Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-11-15
THE NATIONS AFFAIRS.
REPORTS or THE HEADS OF THE
VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
The Superintendent OF the Census Tells
what his Department is Doing-The
Condition of the Treasury
Indian Affairs.


WASHINGTON. Nov. 10.--The report of
Robert p. Porter superintendent of the
eleventh census concerning the operation of
tho census Office since June | last, explains
i'll detail the vast amount Of work already
done preliminary to active field work next
year.
For the purpose of enumerating the popu-
alton a division of the country into super
Visors' districts has been made. The popuia-
ton schedule, besides the information called
for by the tenth census schedule, will ascer-
tain what language is spoken by every per
son ten years of age and upwards, how long
adult males of foreign birth have been in
the United States, and whether they are
nuturaized how many children each mar
ried woman has had and how many are
living, and the classification by race will
include mulattos, quadroons and octoroons.
The classification of occupations will be
more complete than ever before.
The Treasurer's Report.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 10.-United States
Treasurer Huston has made long repor of
the operations of his office during the last
fiscal year and the condition of the treasury
June 30 last.
The year is characterized as a remark
public finances, both the revenue and the
expenditures having been exceeded but few
times since the foundation Of the govern
ment. The former amount to S3S7. 0j0 0jS
and the latter to 5000, 2SS, 97S, inclusive of
S17, 292, 1852 paid in premium on bonds pur
chased. The surplus revenues June 80 were
SS7, 161, 060, decrease Of S23, $50, 1873 as
compared with the year before counting
premiums on bonds as an ordinary expendi-
ture. On June 30, 1888, there was in the
treasurer's custody in cash and effective
credits $164, 729, 1856 and year later $76O,
643,S1.
The current liability decreased in the in
terval from ;s148, 29i. 341 to $127931, $50,
and the reserve from $229 800, coo to $l93, :
091, 047; the gold in the treasury in excess
of certificates outstanding was S193, go, 172
in 1888 and 1886, 257, 400 in 1889. The po-
sition Of the treasury was strengthened in
every respect except the amount of reserve.
The total assets, the liabilities, and the re
serve all fell off about II per cent. At the
beginning of the year the free gold was So
000, 600 and at the close !S5S, 600, 900 in eX-
cess of the demand liabilities.
Report on Indian Affairs.
WASHINGTON, Nov 11.-Gen. T. J. Nor
gan, commissioner Of Indian affairs, says
in his annual report that he has entered up
on his new work with the following well-de-
fiued convictions: "That the Indian reserva-
ton system must be done away with: that
the Indians must be absorbed into our ma
tional life. and made American citizens;
that each Indian must be treated a man,
given mans rights and privileges, and
then be held to the performance of a mans
obligatons that the Indians must be forced
tp riy viii
grafton of Indians must be educated and
prepared for the new order of things; that
tribal relations must be broken up; that in
tegrity Justice patience and good sense
must be exercised in the administration of
Indian affairs; and that only honest mon
and women should be employed in carrying
out the governments designs toward the
Indians. Mr.. Morgan says 147 Indian
schools, with 695G pupils, are now main
tanned, at a cost of 1860 011. He devotes
considerable space to the allotment of lands
in severalty, and urges protection against
whites who try TO get the Indians lands
away from him.
The Railway Mail system.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12.-The annual re-
port of j. Lowrie Bell, the general superin-
tendant of the railway mail service for the
fiscal year ended June 80 1889, shows that
during the year the service had been
authorized by the department upon
150,3S1 miles of railroad. Postal
clerks were employed in the distribu-
tion of the mails on 1873, 10 miles, service
on the remaining 1921 miles having been
performed by means of closed pouches
which were, while in transit, in the custody
of the railway employees.
On the 30th of June, 1889, there were
As inland steamboat lines aggregatine
5543 miles on which postal clerks were
employed. There were employed in hand
ling and separating mails while in transit
on railroad routes 4947 and on steamboat
routes 81 railway postal clerks, making {
total of 1898 men at work on lines. The
number of pieces Of mail matter handled by
the postal clerks were 7026, S37, 1870. Ol
this number SO. 974 per cent was correctly
distributed.
The report shows that during the fsca
year 1913 railroad accidents have been re
ported in which 10 postal clerks were killed
90 seriously and 40 slightly injured. The
general superintendent urges that Congress
be requested to make some provision fol
Rnce Of their duties.
The estimates for the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1891, aggregates S5, 919, 100 which
is an increase Of 5,61 per cent over thu
amount appropriated for the present year
Mr.. Bell recommends that the Office Of as
sistant-general superintendent be created
with an annual salary Of $1,000 and also til,
appointment of chief clerk at a salary o.
$4,000 per annum.