The report OF the Secretary OF the Navy
demonstrates very intelligent management
In that important department and discloses
the most satisfactory progress In the work
! of reconstructing the navy made during
the past year. OF the ships Ia course OF
construction five have been launched and
are rapidly approaching compilation; Ave
more and the Herreshoff torpedo.boat are
| all under contract for delivery next year,
The progress already made and beingmade
gives good ground for the expectation that
these II vessels will be incorporated as part
OF the American navy within the next II
months.
The report shows that Notwithstanding
| the largo expenditures for new eonetruc-
tton, and the additional labor they involve,
the total ordinary or current expenditures
OF the department for the three years end
lng June S0th, 1888, are less by more than
20 peg cent than such expenditures for the
three years ending Jdue 30th. 1884.
THE POSTAL DEpApTNEFT,
The report OF .the poasp.astnr, General
SHOWS marked inefsaSS et 5buSiuees il
every branch Of the poatat servics. =
During the past yei- percel post c,rSeh-
the Bahamas, BritiSr Honduras and Mexico
and are now uIdannngstii ttion WITH all the
| Central and South AmAriaan states, The
increase Of correspondence, with foreign
countries during tho past three years Is
gratifying, and Is especially notable and ex-
ceptional with the Central and South Amer
loan states, and with Mexico. As the
greater part OF mail matter exchange with
these countries Ia commercial In its char
Reter, this Increase IL evidence OF the I'm
proved business relations with then.,
INCREASE OF PosTMAsTERs' PAY.
A bill, proposed by tho Postmasier-gene.
raj, WAS Introduced at the last session OF
the Congress, by which uniform standard
Ia the amount OF gross receipts would fix
the right Of community TO public build
ing 10 be erected by inc government for
: HO1tOAhgb pMkpbB1Es trust IUbL TllS Iled5-
ure will become a law at the pr6sentsession
OF Congress. ~ u y l. 4. " sra /, &c
OF the total number OF postmastarss 5A, 5T4
are Of the fourtholaesIi Rhdses OF coarse,
receive no eliowfnces whatever Tor ex-
penses In the service, and their comp snse-
lion Is fixed by, pArceni ages on rscsipts 1t
theif respective pfnceS. fhiE rtttS OF com
pensacion may ohay4' hesh, and rptobably
was, at some time, iuAt, hut thelethudati
hGa rafnufnaN toustsi
erai reductions in the rates Of postage
Such reductions havs necessarily CUT down
the compensation OF these officials, while It
undoubtedly Increased the business per-
formed by them. Simple justlee requires
attention to this subject, TO the end that
fourth. class postnaaslers may, receive at
leABL an equivalent to that whi9h the law
itself, fixing the rate, intended for them.
Another ciass OF postal employees whose
condition seems TO demand legislation is
that OF clerks In post offices; and / call
especial attention to tho repeated recon,
mendations Of the Postmaster. general for
their classification. Proper Legislation OF
this character for the relief Of carriers In
: the free delivery service has been frequent.
Provision ID made for thetr promotion; for
substitutes for them on vacation; for sub
stitutes for holidays, and limiting their
hours Of labor.
The legislation affecting the relations OF
the government with railroads Is In need OF
revision. The compensation to them for
carrying the mail Is limited and regulated
and although railroads are made post.
roads by law, there i5 no authority reposed
anywhere to compel the owner of a rail-
road to take and carry the United States
mails.
TIE JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT.
The transactions of the department of
iuetice for the fiscal year though judgments
f.tTll Et14k tfx0
recovered in favor OF the government dur
ing the year, only the sum of $l32, 1884 was
collected thereon; and that though fines,
penalties, and forfeitures were imposed
amounting TO $541 ,808 43, only 800 648 AZ
OF that sum was paid on account thereof.
These facts may furnish an illustration OF
the sentiment which extensively prevails,
that o debt due the government should
cause no inconvenience to the citizen.
PoLyaaMY ENDED.
It also appears from this report that
though prior 10 March, 1885, there had been
bEt six convictions In tue territories of
Utah and Idaho under the laws of 1852 and
1882, Furnishing polygamy and unlawful CO.
habitatlon as crimes, there hay5 been since
that date nearly Elk nut dred Convictions
under these laws and the statutes OF 1887;
and the opinion ~ expressed that under
such a firm and vfgilant laxseutlono these
laws. and the adyancA OF iisasIopposse to
the forbidden practices. polygRuly within
the United States Ia, virtually atlan end, N
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. 4 ~ ata
The report of theSeeretafy OF the Interior
/ commend to the attention OF the Congress.
l can not too strenuousiy insist upon the
Importance OF proper measures to insure
right d disposition of our public lands, not
only as matter of present justice, but in
forecast Of the const aenaes 10 future gen.
erattons. The broad, rich acres OF our
agricultural plains have been long pre-.
served by nature TO become her untEam-
meled gift to people civilized and free,
upon which should rest, In we'll. distributed
ownership, the numerous homes OF enlight-
sned, equal, and fraternai citizens. They
came to national possession with the
warning example in cur eyes of
the entail of inguit es In landed
propriet0rship which other countries bavs
permitted and still anfler. We have no e1-
cuse tor the violation Of principles, cogently
Allowance Ss t Of pret s With bays 20 so me-
times exposed our lands to colossal greed.
Laws which open aefpor TO fraudulent
acquisition, or administration which psrInits
favor to rapacious seizure by q favored few
of expanded areas that many should enjoy,
are accessory TO offences against our ma
tional welfare and humanity, not be too
severely condemned or punished.
1t is gratifying to know that something
has been done at last to redress the In
jnries to our people and check the perilous
tendency OF the reckless waste of the ma
donal domain. That over 90 00o, 600 acres
have been arrested from illegal usurpatlon,
imprcvldent grants and fraudulent entries
and claims, to be taken for the homesteads
OF honest industry-a although less than the
| greater areas thus unjustly lost-must
afford profound qualification to right
feellng citiz9ps as II Is recompense for
the labors aud struggles Of the recovery.
Our GEAR experience ought sufficiently to
urge the speedy enactment Of measures of
legislation which will oonfine the future
disposition of our remaining agricultural
lands to the uses Of actual husbandry and