The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1872-12-05

| tdhCH lOI nOueSl6duSs O50O Id acres located
with college scrip; 3,554,S S7 acres granted to
railroads; 465347 acres granted to wagon roads;
| ll4.2oo acres given to States as swamp land
576O acres located by Indian scrip. The cash
receipts from all sources In the Land Office
amounted to $3.21S,10O. During the same
period 22016,60S acres Of the public lands were
| surveyed, which, added to the quantity before
surveyed, amounts to So, 1854, $50 acres, leaving
| ,25l 1888 1923 acres of the public lands still I'M
surveyed.
The reports from the subordinates of the
Land Office contain interesting information in
| regard to their respective districts They uni
tormly mention the fruitfuness Of the soil DUR
| ing the past season and the increased yield of
| all kinds of produce Even in those States and
Territories where mining is the principal bust
ness agricultural products have exceeded the
local demand and liberal shipments have been
made to distant points.
| THE PATENT OFFICE.
During the year ending Sept. Both, 1872, there
were issued from the Patent Office %, 626 pa
| tents, 233 extensions and 500 certificates of
registry of trade marks. During the same time
| 1887 applications for patents, including res-
sues and designs have been received and 3.100
caveats filed The fees received during the
same period amounted to 1857 .095, 4S6 and the
total expenditures to $62 $50 300, making the
net receipts over the expenditures 81 ,740 .096.
| Since 1868, 100000 applications have been filed
and about Il, 800 patents issued
| PENSIONS.
The amount paid for pensions in the fiscal
year was $50, 1876, $40, an amount larger by 49,
7OS,434 than was paid during the preceding
year. OF this amoant S2,313,409 were paid
under the act of Congress of February II, 1871,
to survivors of the war OF 1872. The annual
| increase Of pensions by the legislation of Con-
gress has more than kept pace with the national
| yearly losses from the rolls. The act of Con-
gress June 10. 1872, has added an estimated
amount Of $750.0O0 per annum to the rolls,
without increasing the number of pensioners.
| We cannot, therefore, look for any substantial
decrease in the expenditures of the Dept for
some time to come, or so long Congress con-
tinues to 80 change the rates of pensions.
| The whole number of soldiers enlisted in TIE
war of the Rebellion was 1853 ,523; the total
number of claims for invalid persons is 176, 900,
| being but six per cent of the whole number of
| enlisted men. The total number of claims on
| hand at the beginning Of til" year 81 $50;
| the number recorded during the year was 90
| ga; the number of claims on file is 10, 0S5.
| On the Both of June 1872 there We're on the rolls
| the names of Sol 900 invalid military pensioners
ll3,5lS widows, orphans and dependent rela-
tives making IN aggregates of POS, 1923 army
| pensioners.
At the same time there were on the rolls the
names Of 40 Navy petitioners, 1,ii30 widows.
| orphans and dependent relatives, making the
| whole number of Naval pensioners, 3,lI9.
There have been received since the passage of
of the act to provide institutions for the sur
| vivors of the war of 1872, 36561 applications
| prior to June 30,h, 11T2. OF these there were
| allowed during the fiscal year 20,126 claims;
4.S45 were rejected during the year, leaving / l.
$50 claims pending ct the report. The number
| of pensions of all classes granted during the
last fiscal year was 33,S3S. During that period
there We're dropped from the rolls for various
| causes, 9,1W Names leaving grand total of
232 .229 pensioners on the Both of June, 1872.
! 1t is thought that the claims for Pensions on
account of the War of 1912 will all be disposed
of the first of May, 1873 1t is estimated that
S30,4s0,O0o will be required for the Pension
| Service during the next fiscal year.
TIE CENSUS.
| The Ninth Census is about completed. Its
early completion is subject of congratulation
inasmuch rs the use to be made of the statistics
| therein contained depends very greatly on the
| promptitude of publication. The Secretary of
| the Interior recommends that census be taken
| in 1873, which recommendation should receive
the ready attention OF Congress. The interval
| established between the Federal census is so
long that the information obtained At the decimal
periods as to the material condition, wants and
| resources of the nation, Is of little practical
| value after the expiration of the first half of
that period. 1t would probably obviate the
Constitutional provision regarding the decimal
| census if a census taken III 1879 should be di-
vested of all political character and no cap
pointment of Congressional Representatives be
made up under it. Such census, coming as it
would in the last year of the first century of
our national existence, would furnish noble
| monument Of the progress of the United States
during that century.
EDUCATION.
The rapidly increasing interest in Education
| is Il most encouraging feature in the current
history of the country and it is no doubt true
that this is in a great measure due to the Efforts
of the Bureau of Education. That office is con-
tnuay receiving evidences which abundantly
| proves its efficiency, from the various inStitu-
tons Of learning and education of all kinds
throughout the country. The report of the
Commissioner contains IA vast amount OF etiuca-
| tonal details of great interest.
| The bill now pending before Congress pro-
yiding for the appropriation of the net proceeds
of the sales of public lands for educational pur-
poses to aid the States in the general education
| of the rising generation, is measure of such
! great importance to our real progress and is so
| unanimously approved by the leading friends of
education that | commend il to the favorable at
| tention of Congress.
THE TERRITORIES.
Affairs in the Territories are generally salts
factory and the energy and business capacity Of
the pioneers who are settling the vast domain
not yet incorporated into States, are keeping
pace in internal improvements and civil gov
| eminent with the olden communities In but
| one of them. Utah, is the condition of affairs
unsatisfactory, except so far as the quiet of
society may be disturbed by real or imaginary
dangers of Indian hostilities, 1t has seemed to
be the policy of the Legislature of Utah, to
evade all responsibility to the Government Of
| the United States and even to hold Il position in
hostility to it. | recommend !. careful revision
| of the present laws of the Territory by Con-
| gress, and the enactment Of such law as the
| OnesprOposed in Congress at its last session for
instance, OF something similar TO it, as will Sc
| cure peace and the equality Of all citizens be-
fore the law and the ultimate extinguishment
| OF p0lygamy.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Since the establishment OF territorial government
| for the District of Columbia the improvement OF
the condition of the City of Washington and its
| surroundings ana the increased prosperity OF the
citizens is observable to the casual visitor. The ma
ton being a large owner of property in the city,
should bear with the citizens of the District its
just share OF the expense of those improvements.
recommend, therefore, appropriation to REIN
burse the citizens for the work done by them along
and in front OF public grounds during the past year
and liberal appropriations in order that the improve
ments and embellishments OF the public buildings
and grounds may keep pace with the improvements
made by the territorial authorities.
| AGRICULTURE.
| The report of the Commissioner of Agriculture
gives very full and interesting account of the
| eral divisions of that Department. horticultural,
agricultural and statistical, entomogical and chemi-
cal and the benefits conferred by each upon the agri
cultural interests of the country The whole report
is complete history in detail of the workings of
| the Department in all its branches, showing the
manner in which the farmer merchant and miner is
informed, and the extent to which he is aided in his
| pursuits The Commissioner makes one recon-
|
protect and induce the planting of forests and sug
gess that part of the public lands should be dis
posed OF without the condition that one-tenth of it
| be reserved In timber where it exists and where it
does not exist, inducements should be offered for
| planting it.
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
| In accordance with the terms of the act OF Con-
| gress, approved March Sd, 1871 providing for the
| one hundredth anniversary of American Indepen-
| dence, commission has been organized consisting
of two members from each of the States and Terri
| tories. This Commission has held two sessions and
has made satisfactory progress in the organization
| and the niiatory steps necessary for carrying out
| the provisions Of the act and for executing also
| provisions of the act of June LIST, 1871 creating
| Centennial Board of Finance. preliminary
port of their progress has been received from the
| President of the Commission and is herewith trans
mted. 1t will be the duty of the Commission at your
coming session to transmit full report of the pro-
gress made and to lay before you the details relating
to the exhibition of American and foreign arts, pro-
ducts and manufactures, which by the terms offered
is to be held under the auspices of the Government
of the United States in the city of Philadelphia in
| the year 1876.
| This celebration will be looked forward to by
Amer lean citizens with great interest," as marking
| century, greater progress and DreSDerity than is