Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 December 1878 — THE NATION’S SERVANTS. [ARTICLE]

THE NATION’S SERVANTS.

Gorement Departments and Bans. Synopses of the Annual Reports. THE WAR OFFICE. Annual Report of Secretary McCrary. The Secretary of War, in hie report, reviews the operations of the army for the year, and quotes portions of the reports of Gens. Shermon and Sheridan in regard to the condition of the. service, its requirements, and its numerical inadequacy to perform the duty required of it He describes the embarrassment of the army at present under the posse-comitatus clause in the last appropriation bill, and asks that Congress either ropeal tho clause and allow the President and Secretary of War to use tho army as authorized by the constitution, or interpret the meaning of the clause so that it may be clear in what service the army can perform without violating its provisions. If the clause is not repealed, he wants Congress to enumerate the casos in which tho army may be used to suppress disturbances in response to the call of the civil authoxities. He recites tho lawlessness in New Mexico, Texas, and elsewhere, which could not bo suppressed by the civil authorities, and which might have*been prevented had not the army been prohibited from interference. With great delicacy Secretary McCrary treats tho Indian question, and, while he describes what has been done by the military in respect to tho hostile Indians, he does not join in the controversy between officers of the aimy and the Indian service about the cause of outbreaks or alleged insufficiency of the Indian management. nor does he allude in any. way to the proposition for tho transfer of the Indians from the caro of tho Secretary of tho Interior to his own. One of Secrotary McCrary’s hobbies is the education of the rank and file of tho army, and tho establishment and maintenance of schools for soldiers. Ho discusses this subject at length, describes what has already been done, ami what he proposes to do. He asks that Congress legalize his action in furnishing supplies to the yellow-fever sufferers, and that tho army bo reimbursed for such supplies. Ho also asks the passage of a bill giving a pension to tho widow of Iheut. Benner, who (lien while in command of thoyellow-fover-reliof boat, as she is not entitled to pension under the law, hor husband not having diod in tho performance of military duty. In regard to tho uses of tho army, tho Secretary of War says : “ The aftoenth section of the act of Congress of Juno 18, 1878. provides that from and after the passage of the act it shall not be lawful to employ any part of the army of the United .States as a poxxe comllalus or otherwise for the purpose of executing the laws, except in such cases and under such circumstances us such employment of such force may be expressly authorized by the constitution or by act of Congress. In my judgment it is important either that tilts provision bo repealed or that the number of casos in which the use of tho army! shall be expressly authorized be very much enlarged. In many portions of our Western Territories, and even in some portions of the newer State’s, a resolute desperado with a few followers can defy the officers of tiie law and any local posse that can be organized. During the year numerous attacks have been made upon mail coaches in New Mexico and Arizona for purposes of robbery and pluuder, and, while I hase been of the opinion that the mails of the United States may be defended by the use of troops, I have been obliged to give instructions that they cannot without disregarding the act of Congress be employed to aid officers of the law in capturing robbers after they have committed a crime. in doing so they would act as a porntc cinnitulun, and lids is nowhere by lasv expressly authorized. In tlie new and sparsely-populated regions of the West to say to robbers and thieves that they shall not lie taken on any writ unless the HhorilT and Ids local posse is able to capture them without aid from the soldiers is almost to grant them immunity from arrest. In these new regions the army is the power chiefly relied upon by the lawabiding people for protection, and chiefly feared *by the lawless classes. Numerous instances might be citied, but the recent occurrences in Lincoln county, New Mexico, constitute a striking example. Tho inability of the officer in command of the troops in that vicinity to aid officers of tho law in making arrests was one of the principal causes which led to the must disgraceful scenes of riot and murder, amounting, in fact, to anarchy. This stall! of tilings continued until a case could be made for declaring tlin district in insurrection, after which a proclamation of warning was issued by the l’rosident, the troops wore called into action, and at ouce restored quiet. X am clearly of tho opinion that the l’resldcnt should bo left free to employ the national forces in aid of tho processes of Federal Courts whenever he shall deem it necessary. Hut it such use is to be limited to sueli cases where, as declared by the act above quoted, it is expressly authorized by the constitution or by act of Congress, then it is respectfully submitted that Congress should give very careful attention to the enumeration and specification of tho cases in which such use of the troops is to tie permitted.”

THE ARMY. Report of (lull, XV. T. Sherman. Gen. Sliommn, in liis annual report to tho Secretary of War, states that the army is in good condition, and discourses at length on tho Indian question. The whole number of eidistod men in tho army is 114,701. Beyond question, says Gen. Sherman, it was hungor which drovo tho Bannocks and doyennes to war this summer, and similar oscapados will occur each year unless theso Indians ho kept quiet with more food. It seems idle to expect that tho enterprising white race will coaso till every acre of this continent is susceptible of cultivation. It is not to bo expected that theso pasture-fields can bo used by the two races without everlasting conflict. The reservations already not apart for tho Indians are large enough, and should suffice them to raiso all tho meat and grain necessary for their subsistence, but, meantime, they must have food, else they will steal and fight. To convert theso Indians into a pastoral raeo is the first step in tho upward progress of civilization ; that ol' agriculture must bo tho next stago, though slower of realization. But in this direction iH the sole hope of rescuing any part of tlie “ nomad ” Indians from utter annihilation. This end cannot he reached by means of tho present peace agonts, because persuasion is wasted on an Indian. There must not only be a show of force, but actual force and subjection used. Force will he necessary to compel tho “ nomad ” to cultivate his own ground. There is a wide distinction among the tribes, and each tribe must lie dealt with according to its nature. Large discretion to supply food must bo lodged with tho President, or somowhere else. Starvation with each year causes wars such as occurred this season with the Shoshones and Southern Cheyennes. Tho army cannot foresee or prevent theso wars. All it can do, after tho Indians break out, plunder, steal and kill harmless farmers, is to pursue and capture them in detail, after infinite toil, then conduct them back to their reservations and turn thorn loose to return to the same game, ad libitum. Congress alouo can provide a remedy, and, if prevention be wiser than cure, money* and discretion must ho lodged somewboro in time to proveat starvation.

THE NAVY DEPARTMENT. Secretary Thompson's Report. Hon. 11. W. Thompson, Secretary of the Navy, in his annual report, states that under tlio auspices of that department sixty-tliree Government vessels havo been eithor wholly or partially equipped at tho sevoral navy yards, at an expenditure of $717,010.30, as follows: For labor, $143,805.21; for material from stock on hand, $487,075.81; for material purchased during tho year, $97,129.34. Thirty-six thousand 'even hundred and eighty tons of coal have b sen purchased for tho use of tho navy, costing, i .eluding freight, $288,222.09. Two hundred ;uul eighty thousand five hundred and thirty pounds of Manila hemp havo been purchased, costing $23,857.54. During the year $044,140 have been expended for the equipment of vessels, and under appropriation contingent (equipment and recruiting, 1878), $51,512, leaving a balance on hand of $18,542. Tlio number of desertions during tho year was 009, and Muring the previous year "818. Five hundred and twenty-three boys havo enlisted during the past year. There are remaining in tho training ships 440 boys, who are advancing the tone and morale of the servico. With the training system on a permanent basis, our ships will soon bo manned by native-born seamen. It is the intention of tho department to oontinue tho present system of trainingships.

INTERIOR DEPARTMENT. Secretary Sclmrz on the Indian Problem. A very large portion of tho annual report of the Secretary of tho Interior is devoted to tho discussion of the Indian question, lie states that, on tho whole, the character of tho Indian service has been raised in point of integrity and efficiency, and proceeds to say: I am, however, far from pretending that tho present state of Indian affairs is what it ought to bo. Tho experience gained in the earnest effort to overcome difficulties and to correct abusos has enabled mo to appreciate more clearly tho task still to be accomplished. In my last annual report I stated frankly, and I have to repeat now, that in pursuing a policy over so wise, and with a machinery ever so efficient, gradual improvement can bo effected only by patient, energetic, and well-directed work in detail. An entirely satisfactory state of things can bo brought about only under circumstances which are not and cannot be under the control of the Indian service alone. If tho recurrence of trouble and disturbance is to be avoided, tho appropriations made by Congress for the support of the Indians who are not self-supporting must be liberal enough to be sufficient for that purpose, and they must be made early enough fa wie year to render the porohaae and delivery

of new supplies possible before the old supplies are exhausted. The Indian service should have at its disposal a sufficient fund to be used with proper accountability at discretion in unforseen emergencies. Citizens of the Western States and Territories most be made to understand that, if the Indians are to cease to be troublesome paupers and vagabonds, are to become orderly and selfsupporting, they most have lands fit for agriculture and pasture; that on sneb lands they must be permitted to reign and establish permanent homes, and that such a result cannot be obtained if the white people insist upon taking from them by force or trickery every acre of ground that is good for anything. The first two things can be accomplished by appropriate action on the part of Congress. The difficulties growing out of continually repeated encroachments by white people on the rights of the Indians may be lessened by the concentration of the Indians on a smaller number of reservations, but they can be entirely avoided even thon only by the most energetic enforcement of the law on the part of the general and local governments. To this end it seems desirable that the Southwestern tribes, whose present reservation appears insecure, or otherwise unsuitable for their permanent settlement, should be gradually removed to the Indian Territory. The Northwestern tribes will, in the course of time, have to be concentrated in a similar manner ou a few reservations east of the Rocky mountains and on the Pacific slope. To keep tho Indians on their reservations and prevent disturbance and conflicts, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs recommends the organization of a mounted body of Indian auxiliaries, to bo drawn from young men of the various tribes, and-to be under the command of tho military authorities. I heartily concur in this recommendation. It is a matter of genera} experience that the Indians so employed can lie depended upon as to loyal fidelity to the duties assigned them. But the principal ond of our Indian policy cannot be promoted by police measures alone. That end consists in gradually introducing among tho Indians # tho habits and occupations of civilized life by inducing them to work for their own support, by encouraging pride of individual ownership of property, and by educating the young generation, and no efforts should be spared to bring to bear upon them the'proper influences in that direction. Such efforts should not bo sneered at as mere sentimental fancies, for, should they be discouraged by tho assertion that success is impossible, the* advance nnldo by some Indian tribes is sufficient proof that a similar advance may be made by others. Whatoyor may be accomplished by the employmontof force, it is certain that only as the Indians progress in the way of civilization they will cease to be a troublesome and disturbing element

POSTOFFICE DEPARTMENT. Annual Report of the Postmaster General. Hon. David M. Key, Postmaster General, in his annual roport of the operations of his department for the fiscal yoar ended June 30, 1878, estimates ffle total expense of the postal sorvice at $30,571,900, the amount appropriated for tho current year being #83,256,373. The net revenue for the year from the sale of postagestamps was $16,839,116, against $15,881,936 last yoar. Amount of stamps, stamped envelopes, etc., sold. $27,375,593, against $25,757,515 in 1877. Expended during tho yoar for mail transportation, $19,444,179, against $19,356,023 tho previous year. From tables showing tho operation of tho money-order offices it appears that tho roveuuo from this source for the year was $269,647, against $109,148 the previous year. A considerable portion of the report is devoted to tho subject of the present and prospectve deficiencies in tho amounts appropriated by Congress for salaries of Postmasters and for railway transportation. In regard to Postmasters’ salaries, he says tho deficiencies or prevention of them, so far as salarios and compensation of Postmasters are concerned, are not and cannot be controlled by the department. If tho amount appropriated by Congress for the purpose he not oqpal to the amount of compensation established by law, there must be a deficiency. After describing the jates of compensation prescribed by law for railway mail service, the Postmaster General says the appropriation made by Congress at its last session was not sufficien to pay for the existing service on railroads, and, should no additional appropriation be made for this sorvice, he shall feel it his duty under tho law so to curtail tho service as to fall within tho appropriation, however much ho might consider the public interests injured tlieroby. In regard to tho revenues of the postal service, tho Postmaster General says: “ Timo and again it has been shown that matter of tho second and third class does not pay its way through tho mails, and Congress has been urged to increase tho ratos thereon. The question has been considered timo and time again by appropriate committoes, and discussed in both branches of Congress, and the results have shown that it was not expoeted that tho dopai'tment should bo self-sustaining, but that tho deficiencies in its revenues should be mot by appropriations from the genoral treasury. The amount of matter sout through the mails free is very large, adding greatly to our expenditure and giving us no revenue.” Postmaster General Key protests against the revival of the worst features of tho franking privilege. Tho free list is such, he says, that almost every tiling except letters can now bo franked which ever could bo, and it was precisely that kind of luggage which tho abolition of tho frank aimed at throwing out Tons upon tons of bookH, documents, seeds, shrubs and the like are “dead-headod ” from Washington all over the country.

AGRICULTURAL BUREAU. Commissioner Re Due’s Report. The annual report of tho Commissioner of Agriculture shows that the department during the year has been engaged in examining into the practicability of introducing new products, and has been to some degree successful. Tho following extracts and condensations show in outline the work of this department for tho yoar, as stated by the Commissioner himself. Gen. Le Due is an enthusiast od the subject of making tho United States independent of foreign nations. Ho has grouped together, and gives in a table, a list of articles annually imported into this country, amounting in value to many millions of dollars, which he is confident might, and he thinks ought to, bo produced at home. Among these articles aro enumerated tea, coffee, sugar, Peruvian bark, paper material, rice, barley, hemp, flax seed, wool, fruits, nuts, etc. The Commissioner advocates the building and repairing of tho Mississippi levees at the expense of tho General Government Tho Commissioner states that the wheat crop of the present year has been promising in a high degree during the entire season. Fears of grasshopper invasions were early dispelled, except in a few countios in Minnesota. The losses from winter-killing, the fly, chinch-bug, grasshoppers, rust, smut, etc., fiavo this season been far less than usual. The heaviest production is in the section of tho lightest yield last year (the Northwestern or spring-wheat States), whoso product fell off 36,000,000 bushels. The aggrogate in Wisconsin, Minnesota, lowa and Nebraska is double that of last year, and nearly 20,000,000 bushels greater than in 1875. Tho entire crop promises to exceed that of last year by 70,000,000 bushels, leaving 100,000,000 bushels for exportation, with a surplus remaining above the actual requirement of consumption Other crops have generally been good.

PUBLIC LANDS. Report ot Commissioner Williamson. Commissioner of tho Land Office Williamson, in his report, shows thattherearostilll,ooo,ooo,000 acres of public lands unsurveyed. The receipts last year from the sale of public lands were $2,022,536, or $509,507 greater than in the preceding year. The report exhibits in detail the work done in connection with the suppression of timber depredations ■on public lands, and presents a variety of information with regard to abandoned military and Indian reservations, the adjustment of private laud claims, and miscellaneous matters. Among othor recommendations contained in the report are the following: For legislation to transfer any title the United States may possess in islands and beds of “meandered” lakes, sloughs arid ponds to tho States in which they respectively lie; to allow affidavits in pre-emption cases to be taken before the Judges and Clerks of courts of record anywhere in the local districts, instead of compelling attendance before Registers and Receivers; to repeal the town-site law, except as regards applications made under tho law pievious to its recent amendment; to enable the department to extend prompt relief to parties entering public land where title cannot be confirmed, and also in eases whore erroneous and illegal exactions have been made, by refunding to them money paid in error.

INTERNAL REVENUE. Report of Commissioner Raum. Tho annual roport of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue shows that $111,089,319 was collected during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878; a decrease of $8,367,231 from tho receipts of the previous year. The receipts were from tho following sources: 1877. " 1878. Spirits $57,469,430 $50,420,503 Tobacco 41,106,547 40,084,529 Fermented liquors 9.480,789 9,937 052 Hanks and bankers 3,829,729 3 492 031 Stamps, penalties, etc.... 7,108,089 7J55,'201 Total. $118,995,184 $111,089,319 It will bo noticed that the falling off was almost entirely in the receipts from distilled spirits and tobacco, sovon-eighths of the loss being on spirits, and the other eighth from tobacco. This is owing almost entirely to the attempted legislation in Congress last winter for the reductionof the tax on whisky and tobacco. According to Commissioner Raum's figures

the American people are drinking lees whisky and more beer than formerly. There was manufactured in the fiscal year of 1878 about 6,500,000 gallons less whisky than during the previous year, and 1,500,000 gallons more beer. Commissioner Raum estimates that #596,000,000 is annually expended for liquor in the United States, an expenditure that, if applied on the public debt, wonld pay it in three years. Each one of ns, it will be seen, therefore pays over #13.25 per year into the bands of liquor sellers. The number of cigars consumed in this country last year was 1,905,063,743, being an average of over forty-two cigars to every man, woman and child. Assuming that one-fourth of the population—a very large estimate—are smokers, each smoker wonld have 168 cigars for the year. The amount of tobacco, other than cigars and cigarettes, consumed, was 25,312,933 pounds, which is equal to more than half a pound to every inhabitant. The House of Representatives, at its last session, passed a bill reducing the tax on manufactured tobacco from 24 cents to 16 cents per pound. The Commissioner advises against the enactment of this measure, on the ground that it is inexpedient to reduce the revenues of the Government over #B,OOO,(XX/ a year as will result if the proposed change is accomplished. But if the reduction of the tobacco tax is made the Commissioner will recommend that the tax on fermented liquors be increased from $1 to #1.50 per barrel of thirty-one gallons.

THE PENSION BUREAU. Report of a Year’s Operations. Commissioner of Pensions Bentley, in his annual report, shows a reduction of expenses in the last two years of $662,222. There are 223,998 pensioners on tho rolls. Exclusive of fees of Examining Surgeons and fees and salaries of Pension Agents, the amount paid for pensions during the year was $26,530,792, of which #240,901 was retained from pensioners and paid to claim agents for fees. The number of new claims sos the year ending June 30, filed during the year, was 67,509. Of these, 18,812 were original claims for pensions, being more than double the number of the same olass filed in either of the four years 1871 to 1874 ; 18,240 were for the war of 1812 sorvice, under the act of March 9, 1878; about one-sixth of these were in behalf of survivors; the balance were widows’ claims. The aggregate saving in the bureau for the year, in reduced payments of salaries of all descriptions and reduction in the number of agencies, was $482,172. Adding $180,050 for 1877, the aggregate saving for two years in these items alone has been $602,222. Commissioner Bentley reports that, since the consolidation, the pensions have been paid more promptly than before, and tho pay service has advanced to a high degree of efficiency.

THE TERRITORIES. Reports of the Territorial Governors. Some of the Governors of the Territories, in their annual reports to tho Interior Department, make suggestions that are very interesting. Montana. —Tho Governor of Montana sulimits the question whether tho United States will permit the British Government to afford an asylum for our hostile Indians, and furnish them a safe place where they may recruit and replenish their supply of ammunition and again raid upon peaceable citizens. If the British Government persists in doing so, he recommends that for the safety of tlio people of the Territory the Indians he removed from the border several hundred miles into the interior. HC recommends, also, in view of the ’surrounding dangers, that the military districts of the Yellowstone and Montana be consolidated in one department and placed under the command of Gen. Nelson A. Miles, to tho support of whom thousands of settlers would rally. Utah. —Gov. Emery, of Utah, recommends a modification of the Jury law in force so that jurors may be selected, certainly in criminal cases, in precisely tho same manner as they are chosen for tho United States courts in tho States. He claims that as matters now stand it is almost impossible, owing to the poouliar legislation enacted by Congress, and to Territorial legislation, to obtain conviction in certain classes of casos. He recommends, secondly, that woman suffrage in the Territory be abolished, and thirdly, that bigamy in tho Territories should be made by act of Congress a continuous offense, based on cohabitation rather than the marriage ceremony, as is now enacted by Congress. Idaho. — Gov. Brayman, of Idaho, makes a general recommendation that a thorough revision and consolidation of the laws governing Territories bo effected, securing greater uniformity, applying to all the same rules, in a manner defining more clearly the rights and limits of local legislation, and holding officers to a stricter accountability. To bring this about it is suggested that Territorial delegates might properly be permitted to vote in tho House on Territorial matters. Arizona. —Gov. Fremont, of Arizona, in his report to the Secretary of the Interior, expresses tho opinion that the control of tho Indians there should be transferred to tho military.