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XXVIII
RALEIGH, N. C, TUESDAY MORNTNG, DECEMBER 7, 1886.
N0 161
tUtt rESIDKN1ti C89AVB.
OOOTnWIP ItOM StOQBP PAOS
Jaw ef 1875 directing this coinage, the
intrinsic value of the dollars teas
coined was jaiaety-four end one-fourth
cents each end that 04 the 81st day of
Jul, 1586, the price of silver reached
the lowest stage ever, knowa, so. that
the intrinsic .or bullion prioe of our
standard silver dollar at that date wu
lew than seventy-two cents. The price
of silver on the 80th day of November
left if ae such aa to msks theee dollars
intrinsioally worth seventy-eight eenta
each. These differences in the valde of
the eoina represent tine flictue
tions in the prioe of j silver and they
oertainly do not indicate that oompuf
ery eoinage by the government enhances
the prioe of that oqtfrmodity or' leema
uniformity in ita value). Every fair and
legal effort has been made by the treas
ury j$epertment to distribute thia our
rency among the people. The with
drawal ef United States treasury notes
of smell denomination! and-taiTlMUlilg aacwtj fthe wiwl malea were eent
of mall aiJTcr oertifltetea hate been re-
eorted ' to in the pndeaTor to ee
oompliah thia result in obedienee to the
lenttmnta of the rejorf enUtiree of the
people in the Congrena. On the 227th
day : of NoTtmber 186, the people
held" of these eoins 0 eertifioatee repre
sented the nominal om of $166 873
041f and we atUl had 79 464 845 in
the treasury u sgainft abent $142 894 -
255 eoin in the handl tt the people and
$72,865,876 remaining ia the treaaury
pne year ego. The direetor of the
mint again urges thef neeessity of moref
rault room for the purpose of storing;
these fUrer jollarsf wbicb are there:
jpeeded for oireulation by the people. J
hateeeea no reason o cbanga the Tieva
expressed in my last iannuafmeseae on
the inbjeet of this oempulsory eoinage
and I again urge ita! snepensien on all
the grounds contained m my former
rcftmendation, rtbfcreed by the eigf
Sifioant increase of our gold exportation!
dnring the hat year; as tppcarf by th
lecmparatiTe statement herewith present!
ed. andfer the further reason that the
nore this currency if dutributed among I
tae people tee greater ooesmea our auty
lie proteet it from disaster : that we now
hare abundaaee for all oar, needs and
that there sema baf little propriety b
building Taulta to store eueh ourreney
when the only pretense for its eoinage s
the neeessity for its nee by the people it
a eiieulating medium. I
: '. . th urreira laws ., -The
creat number of suits now pent
frg in the United (States eoart for the
aoathora distriet of New York, growing
eat ef the collection of eosfoms and re
enaes at thoport of. New Yorlr, and the
aamber of eaeh salts that are almoV
duly instituted, arej certainly worthy pf
the attention of Congress. ' These leal
eatroTareiea baaed , upon " eotfiietacg
tiewr by importee and the collector u
to; the interpretaUon of our present
eoaplex aad indejoaite revenue Ui
might be lergely obTiated by an amend
meat ef these lawsf Bat, pending siob
amtaaent, the treeent eondiiionf of
this 4 litigation should be relieved
There are now peidbg about twenty-
ave aanorea i laeae suits, jaoro ue?
bo oommeooed at, oueo. The work haa
oen thoroughly ' eoeaidered and laid
Out, the Seoretary of War reports, but
11 is delayed ia default of congressional
lotion. . I I i' i '
f. In September and October last
the hostile' Apaehea, who, aader the
leadership of Geronimo had for eighteea
beuths been oa the warpath, and dar
ing that time had committed many mur
ders and been the causa of constant ter
ror to theeettlersof Arftma, surrender
ed to Geaj MUee, the military eommand
er who saeeeeded Gea. Cook in the
maaagemeat and direction of their
"pursuit. Under the terms of their sur-
.Tender as then reported, and in view of
the uaderstaoding which theee murder
ous savages seemed to entertain of the
assurances iven them, it was considered
beet to imprison them in suoh manner
as to prevent them from efer engaging
with the growing exigencies of the coun
try and the long-established policy of
the government. The poetm aster-gen
eral calls attention to the existing law
for oompeoBatiQg railroad, and expreasea
tat opinion that a method may be de-
vieed whioh will prove more just to the
earners and efficient to the government,
and the subject appears worthy of your ;
early consideration. The differences
which arose during the year with oer-
tain 01 the oo;an Bteamahip eompaniea
have terminated bv the aeqaiesoenee of
all in the policy of the government ap
proved by Uo a gross in the postal ap
propriation at its last session and the
department now enjoys the utmost ser
vice afforded by all vessels which sail
from our ports upon either ocean, a ser-
vioe generally adequate to the needs of 1
our intercourse. Petitions have, hoi
ever, been presented to the department
friendly relations.and the preservation of
poaoe and quiet on the frontier. All this
is now changed. There ia no suoh thing
as the Indian frontier. Civilisation with
the busy hum of industry aad the in-
flaenoee of Christianity surrounds these
people at every point. None of the
tribes are outside of the bounds of or
ganised government and society, ezeept
ing that the territorial system has not
been extended over that portion of the
oountry known as the Indian Territory.
As a raoe the Indians are no longer hos
tile, but may be oonsidered as submis
sive to the control of the government.
They are a portion of our
people, are under .the author
ity of our government, and have
a peculiar olaim upon and aye entitled
to the fostering care and pro toe ti on or
the nation. The government oanuot
them for murder. Firt Pickens haying
been selected as a safe place of confine-
in suoh outrages agair, instead of trying by numerous merchants and manufao- relieve itself of this responsibility until
iney are ao xar traiaea mua.uiTU aia a
to be able waoily to manage and care
for themselves.
The paths ia whieh they should walk
must be dearly marked ont for thorn,
and they must be led or guided until
they are familiar with the way aad
competent to terame the duties and
responsibilities of our citiz5U6hip. Pro-
OTXtaa in th orMt watV will nnnlinn
and beoome the harbinger of a profitable oniy tt the preBont slow p?ee and at
taiuier and wiu be closely guarded ae
prisoners, In the mean time the residue
of the band, who, though still remain
ing upon the reservation were regarded
turera for the establishment of a direct
service to the Argentine Bepnblio and
for semi-monthly dispatohes to the em
pire of Braiil and the subject is com
mended to your consideration. It is as
obvious duty to provide the means of
postal communication whieh our com
as uniafe and! suspected of furnishing I mercc requires and with prudent fore-
aid to : those on the warpath, had been
removed to Fort Marion. The women
and larger . children . of the hostiles
were if also j taken there and ar
rangements , have been made for
putting ; the j children . of proper
age in Indian schools.
' .: i i j raa aavr.
The report! of the seeretary of the
east Of results, the wise extension of
it may lead to stimulating intereourae
traffic whioh will open new avenues for
the disposition of the products of our
industry. The circumstances of the
countries at the far south of our con
tinent are raeh aa to invite our enter
prise and afford the promise of sufficient
navy eontaiaa a detailed exhibit of the I advantage to justify an unusual effort
condition of his department with such a to bring about the close relations which
staUmehtet the action needed to im- greater freedom of communication
prove th same aa aid ehalleaga the would tend to establish. I suggest that
earnest attention of Congress. Tbr I as diatinguiahed from a grant or aub
President then proceeds to enumerate I sidy for the mere benefit of any line of
the ships constituting our preseat navy. trade or travel, whatever outlay may be
eleven hundred have been eoittmcnjied J M taining nbroad the armor and
within the past eighteen moatar, nd
All the vessels heretofore au
thorised are made under contract or in
course of construction exoept the armor
ed ships, the torpedo and dynamite
boats and 'one j cruiser. As to the last
of these! the bids were in cxeess of tbe
limit fixed , by Congress. The produc
tion in the United Btatea of armor and
gun steal is a question which it scemr
necessary to settle at an early day if the
armor aad war vessels arc to be com
pleted wita these materials of home
manufacture. 1 Thia has been the subject
of investigation by two boards and by
two special ' committees of Congress
within iaa last three years. The report
of the gua foundry board in 1884.of the
board on fortifieations made in January
last, and; the reports of the select com
mitieee ef the two houses made at the
latiesaion ef Congrers, have entirely
exhausted the sal jeet so far aa the pre
liminary isvestigfttion is involved and
in their ieeoihmendatipnj they are sab-
staatially agreed.; In the event that the 1 earnest attention of the Congress to the I deskned that this oommision ihonld be
preaeal taviUtioa of the department for I same aao: clue eogalleraney of the te- T composed of six intelligent &2 aapable
bide to furnish suoh of thia material u I er mmendatioas therein contained. lu I persons, three to be detailed from the
bow aathonied ahall fail 10 isdaec do-1 the report submitted by this omoer to army, having practical ideas- upon the
mcstie iaaaamctarers to undertake the I the last session of Congress he strongly mnhit n TUn.
tiary lor the confinement or prisoners
eonvieted and sentenced in the United
States courts, and he repeats the recom
mendation in his report for the last
year. This is a matter of very great
required to secure additional postal
service necessary and proper, and not
otherwise attainable,should be regarded
within the limit of legitimate com
pensation for suoh servioe. The exten
sion of the free delivery service as sug-
guestea py tne postmaster-general has
heretofore received my sanction aad it I
is to be hoped a suitable enactment may
soon be agreed upon. The request for
an appropriatioa sufficient to enable the
general .inspecuon 01 ine xounn-cii
omoes nse mv appro nation. 1 renew
my approval of the recommendation of
the; postmaster-general, that another as
sistant be provided for the posteffioe de
partment, and invite your attention to ;
several other recommendations in his
report. '
thb nmaTxurr or jusncs.
The conduct of the department of I
Justice for the last fiscal year b fully
ueMuicu u ui report 01 tae at
torney general and I invite the
great expense unless the system and
management are improved to meet the
changed conditions and urgent demands
of the service. The agents having gen
eral charge and . supervision in many
oases of more than 5,000 Indians, scat
tered over large reservations, and bur
dened with the details of accountability
for funds and supplies, have time to
look after the industrial training and
improvement of a few Indians only.
The many ere negleoted and remain
idle. The dependent conditions are not
favorable for progress in civilization
and the compensation allowed these
agents and the conditions of the servioe
are not ealoulated to secure for the
workman fit oompetcnoe and skill to
properly plan and intelligently direct
the methods beet adapted to produce the
most speedy results and permanent ben
efits. Uenoe the neoessity for a supple
mental agency or system directed to
the end of promoting the general aad
more rapid transition of the tribes from
too naoit ana custom 01 oaroarum to
the ways of civilisation with the anxious
desire to devise some plan of operation by
whieh to secure the welfare of the In
dians and to relieve the treasury as far
as possible from the support of an idle
and dependent population. I recom
mended in my previous annual message,
the passage of a law authorising the ap
pointment of a commission as an instru
mentality auxiliary to those already es
tablished for the care of the Iadians.lt was
system was a simple one. It commenc
ed with an admirable scheme of public
surveys by whioh the humblest eit
iien could identify the tract upon
which he wished to establish his home.
The prioa of lands was placed within
the reach of all the enter
prising, industrious and honest
pioneer cit;8na of the country. It was
soon, however, found that the ol jict of
the laws was perverted, under the sys
tem of cash sales, from a distribution
of land among the people to au aoou
mulation of land oapital by wealthy
and speculative persons. To eheok this
tendenoy a preference right of purchase
was given to settlers on the land, a plan
whieh oulminated in the general pre
emption act of 1841. The foundation
of this system was actual reeidenoe and
cultivation. Twenty years later the
homestead law was devised to more
surely place actual homes in the posses
sion of actual cultivations of the soil.
The land was given without prioe, the
S)le conditions being residence, im
provement and cultivators. O.her laws
have followed, each designed to encour
age the acquirement and use of land in
limited individual quantities, but ifl
later years these laws through vieious
adminis rative methods and under
cVasged conditions of ommunieatiou
and transportation have b?en so evaded
and violated that their bnclfoent pur
pose is threatened with entire defeat The
methods of such evasions and violation
arc set forth in detail in the report of
the Secretary of the , Interior and com
missioner of the general land offioe. The
rapid appropriation of our publio lands
without bona-fide settlements or cultiva
tion, and not only without intention of
residence, but for the purpose of their
aggregation in large holdings in many
eases in the hands of foreigners, invites
the services and immediate attention of
Congress. The energies of the land de
partment have been devoted during the
present administration to remedy defects
and correct abuses in the public land ser
vioe.Theresults of the efforts are so large
ly in the nature of reforms in the process
and methods of our land system as to
prevent adequate estimate, but it ap
pears by a compilation from the reports
of the commissioner of the geaeral
land office that the immediate effjet in
trading cases, whieh have come to a
final termination, has been the restora
tion to the mass of publio lands of
2,750,000 acres; but 2,370,000 acres
are embraced in investigations new
pending before the courts and that the
action of Congress has been asked - to
effact their reservation of 2 790,000
acres, besides whioh 4,000.000 have
been withheld from the reservation
rights of entry thereon maintained.; I
recommend the repeal af the pre-emp
tion and timber culture acts, and that
largo expeaditaree reqaired to prepare
for; . this j new manufacture and
no other steps are taken by Congress a
its coming session, the Storetary con
templates with dissatisfaction the neoes-
asaay of the others have beeaatitra
for more than twenty, ire years, Thate
delays ujeoi thej government to a osf
ef evidence and prevent the preparation
accessary to defe unjust and fietitioe
claims, while .constantly eooruiag in
terest threatens to double the demand
' involved. In the present condition ef
the dockets of the coarts, well filled
With private suit, and of the force el
lowed the district attorney no'greater
than is necessary j for the ordinary land
current business pf his effiM, these reve
nue litigations annot be considered
In default of the adoption by Congress
of a plan lor the; general reorganisation
'of the Federal eoarta ae has been here
tofore recommended, I urge the pro
priety of passing! a law, permitting the
appointment of an additional Federal
judge; ia the district where these gov
ernment suite have accumulated, e$ that
. by a continuous: session ef the Court
devoted to the trial of theee eases; they
may be determined. It ;is entirely
plain that aa aggregate saving to the
. government wojid be eooomplished by
! suoh a remedy and the suitori who
I have honest claims weald not be denied
J jaatiee through delay. I
ran wia prrAamiirr. i
The report if the secretary of war
. : gives a detailed account of the almln-
titration of bis department and contains
sundry recommendations for the im
; provement of the service whioh J fully
approve. Thai army consisted fat the
, date of the lut eoneouaatea return 01
: two thousand one hundred and three
: effioere and twenty-four thousand
1 nine hundred and forty-six enlisted men.
: The xpenaes of the departmentfor the
I last fiscal year were $36 930 903,33 m
i i eluding $629,430 543 for public works
! aad4thc river aad harbor improvements
: I especially direct the attention of the
' Congress to the recommendation hat the
. officers be required to submit top aa ex
' amination Mja prelimicary o their
promotion, t see no oj oton bnt
' many advantages in adopurg.thia foa-
tare, waiea nas operatea ao Deu3wiauy
the gn steel for the tu thorised ship I importance and should at onoc receive
It would seem desirable that the wants I congressional action. United States
of the army 1 and navy in this regard I prisoners arc now cor fined in more than
ahouldlbe reasonably met, and that by thirty different state prisons and peni
uniting their contracts, such induce- tcntiaries scattered in every part of the
meats might be. offered, as would re- country. v They are subjected to nearly
alt in eeeuriag the domestication of
theee Important interests,
j ttna nosTu, sxavioa.
i The affira of the pestal service show
marked ttd gratifying improvement da-
: rwg the ptst year. A particular te
eount of its transactions and condition
is given in the report of the poet-master
general which will be laid before you.
The redaction of the rate of letter pos
tage J 1883. rendering the postal reve
anes inadequate to saataia tae expendi
tures and business depreesion also con
tributing, resulted in aa exeess of cost
for the fiscal year ended Jane 30th,
1885 of eight and one third millions of
dollars, j An additional check upon re
ceipts by doubling the measure of weight
ia rating sealed correspondence and di.
miaishiag one half the charge for news
paper carriage was Imposed by legislation
which took effect with the beginning
of the I put fiwal year, while the
constant demand for our territorial de
al many different modes of treatment
and discipline, and are far too much re
moved from the control and regulation
of the government. So far as they are
entitled to human treatment and oppor
tunity for improvement and reformation,
the government is responsible to them
uu eooiety anas tneao toings axe roru-
ooming. But this duty can scarcely be
discharged without more absolute con
trol and direction than is possible nnder
tae present system.
nnuioi.
The report of the Secretary of the
Interior presents a comprehensive sum
mary 01 the work: of the various
branches of the public service connected
With his department and the suggestions
and recommendations which it contains
for the improvement of the servioe
should receive your careful considera
tion. The exhibit made of the condi
tion of our Indian population and the
progress ef the work for their enlight-
velopment and growing population for I enment notwithstanding the many cm
thc rxteneion and inerease of mail fa
cilities and machinery necessitates a
steady I annual advance in outlay and
the estimate of a advanec'upon the rates
of expenditure then existing contem
plated the unavoidable augmentation of
the deficiency in tbe last Ureal year of
nearly: f 2, 000,000. The anticipated
revenue for the last fiscal year failed of
realisetica by about $640,000, but
proper measures of economy have so
satisfactorily limited the growth cf ex
penditures that the total defieieney
in I fact f falls below that of 1885
and at that time the increase of revenue
is in a gaining ratio over the inorease of
cost, demonstrating the Srumeteney of
the present rates of postage ultimately
to eustain the service. This is the more
barrassments which hinder the bet
ter administration of this important
branch of the service is a gratifying and
hopeful one. The funds appropriated
ror tne xoaian servioe ror tne nasal year
just passed, with the available income
from Indian land and trust monev.
amounted in all to $7,850,776.12;
and were ample for the aer
vice under the conditions and re
strictions of laws regulating their
expenditures. There remained a bal
ance on hand on June 80th, 1886. of
interested in their welfare, and that it
should be charged, under the direction
of the Secretary of the Interior, with the
management of such matters of detail as
eannct with the present organisation be
properly and successfully conducted.
and which present difierent phases ae the
Indians themselves differ in their pro
gress, needs, disposition and capacity
for improvement, or immediate self-support.
By the aid of such a commission
muoh unwise and useless expenditure of
money, waste of materials, aad unavail
ing efforts might be avoided and it is
hoped that this or some measure which
the wisdom of uongress may better de
vise to supply the defieieney of the
present system may receive your consid
eration, aad the appropriate legislation
be provided. The time is ripe for the
work of such aa agency. There is less
opposition to the education and training
of the Indian youth.
the location and settlement of any
Indian willing to take land in severalty.
On the contrary, the inclination to do
ao should be stimulated at au times
when proper aad expedient. But there
ia no authority of law for making allot
ments on some of the reservations, .and
on others the allotments provided for
are so small that the Indian, though
rcdy and desiring to settle down, are
ot willing to accept such small areas
when their reservations contain ample
lands to afford them homesteads
of sufficient sixe to meet their
present and future needs. These
I 1 . f . 1! " I
inequalities 01 existing spoouu iwa
and treaties should no oorreoted, and
some general legislation on . the subject
should be provided so that the more
progressive members of the different
tiibee may be settled upon homesteads.
and by their example lead others to be
gin breaking away from tribal eustoo
and substituting thereror tne love or-
home, the interest of . family and
the rule of the state.
The claims of title and right of cocu-
$1,660,023 80, of whioh $1,337,768.21 pancy set by white person to some of
are permanent funds for the fulfillment
of treaties and other like purposes, and
the remainder, $322,255 09, is subjeot
to be earned to the surplus fund, as
required by law The estimates prc-
pieMirg because onr people enjoy now 1 aented for appropriations for the en-ding
fi.ii.L a ' ii I a - ae ono oto at -
in
in
par navy; department as weii as
some branches of the army.
coast nrvritu.
The suV'jwi of coast defeose and forti
fications has I been fully and carefully
treated by 91c board of fortifioatioos,
whose report was submitted at the last
aeeaion of Congress; but no eoastruetion
-work of the kind recommended by the
board has been possible during the last
year.frvm the lack of appropriations for
ueh purpose. 1 1 '
The defenseless condition . of our sea
ooast and ake frontier is perfectly pal
pable. The examinations made mutt
nnrinee as all that e-rfain of our cities
named in the report of thchord should
both j cheaper postage proportionate to
distahoe and a vaster and more costly ser
vioe than any other people upon the
globe. Retrenchment has been effected
in the cost of sapplies , some expenditures,
unwarranted by law, have eeased, and
the Outlays for mail carriage have been
eubieotod to beneficial scrutiny At the
close of the last fiscal year the expense of
transportation on star routes stood at an
year amount to xo,ous,cW3 o, or
$442,386.20 leas than those laid before
Congress last year.
The present system of ageaeies, while
absolutely necessary aad wll ad-
. r
apted for the ends in view when
it waa adopted, is in the present stage
of Indian management inadequate,
the best land within other reservations
require legislation for their final adjust
ment. The settlement or these matters
will remove many embarrassments to
progress in the work of leading the In-
1 l. - J 1.:.-. - T x-x
Uians IO UlO uuuvu wt wiu uauw
tions, and bringing them under the
operation, the inlaenoe aad the protec
tion of the universal laws of our ooun
try. The recommendations of the sec
retary of the interior and the commis
sioner of the general land office looking
to the better protection of public land?
and of the public aurveys. the
standing alone for the aocoomplishment I preservation of natural forests, the ad
of an object which has beoome pressing judication of grants to states and corpo
rt tit uat Imm atm 560.. I in ita lmDortanoe the more rapid tran- I rationa. of private individuals, and
. . .. a'.. . I ... . .! - . - ' . I I -V .ClUM .1 L.
oiaima tne inorvasvu. uiuaj vi uiu puv
000; than at the close of the previous
year, and steamboat and mail messen
ger! service at nearly $2,000,000 less.
i'he service has beea ia the . meantime
enlarged and extended by the establish
ment of new offices, increase of routes
of Jearriage. expansion of earner de
livery eoa veaienees end additioas to the
t- .j. m . a j
be fertiled. and that work oa the moot I fc-nitw ia aeeoxdanee i aaaialy
.Mrtenlaf iuss Certifisatians ahoala ' T
sition from tribal organ'xations to citi
ieaship, of suoh portions of the Indians
as arc capable of eivil'ied life. When
the existing system wu adopted, the
Indian race was outside of the limits of
organised states aad territories, and be
yond the immediate reach aad operatioa
ef ctvuixaaoa: aad ail enorts
class are suoh as only lack by misfortune
the kind or quuhty of proof which the
law and regulations of the bureau re
quire, or whioh, though their merit is
apparent, for some other reason cannot
be justly dealt with through the general
laws, r These conditions fully justify
application to the Congress and a spe
cial enactment. But resort to the Con
gress for a special pension aet to over
rule the deliberate and careful determi
nation of this pension bureau on the
merits,! or to seeure favorable action
when it could not be expected under the
most liberal execution of the general
laws, it must be admitted opens the door
to the allowance of questionable claims,
and presents to the legislative and exec
utive branches of the government appli
cations oonoeded to bo not within
the law and plainly devoid of
merit but so surrounded by sentiment
and patriotic feeling that they are hard
to resist. I suppose it wilt not be de
nied that many elaims for pensions arc
made without ment and that many have
been allowed upon fraudulent represen
tations. This has been declared from
the pension bureau, not only in this bnt
in prior administrations. The useful
ness and the justice of any system for
the distribution of pensions depends
npon the equlity and uniformity of its
--p; ratl in. It will be seen from the re
port of the commissioner that there are
now paid by the government one hun
dred and thirty-one different rates of
pension Estimates from the best infor--natioh'he
can obtain is that nine thou
sand of those who have served ia the
army and navy of the United States are
now supports! in whole or in part from
the publio funds or by organised ehart
ties, exclusive of those in soldiers
homes under the direction and control
of the government. Only thirteen per
cent of these arc pensioners, while o'
tbe entire number of men furnished for
the late war, something like twenty per
cent, including their widows and rela
tivee, have been or now are in the re
ceipt of pensions. The American
people, with a patriotic and
grateful regard for our ex -soldiers too
broad and sacred to be moaopolized by
any special adyooatee are aot only wil
ling bat anxious that equal and exact
justice should be done to all honest
claimants for pensions; In their right
the friendless and destitute soldier de
pendent on public charity if otherwise
entitled has precisely the same right to
share ia the provision made for those
who fought their country's battles as
those better able through friends aad in
fluence to push their claims. Every
pension that is granted under the
present plan upon any other groands
than actual service and injury
or disease inourrcd in such service, and
every instance of the many ia whieh
the homestead laws be so amended as to i pensions are increased on other grounds
better seeuxje compliance with their re- Uhea thai taenia of the"climr work an
lie land service are recommended to
Congress. To secure the widest distri
bution of public lands in limited quanti
ties among settlers for residenee and
cultivation, and thus make the greatest
aamber of individual homes was the
were primary object ef the pahlie legislatioa
to the mttntcmnee fin the early days of therouUw, Due
quirements of residenee, improvement
aad cultivation for the period of fire
years from the date of entry, without
commutation or provision for specula
tive relinquishment. I also recommend
the repeal of the desert land laws
unless it shall ; suit Congress to
aa amend these laws as to reader them
lees liable to abuses. As the chief mo
tive for an evasion of the laws aad the
principle cause ofhe result in land ac
cumulation, insteadof land distribution,
is the facility with which transfers arc
made of the Tight intended to be secured
to settlers: It may be deemed advisable
to provide for legislation, come guards
and checks upon the alienation, of home
steads, rights aad lands covered thereby
until patents issue.
Muoh of the public land still remains
within the lines: of unlawful fences.
The ingenious methods resorted to in
order to oontinue these trespassers and
the hardihood of the pretenses by whioh
in some cases such inclosures are justi
fied are fully detailed in the report of
these enclosures. The removal of the
fences still remaining whieh enclose
public land will be foroed with all the
authority and means with which the
executive branch of the government is
or ahall be invested by the Congress for
that purpose.
The report of the commissioner of
pensions contains a detailed and most
satisfaotory!aspeot of the operations of
the pension bureau during the last fiscal
year. The amount of work dope was
the largest in any year since the organi
sation of the bureau, and it has been
done at less cost than during the pre
vious year in every diviiion. Oa the
thirtieth day of June, 1886, there wero
865,783 pensioners on the rolls
of the bureau. Since 1861 there
have beea 1.018,785 applica
tions for pensions filed, of whioh
78.834 were based upon service in the
war of 1812: there were 621,754 of
these applications allowed including
60.178 to the soldiers of 1312 and
their widows. Tb total amount paid
for pensions since 1831 is $80,862 481,-
157. The number of new pensions al
lowed during the year ended June au,
1886, is 40,857, a larger number than
has been allowed in any year savo one
since 1861. The names of 2 229 pen
sioners whioh had been previously
dropped from the rolls were restored
during the year, and after deducting
those dropped within the same time for
various oauses a net inereass remtina
for the year of 20.658 names from Jan
uary 1861 to December 1, 18f5. Oae
thousand nine hundred and sixty-seven
private pension acts had been pawed
sinee the last mentioned date, and dur
ing the last session of the Congress 664
such acts became laws so it seems t me
no one eau examine our pension e?Vib-
lishment and its operations without be
ing eonvinoed that through its ina'-ru
mentality justice can be very neirly
done to all who arc entitle 1 under the
present laws to the pension bounty of
the government. xui it is aaantiiaia
that eases exist well entitled to relief in
which the pension bureau is powerless
to aid. Tie really worthy eases of this
injestiee to the brave and crippled, hut
poor and mendiesc soldier, who is
entirely negleoted or who must be
content with the smallest sum allowed
aader geaeral laws.
There are far too many neighborhoods
ia whioh arc found glaring cases of ine
quality of treatment in the matter of
pensions, and they arc largely due to i
yielding in the pension bareau to im
portunity on the part of those other than
tae pensioners.
who are' especially interested or they
arise from special acts passed for the
benefit of individuals. The men who
fought side by side! should stand aide
by -side when they partici
pate- ia a grateful nation a kind remem
brance. Every eonsideratiou of fair
ness aad justioe to our ex-soldiers and
the protection of the patriotic insunoi.
of our citi 1 9ns from perversion and vio
lation, point to the adoption of a pen
sion system broad and comprehensive
enough to cover every contingency and
whioh shall make unnecessary an ob
jectionable volame of special legislation
T n a
Aa long as we adnere to tne principle oi
granting pensions for service and disa
bility aa the res alt of the serT'oe, the
allowance of pensions should be re
stricted to eases presenting tnese fea
tares. Every patriotio heart responds
to a tender consideration Ut those who
have served their oountry long and well
are reduoed te destitution and depen
donee, not as an incident of their ser
vice, but with advancing age or throagv
sickness or misfortune. We are aM
tempted by the contemplation of suefe
a condition to supply relief, and ar
often impatient of the limitations of
public duty. Yielding to no one in the
desire to indulge this feeling rf eonsid
eration. I cannot rid myself of the eonvio
tion that if these ex-soldiers are to be
relieved, they and their cause are en
titled to the becflt or an enactment
under whioh relief may be claimed as
right, and that suoh relief should be
granted under the sanction of law, not
in evasion of it Nor should such
worthy objects of Cre, all equally en
titled, be remitted to the unequal opera
tion of sympathy, or the' tender meroiee
of social and polineal influence with
their unjust discrimination. - The di
charged soldiers and sailors of the
oountry are our fellow-citiiens aad in
terested with us in the passage aad
faithful execution of wholesome laws
They cannot be se vered from .their duty
of oitiionahip by artful appeals to their
spirit of brotherhood bora ox common
peril and suffering nor will taey exact
. . . .! 1 - -
as a test oi oevouon to tueir wouara
willingness to neglect public duty in
, G W M
their lehalf.
ths rRHT orrioa.
On the 4th of March, 1885, the cur
rent business of the office was on an
average five and a half months in arrears
and in some divisions more than twelve
months behind. At the close of the laet
fiaoal year suoh current work was but
throe mouths ia arrears aad it
asserted aad believed that ia the aaxt
few months the delay in obtaining tn
examination of aa application fe
a vateat will be but neaaioaL Zh
aamber of applications for patents dur
ing the last fiscal year, Including re
issues, designs, trademarks and labels,
equals 40,678, whioh is considerably ia
exocsa of the j number received during
any preoeding year. The receipts of"
the patent office during the year aggre
gate 12 516,780, enabling the effioe to
turn into the treasury a surplus revenue
over and above all expenditures of
about $168,710 30. The aamber of
patents granted daring the last fiscal
year, inoluding reissues, trade-marks,
designs and labels was 25,619, a num
ber also quite largely in exoess of that
of any preoeding year. The report of
the commissioner shows the office to be
in a prosperous condition and constant
ly increasing in its business. No in- -crease
of foroe is : asked 'or. 1 The
amount estimated for the fieoali year
ending June 30, 1886, wu $890,760.
The amount eajtimated for thef year
ending June 30, 1887, wa $853 990.
The amount estimated for the fiscal year
ending Jane 30 1886, ia $7 78, 7 70.
taa r actio aoans. I
The seoretary of the Interior suggests
a ehange ia the plan for the payment of
the indebtedness of the Paoific subsid
ised roads to the government. His sug
gestion has the unanimous endorsement
of the persons Selected by the govern
ment to act as directors of jthesei roads
and proteet the interests of the paitei
States in the board of direction. In
considering the plan proposed this sole
matter whioh should be takea into ac
count, in my opinion, is the situation of
he government as a creditor, aad the
surest way to secure the pynns of the
prinoipal and interest of its debt.
iKTsa-BTATa coaxaaoa j
By a reoent decision of the supreme
ourt of the United States it has been
jadged that the .laws of the eaveral
staVe are imperative to regulate the
ates of transportation noon railroads, if
uh regula'bu interferes with the rate
of otrriage, fram fne state into another.
This important field of control and reg
ulation having been thae left entirely
unoccupied the expediency of federal
action upon the subj ect ia worthy of
consideration. . I i
Laaoa as capital
The relations of labor; to o ipiftel and
of laboring men to their employers are
of the etmost concern to every pa-riotio
eitiaea. When theee arc strained and
distorted, unjustifiable claims are apt to
be insisted upon by both interests, an 1
in the controversy which results the
welfare of all and the prosperity of the
country are jeopardised. Any inter
vention or the general i government
within th limits . of its constitutional
authority to avert such , a cioMdiHoa
should be willingly aeoordedL, Ia a
special message transmitted to the Con
gress at its last session ji sug
gested . the. cnlargesacaa ef out
puaviailaiio bureavand adding ,
to its present functions ' the power of
arbitration ia cases where diffreueee .
arise between the employer and em
ployed, when theee d;fftreneea reach
suoh a stage as to result iu the iaterrnp-
tioa of commerce between the States. The
applicatioa of remedy by the geaeral ,
f;overamcat might be regarded as catirc
y within its constitutional powers aad
I taiakwenvght reennably hope tht
such arbitrators, if carefully selected
and if entitled to the j con fiienoe of the
parties to be affected, would be volun
tarily called to the settlement of eu-
trovcrici of loaf extent and net neces
sarily within the domain of
federal regulaaon. i am of
the opinion that this ruggesttin
is worthy the attention of Congress, bat
after all has been dne by the passage
of laws, either federal or atate, to re
lieve a situation full cf eolieitade, much
more remains to be accomplished by the
reinstatement and cultivation of a true
American sentiment which reoogaixm
the equality of American citisenahip.
This in the light ox traditions and loy
alty to the spirit of our institutions
would teach that a hearty ecj-operatioa
oa the part of all interests ia the sareai
path to national greatness ana tae
happiness of au our : peepie; tnai
capital should in recognition of
the brotherhood of our eitiaenship
and in a spirit of Amerioan fairness,
generously accord to labor its just.
compensation and consideration and that
eontented labor is capital's best proteo-
tioa aad faithful ally. It would teach,
too, that the diverse situations of our
people are inseparable from our civil: 1 1
tion, that every citisen should, in hie
sphere, be a contributor to the geaeral
jood, thei'oapital docs not necessarily
tend to the oppression of labor, and that
violent disturbances ! and dirordera
alienate from ' their promoters true
Amerioan sympathy and kindly feeling,
van siPAnTKurr or AeniGULTvaa.
The department of agriculture, rep
resenting r the oldest of our . na
tional , industries, is subserving, well
the purposes of ita organisation. By the
introduction of new subjeoti of farming
enterprise, and by opening hew souro a
cf agricultural wealth aad the dissemi
nation of early information concerting
production aad prices, it has contributed
largely to the country's j prosperity.
Through this ageaoy, advanced thought
and investigation touching the eu j e'e -it
haa in charge, should, among other
things, be practically applied to the
home produotioa at a low cost of articles
of food whieh arc now imported from
abroad. Such an innovation will nec
essarily of course in the beginning'
be within the domain of intelligent
experiment, and the subject ia Tery
stage should receive (all possible en
couragement from the government. The .
interests of millions of oaij eitiienn en
gaged ia agriculture are involved in an
enlargement and improvement of the
results Of their labor, and a a aloud
regard I for their j welfare should
be a willing tribute to hose whose!'
productive returns are a maia sjuroe ef i
our progress ana power.
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