River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-12-17
same basis as other soldiers was made tthe
subject Of a very careful study by tine secretary.
IT.. r.xw nanarfrrout

torney general that the right IN felony cases to
would seem that personal liberty would have
a safe guaranty II the right OF review IN
cases involving only fine and Imprisonment
was limited 10 the circuit court OF appeals I'M
less a constitutional question should in some
way be involved. The judges Of the court OF
private land claims provided for by the act OF
March g. 1891. have been appointed and the
court organized IL is now possible 10 give
early relief TO communities long repressed in
their development by unsettled land Titles and
To establish the possession and n ylIt Of set
tiers whose lands have been render ed yaiueless
by adverse and unf0unded claims.
Exclusion of Chinese.
The enforcement by the treasury department
OF the law prob hitting the coming Of Chinese 10
the United States has been effective 10 such
as seek TO land from vessels entering our ports.
The result has b zen TO divert travel TO vessels
ente ring the ports Of British Columbia, whence
passage into the United States at obscure
points along the dominion boundary Is easy.
A very considerable number OF Chinese laborers
have during the past year entered the United
States from Canada and Mexico. The officers
OF the treasury department and of the depart
at their command 70 intercept this
immigration; but the impossibiity Of
perfectly guarding our extended frontier Is
apparent The dominion government collects
a head tax OF $50 from every Chinaman enter
ing Canada. and thus derives considerable
revenue from those who only use its ports to
reach position of advantage 10 evade our ex
clusion laws. There seems to be satisfactory
evidence that the business q passing China
organized and quite active. The department
Of justice has construed the laws o. require
the return Of any Chinaman found TO be unlaw-
fully in this country 10 China the
country from which he came. notwithstaud-
ing the fact that ho came by way
OF Canada but several OF the district courts
have in cases brought before them, overrued
this view OF the law and decided that such
persons must be returned to Canada This
construction robs the law OF all effectiveness.
even II the DEGREES could be executed, fer the
men returned can the next day recross our
border But the only appropriation made Is
for sending them back to China ana the Cana
dian officials refuse TO allow them 10 reenter
canada without the payment Of the SO head
tax. I recommend such legislation which viii
remedy these defects in the law.
she Postal Service.
In the report OF the postmaster general some
very gratifying results are exhibited and many
betterments of the service suggested. pc
rusai OF the report gives abundant evidence
mat the supervision and direction Of the postal
system have been characterized by an inte IL
gent and conscientious de sire to improve the
service The revenues of the department show
increase of over S5.nJOOJ) while the esti-
mate for the year 1898 shows a surplus of re
ccipts over expenditures. Ocean mail post
Offices las been established upon the steamers
Of the North German Lloyd and Hamburg
lines saving by the distribution on shipboard
from two to fourteen hours time In the delivery
OF mail 1t the port Of entry and often muca
more than this in the delivery at interior
places SO thoroughly has this system init
ated by Germany and the United states.
before it is installed upon all the great ocean
mail carrying steamships.
Eight Thousand miles Of new postal service
have cen established upon railroads, the car
distribution to sub-statiOns in the great cities
has been increased about ~ per cent, while
the percentage OF errors in distribution has.
during the past year, been reduced over one
ha
Rural Free Delivery.
An appropriation was given by the last con
gress for the purpose Of making some txperi-
ments in free delivery in the smaller cities and
towns. The results Of hese experiments have
been so sat sfactoTy that the postmaster gen
eral recommCn Is. and / concur in the recon-
mendation, that the free delivery system be at
once extended TO towns OF 1900 population.
Extension of the Money Order System.
II is stated that over 81. 900 mel ,ihorhOods are
under the present system, rece wing mail NJ
post offices where money orders and postal
notes are not issued. The extension OF this
system 70 these communities is especially de-
sirable as the patrons OF such Offices are not
possessed of the other facilities offered in more
populous communities tor the transmission OF
small sums OF money.
] have, in message to the preceding con
gress. expressed my views as to the modified
use Of the telegraph in connection with the
postal service
Ocean Mail Service.
In pursuance OF the ocean mail law OF March
3 1891. and after IN st careful study OF the
whole subject and frequent c,nterences with
ship owners. boards OF trade, and others, adyer-
tisemeuts we're issued by the postmaster gen
crsl Tor fifty three lines Of ocean mail service;
ten to Great Britain aud the continent, twenty
seven TO South America. three TO China and
Japan. four To Australia and the Pacific
Islands, seven TO the West Indies and two TO
Mexico. II was not, Of course, expected that
bids for all these lines would be received or
that service upon them al would be con
tracted for. 1t was intended in furtherance
Of the act TO secure as many new lines as
possible, while including in the list most
or all the foreign lines now occupied by Ameri-
can ships. IL was hoped that "a line TO England
and perhaps one to the continent would be Sc
a. NHnHHu rad ~ Hmh
lines wholly with new ships OF the hrst c.ass
and the difficulty Of establishing new lines in
competition with those already established de
tered bidders whose interest had been enlist
ed. 10 is hoped that a way may be
vet found OF overcoming these difficulties. The
Brazil steamship Company, by reason Of a mis-
not able to bid under the terms of the adVer-
tisement. The ohcy Of the department was to
secure from the esta bliehed lines an improved
service as "A condition. OF giving them The Dehe.
fits OF the law. This Ia all INSTANCES has been
attained. The postmaster general estimates
that an expenditure in American shipyards OF
about Sl0OO0OOO viii be necessary TO enable the
bidders to construct ships called for by the
service which they have accepted. q. not
think here is any reason for disbursement
for any turning back from the pol
icy OF this legislation. Indeed good
beginning has been made. and as the subject is
further considered and understood by capita
lists aud shipping people new lines will be
ready to meet future proposals. and we may
date from the passage OF this law the revival OF
American shipping interests and the recovery
Of fair share OF the carrying trade OF the
world We were receiving for foreign postage
nearly 81 00l00J under the old system and the
outlay for ocean mail service did not exceed
1000 go per annum. IL is estimated by the
postmaster general that, IL all the contracts
proposed are completed. it will require S2i7,3j4
for this year, in addition to the appropriation
for sea ana inland postage already in the estt
mates. and that for the next fiscal year, ending
June 3O 1898 there would probably be needed
New Warships
The report of the secretary Of the navy shows
a gratifying increase Of new naval vessels in
commission The Newark. Concort. Bennlng-
ton and Miantonomoh have been added curing
the year, and an aggregate Of something more
than HOO tons. Twenty-four warshi3s of all
classes are now under construction in the navy
yards and private shops but while the work
upo1 then is going forward satisfactorily the
completion Of the more important vessels Will
yet require about years time. Some OF the
vessels now under construction, II Is believed,
will be triUmphs Of naval engineering. When
IL is recoliccted that the work OF building
modern navy was only initiated in the year
1885. that our naval constructors and ship
builders were practically without experience
in the construction of large iron or steel ships,
that our engine shops were unfamiliar with
great marine engines and that the manufacture
OF steel forgiugs for guns and plates was al
most wholly foreign industry the progress
that has been made Is not only highy Satisfac-
tory. but furnishes the assurance that the
United States will before long attain in the
construction Of vessels. with their engines
which Il attained when the best instrument OF
ocean commerce Was the clipper ship and the
most impressive exhibit OF naval power the old
wooden three decker man of war.
Further Development Urged.
| commend to your favorable consideration
the recommendation OF the secretary, who has,
/ am sure. given TO them the most conscientious
study. There should be no hesitation in prompt
ly completing navy 81 the best modern type,
large enough TO enable this country to display
its tag in al seas for the protection of its cit
liens ana its extending commerce. The world
needs no assurance Of the peaceful purposes OF
the United States. but we shall probably be in
the future more largely a competitor in the
commerce OF the world and il is essential to the
dignity Of this nation ana 20 that peaceful in
fiuence which it should exercise on this hemi-
sphere that its navy should be adequate both
upon the shores Of the Atlantic and OF the Pa
cihc.
The report of the secretary OF the interior
shows that a very gratifying progress has been
made In all Of the bureaus which make up that
complex difticult depart m ent. The work in the
bureau OF Indian affairs was perhaps never 50
Ia as now by reason OF the numerous nego-
tiaIicns which have been proceeding with the
tribes for reduction Of the reservations. with
the incident labor Of making ailotments,
and was never more carefully conducted
The provision OF adequ ite school facilities
Of adult Indians upon farms involve
the 50 ution OF the Indian question
Everything else-ratiOns, annuities and tribal
negotiations with the agents, inspectors and
commissioners who distribute and conduct
them-must pass away when the Indian has
become "a citizen. secure in the individual own
ership Of a farm from which he derives his sub
sistence by his own labor, projected by and
subordinate TO the laws which govern the
white man and provided by the general gov
eminent or by the local communities in which
he lives with the means OF educating his chill
dren. When Indian becomes citizen
in an Organized state or territory his