Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-03


| coming more remote and improbable.
The total expenditures for the War De-
| partment for the year ended June so. 1894.
amounted to o6.O39 oOa.34. OF this sum
| s.. OOO. 814. 90 was for salaries and contingent
expenses: $23. Cos, 1876 for the support Of
| the military establishment; $500. GS2. % for
| miscellaneous objects, and s25.37l 1850 for
public works This lattcr sum includes
| $40, 494, OS7.49 for river and harbor improve
ments and $3,947. s63.56 for Notifications
and other works Of defense. The appro-
| priations for the current year aggregate
So. 429. 112.7S and the estimates submitted
| by the Secretary Of War for the next fiscal
year call fer appropriations amounting to
So, 31s. 623.55
| Heavy Ordnance and Militia.
The skill and industry Of our ordnance
| officers and inventors have. 1T il believed
| overcome the mechanical obstacles which
| have heretofore delayed the armament OF
| our coasts, and this great national under
| taking, upon which we have entered, may
| now proceed as rapidly as Congress shall
| determine. With a supply Of finished guns
of large caliber already on hand. to which
| additions should now rapidly follow. the
| wisdom of providing carriages and en-
placements for their mount cannot be too
| strongly urged.
The total enrolment Of the militia Of
| the several states is III. 533 officers and en-
listed men. an increase Of 5.3s3 over the
| number reported at the close of the pre-
vious year. The reports Of militia inspec-
| tons by regular army officers show a MARX
| ed increase In interest and efficiency
| among the state organizations, and
| strongly recommend q continuance of the
| policy of affording every practical en-
| enlargement possible 10 this important
auxiliAky of our military establishment.
The condition Of the Apache Indians held
| as prisoners by the government for eight
years at a cost of half million dollars
| has been changed during the year from
| captivity to one which gives them an op-
| portunity to demonstrate their capacity for
| self support, and at least partial civiiiZa-
| ton. Legislation enacted at the late SEES
| sion of Congress gave the War Department
| authority to transfer the Survivors, num-
| bering 346. from Mount Vernon Barracks,
| In Alabama, to any suitable reservation.
| The department selected as their future
| home the military lands near Fort Sill,
Indian Territory. where, under military
| surveillance, the former prisoners have
| been established in agriculture under con-
| ditions favorable to their advancement
In recognition of the long and distin-
| guished military services ind faithful dis
charge Of delicate and responsible civil
! duties by Maj. Gen. John VI. Schofeld now
| the general commanding the army. it is
| suggested to Congress that the temporary
| revival of the grade of lieutenant general
| In his behalf would be just and gracious
act, and would permit his retirement, now
near at hand, with rank BETTING his
| merits.
| In the Attorney Generals Realm.
| The report of the Attorney General notes
| the gratifying progress made by the Su-
preme Court In overcoming the arrears of
| its business and in reaching condition In
| which 1t will be able. to dispose of cases
as they arise. without any unreasonable
| delay. This result is, of course, very
! largely due to the successful working Of
| the plan inaugurating circuit courts of
| appeals. In respect to these tribunals the
| suggestion is made In quarters entitled to
| the highest consideration that an addition
al circuit judge for each circuit would
| greatly strengthen these courts and the
confidence reposed In their adjudicat ions:
and that such an addition would not create
a greater force OF judges than the increas-
| ing business Of such courts requires.
commend the suggestion to the careful
consideration of the Congress. Other I'M
| portant topics are adverted to In the re-
port, accompanied by recommendations,
many of which have been treated at large
| In previous messages, and at this time
| therefore need only be named. l refer to
| the abolition of the fee system as a meas
| ure Of compensation to federal officers; the
enlargement of the powers of United States
! commissioners. at least In the territories
| the allowance of writs Of error in criminal
cases on behalf of the United States, and
| the establishment of degrees In the crime
| of murder. A topic dealt with by the At
| torney General of much Importance is the
| condition Of the administration Of justice
| In the Indian territory. The permanent
solution Of what is called the Indian prob
lem is probably not to be expected at once.
| but meanwhile such ameorations of pres
ent conditions as the existing system
will admit Of ought not to be neglected.
| I am satisfied there should be a federal
court established for the territory with
sufficient judges. and that this court should
| sit within the territory and have the same
| jurisdic ticn as to territorial affairs is
now vested in the federal courts sitting
| in Arkansas and Texas.
| Another subject of pressing moment re-
| ferred to by the Attorney General Is tho
| reorganization Of the Union Pacific Rail-
| way Company on a basis equitable as re-
| CARDS all private interests and as favor
| able to the government as existing condi-
| tons will permit. The operation of a rail-
road by a court through receiver Is an
| anomalous state of things which should be
| terminated, on all grounds, public and
private. at the earliest possible moment.
| Besides. not to enact the needed enabling
| legislation at the present session post
pones the whole matter until the assem-
| bling of a new Congress. and inevitably
| increases all the complications of the sit
| uation. and could not but be regarded as A
| sigma failure to solve a problem which
| has practically been before the present
Congress ever since its organization.
| Eight years ago, in my annual message, /
| urged upon the Congress as strongly as l
could the location and construction Of two
| prisons for the confinement of United
States prisoners A similar recommended
| ton has been made from time to time
| since, and a few years ago a law was
passed providing for the selection Of sites
| for three such institutions. No appropria-
| ton has, however, been made to carry the
| act into effect, and the old anH discredit-
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