Only about fifty thousand wild and hostile Indians
remain. The policy of the government is to gather them
also, as rapidly as possible, upon reservations, and to
compel them, by force if necessary, to abandon savage
life. This policy has met with such a success, that judi-
cious men are confident that a solution of the Indian
question has been reached which is consistent with the
safety of the frontiersman, and with humanity toward
the Indian. Even if this hope shall not be realized,
it is, nevertheless, certain that a general Indian war
of three months' duration would cost more than the
total expenditure on account of Indians for the last
three years and a half. . ..
" There are several questions relating to the present
and the future, which merit the attention of the people.
Among the most interesting of these is the question
of civil service reform.
" About forty years ago, a system of making appoint-
ments to office grew up, based on the maxim, ' To the
victors belong the spoils.' The old rule, — the true
rule, — that honesty, capacity, and fidelity constitute
the highest claim to office, gave place to the idea that
partisan services were to be chiefly considered. All
parties in practice have adopted this system. Since
its first introduction, it has been materially modified.
