Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-12-04

the consideration OF the Congress-. Among these |
the proposal thni there should 30 provided |
plan for the examination OF osnCcrs - test their |
ntnoss for promotion l. Of the utmost import |
ance. This reform has been bofurs recoinmend- !
Ell Ia the reports OF the Serstary, and ~ expe- |
idiency i 20 fully demon st atet by the argument
ho presents In ifs favor that It's adoption SHOULD
no longer be neglected.
DEATH or Sheridan.
The death Of General sheridan IN August last !
was national affection. The army then lost the !
gr&nfest % its chiefa The country Lost brave |
and experienced soldier, o wise and discreet |
counsellor. and modest aud sensible man. |
Those who In any manner came within the range |
OF his personal association will never faii to pay
deserved and wiling homage % his greatness !
aud tho glory OF his career. but they will cherish
With moro tender seusibiity the loving memory |
OF MS simple, generous and considerate nature. !
THg APAcHgss.
The Apachee Indians. whose removal from |
their reservation In Arizona followed tho cap /
turc of those of their number who engaged IN n /
bloody and murdorous raid during part Of tue /
yenrs 1855 and 1885, arr now held as prisoners OF /
war % 30. Vernon barracks, in the STATE Of Ala /
bama. They numbered on the 3ist day Of Oct0- |
ber the date Of tho last report y men, 40 /
women, 20 boys, and - gris-in all Se2 persln@ /
lno commanding olicer states TIA. ihey afs IN
good heslth ald coutentsi, and that they are |
kept employed as fully - IS possible In the
I circumstances. The children, as they arrive at
suitable age, ara sent 20 the Indian schools at
Carliie and Hampton. Last summer some
! Charitable and kind people asked perm ssion 70
I poe OF lnstvuct.ng the adults a. well a. such
children as should DO found there such pof-
I MISSION was readily granted. accommo iatons
I were provided for inc teachers and some por-
| tons OF the buildings 81 the barracks wore IN do
Available for school purposeA The gooi work
coniamulRtel hss been commenced, and the
teachers engaged ars paid b. the lsdies with
| whom tho plan originated.
an AB5OLUrg NECESSITY.
lamnot az al IN sympathy With those benevo
ieni oui iniudicious people who are constantly
iosisiing that these indians should DO returned
| 10 ihelr reservation. Their removal was an al
eolite necessity. n the lvrs and properly % /
ciiiLcne upon the frontier arc a. Do at all regard
ed by She Government Their continued re-
| straint ~ a distance from the scene OF their re-
peer9i and cruel murders and outrages is SIN
| ne 'essary. Its mistaken philanthropy, overy-
| way injurious, which prompts tue dosire 70 see
these savege5 returned 70 tneir old hsunts. IhoT
are in their present location as the result OF tho
| best Judgment o. those having Official rHsponsi-
| bility Ia the matter. add who are by no means
| lacking in kind confederation Tor the Indiana
number Of these prisoners have forfeited their
lives % outraged Law and humanity Experience
has proved that they are dangerous aud cannot
be trusted. This Is true not only OF these VINO
on tho War-psth have heretofore actually boen
| guilty Of alrocious murder but Of their kindred
and friends. Who while they remained upon
] their reservation. furnished ard aud comfort %
| those absent With bloody inteut
TREATED KINDLY.
Those prisoners should 10 treated kindly ard
| kept Ia reNraint far from tho locality ot their
% Efforts calculated - lead % their improvement
and the softening Of their savage ani cruel in
siincfs but their return 70 their home should 30
/ persstently resisted. The Secretary In his re-
port gives graphic his Ory Of these Indians, and
| recites With painful Yividness their bloody deeds
| and he unhappy failure o. the Government %
manage them by peaceful means. lt viii 10
amazing u Derussl Of this history will allow The
| survival Of desire for the return Of these pr
| aouers 10 tbsir reservation upon sentimental OF
any Ctlsr grounds.
THE NAVY.
Tho report Of the Secretary u the Navy Demon
| strates very intelligent management in that i'm
pOrtGnt department, and dscloses most sstl5ta'-
tory progress In The work q recCustruciing tho
navy made during tho past year. az the ships
| In course OF construction nFe-riL, re Charias-
! ton, Baltimore. yorktown. fesuyius. and the
! Petrol have In that time been launched and are
! rapidly 0pproachi1 g completion, anu ma hldl-
don O. tho above the phiadel pbla, uis san Fran-
cisco tue Nowark the kenniuR on. the concord,
aud tho uerroshon tOrpslO-uOat arc all uufer
contract Tor delivery % the department during
tue next year Tbs progress already made and
being made gives god ground Tor tho expectH-
tiOn Inst these eleven vessels viii re incorporated
| as part of no American navy within the next
twelve months.
Tho report shows that notwithstanding tho
largo expenditures for now construction and
the additional labor thcy involve the tO.al orii-
nary or current expenditures o. tho department
for the three years ending June 30 ISIS, arc los
ny more than % per cont than such eXpendi-
! lures Tor the three years ending June ~, lsc4
! The various steps which have boen TAKEN = i'm
! prove tho business methods Of tho department.
! arc reviewed by the 20 ,rctary. 1hs purchasing
| Of supplies has been consolidated aud placed
| under q responsible bureau head TINS has re-
suited IN the curtGilment " open purchases
| which in the years ls-4 ana 1873 amounted 20
! over 30 per cenL Of Oh the purchases x no de-
pertinent % le-s Than II p3r cent, SO that az tho
present time about 90 per ceuL Of tn9 totsi de- }.
! psrtment purchases are mato by contract and
| after competition. "a the expenditure ON mis-
| account oxcedo an average N 81, OJOJl annI-
ally 10 s. evident that ~ important improve
mont I'm tho system has been inauSura-od and
! substantial economies Introduced
POSTAL WlTTsRs.
The report ~ tho Postmaster General shows
! marked Increase OK business I'm 0Yory branch Of
to postal soF-ice. Tao number ot postonices
| on July 1, leSS. Was 5i.3i5-sn Increase OF 2.@ly
! for he last fiscal gear. Tho latier-menti1ned
| Increase is classified a. follows: New England
! States b: Middle States. Isl: S0uthsrn etstcS
and Indian Territory an, L405; he states sni
J Territories OF tho paCiic Coast, 800; tie ten
/ States and Territories a. mo West and North
! WreL AS: District ~ Columbia, :. Total, 2,2l9.
! Free-deyory Offices hsve Increased from la9
! iu tho hs.al year ended juno Sd, ls'3 % 35' IN
/ tho year ended June -, 1854 in 'ho railway
mail service thsre hos been an Increase In Oae
! year Of l53 routes, and IN she number OF niles
! travelled per an ufn nm increase Of l5.19l.si74N
| Tue estimated increase OF railroad service for
! the year was 500 miles but the amount Of now
railroad service a-tuaiiy put on was I2,'OtoJ
miles.
The volume Of business in the money-order
! division including transactions In postal notes.
reached he sum N upwards o. N430OONO for
/ tho yoar During the past y asr parcel post con-
ventons have been concluded with Barbados,
| the Bahamas, British Honduras. and Mexico,
/ ana are nOW under negotiation with ali inc Cen
! trial AMI south American states. The Increase 81
/ correspondence with foreign countr'os during
tho past three years IS graft ynE. and IS especi-
! ally notable snd cNCcI UOual with toe Central
| and South American states and with Mexico. As
| the greater part OF mail matter exchanged Win
! those countries is commercial IN rs character,
! this inrrogse IL evidence Of ne improved bust
! ness relations with thcm. Tho practical opera
ton OF the parcel poet conventions 50 far a. no.
! gotiafed has served 90 fuldl tho most
! favorable predictions a5 To their benefits.
/ in January last general postal conf9n-
| ton Was negotiated with the Dominion
| Of Canada which Wsat into operation tn March
! lst. aud which practically NJ akas 0-e postal .er-
/ ritory Of tho United states aud Canals. Und0r
| 10 merchandiso parcels NAV now be transmitted
| through he mails az fOurth-cla-s rates OF post-
! ase. 10 Is not possible hero % touch even tho
| leading heads Of the great postal establishment
| % illustrate tho enormous AID rtpd grown OF
| It's business aud tho needs for legislative read
] justmeut OF much Of is machinery that u has
/ on grown. For these aud valuable rec0mmen-
/ datious Of the P0ssmsster-Genersi attention -
! earnestly invited to his report depart uent
whose revenues have increase from sIs,t2WJ
IA 1870 10 go. 100000 in 1852 despite reductions u
| postage which have enormously reduced ratUs Of
| revenue. WAile greatly Increasing it3 business.
demands The careful cOnsi ierauOn of Copkfc85
as 10 all matters suggested by those familiar
/ Win ITS OfcfaUOui Aul Wul'4 arc tAtCA+--pA "
! increase is efficiency and usefulness.
PUELfC BIZ LDlNGs.
A bill proposed by the p0simastor-General
vas introd iced at The last bo3lion Of tho Con-
gross, by which 4 uniform standard IN She
amount Of gross Tecei pts would * the rlght OF
community 20 a public bulliiug O. be erected by
ms Government for post once pArpOsee. 10 vas
demons aled thzt aside from tne public canye-
neuce ana the promotion q harmony among
citizens, invariably disturbed BY change o. (eas-
ings and Of site. II VA 3 measure II the hpnosi
economy aud II SOUND business Judgment IL
vas found that the Government wgs paylEg IN
rents at the rate OF from 90 10 per cent. per AL
mum on what ihs cost II such public buildings
would DO. A very great advantage resulting
from such q law would be the prevention OF
largo number Of bills cons sntiy Introduced for
tho erection % public buildings a. places aud in
I volying expenditure not tusuned 10y public ne
cessty, / trust that this measure Will become
law at the . oscut session OF Congress. OF tue
total number Of p0stmast3rs 54s14 are % the
fourth class. These, OF course, receive no allow
auces whatever for eIpsIscs Ia tho service, and