Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1889-12-12
The PostofIioe Department.


pie in its methods and inexpensive in its adj
ministration.
The POstofice Department.
The report of the Postmaster General not only
exhibits the operations OF the department for
the last fiscal year, but contains many valuable
suggestions for the improvement and extension
of the service, which are commended to your at
tention.
The plan suggested OF supervision OF the
postoffces in separate districts that shall in
volve instruction and suggestion, aud a rating
OF the efficiency of the Postmasters, would,
have no doubt, greatly improve the service.
The unsatisfactory condition of the law relat-
ing to the transmission through the mails OF
lottery Advertisements and remittances Is
clearly stated by the Postmaster-General, and
his suggestion TO amendments should have
your favorable consideration.
The Navy.
The report of the Secretary OF the Navy shows
reorganization OF the bureaus OF the depart
ment that will, do not doubt, promote the
efficiency of each. In general, satisfactory
progress has been made in the construction OF
the new ships OF war authorized by Congress.
The report of tho Secretary shows that while
the effective force of the navy is rapidly in
creasing, by reason of the improved build and
armament of the new ships, the number OF
our ships At for sea duty grows very slowly.
The old wooden ships are disappearing al
These facts carry their own argument.
One of the new ships may, in hghting
strength, be equal to two OF the old, but it can
not do the cruising duty OF two 1t is impor-
tant, therefore, that we should have a more
rapid increase in the number of serviceabIe
ships. concur in the recommendation OF the
Secretary that the construction OF eight ar
mored ships, three gunboats, and Ave torpedo
boats, be authorized.
The Indian Question.
The report OF the Secretary of the Interior
exhibits the transactions OF the Government
with the Indian tribes. Substantial progress
has been made in the education Of the children
OF school age and in the allotment OF
lands to adult Indians. Our treaty stipula-
he wit my
legislation ehould be highly considerate OF the
best int erests of an ignorant and helpless people.
by white settlements. We can no longer push
the Indian back into the wilderness, and 1t re-
mains only, by every suitable agency, to push
porting and responsible citizen For the
apon ' far@ ; s and for Z the 0S oSiid n To
dance should be promoted by every agency.
The national schools for Indians have been very
successful, and should be multiplied. The last
Congress enacted two distinct Jaws relating to
negotiations with the Sioux Indians OF Dakota
for REIMBURSEMENT OF portion of their lands
TO the United States and for dividing the re-
mainder into separate reservations. The
one submitted to the Indians a specific
proposition; Ithe other authorized the
President to negotiate with these In
dams for the accomplishment OF the
same general purpose, and required that any
agreements should be submitted to Congress for
ratification. On the sth day of April last APP
pointed Hon. Charles Foster, of Ohio; Hon.
William Warner, of Missouri; and Mai. Gen.
George Crook, of the United States army, Com
missioners under the last-named act. These
were, however, authorized and directed. first, to
submit to the Indians the definite proposition
made to them by the act first mentioned, and
assent of the requisite number to that PROPOSE
tion, to open negotiations for modified terms
under the other act The work of the Commits
sion was prolonged and ariuous. but the as
sent of the requisite number was finally OBJ
tanned to the proposition made by Congress,
though the report of the Commission has not
yet been submitted. In view of these facts,
shall not, at present, deem it necessary to
submit the agreement to Congress for ratifca-
ton, but IL will in due course be submitted for
information. This agreement releases to the
United States about 100000 acres Of land.
The Cherokee Strip.
The Commission provided for by section IA of
the Indian appropriation bill to negotiate with
the Cherokee Indians and all other Indians
owning claiming lands lying west of the
ninety sixth degree OF long tude for the cession
to the United States OF all such lands, was
constituted by the appointment of Hon.
Lucius Fairchild, of Wisconsin; Hon. John
f. Hartranft, OF Pennsylvania; and Hon.
Alfred NJ. Wilson, of Arkansas; and orga-
nized on June % last. Their first confer
ence with the representatives of the Chero-
KEGS was held at Tahlequah July 49, with no
definite results. A second conference between
the Commission and the Cherokees begun
Nov. g, but no results have yet been obtained,
nor is tbelieved that conclusion can be inn
mediauely expected. The large body Of agricul-
tural lands constituting what Is known the
@Cherokee outlet" ought not TO be, and indeed
cannot long be, held for grazing and for the ad-
vantage Of a few against the public interests
and the best advantage OF the Indians them
selves. The United States has now under
the treaties certain rights in these lands. These
will not be used oppressively but It cannot be
allowed that those who by sufferance occupy
these lands will interpose to defeat the wise and
beneicent purposes of the government / cannot
but believe that the advantageous offer made
by the United States To the Cherokee Nation,
for full release of these lands, as compared
with other suggestions now made to them, will
yet obtain for it a favorable consideration.
Oklahoma.
IL Is estimated that there are now I'm Okla
homa Territory about 60 0C0 people, and several
considerable towns have sprung up, for which
temporary municipal governmt nts have been
organized. In order TO secure the peace OF this
new community, in the absence OF civil govern
ment, directed General Merritt, commanding
the Department of the Missouri, 10 act I'm con-
junction with the Marshals of the United
Htatea To preaerYo the peace. and nnnn