The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1873-12-04

q tie suggestion ofthe Secretary of the interio
r in this behalf. There was paid during til
! last fiscal YEAR for pen ions, including tn
: expenses of disbursement, S2.9lS, SIS. 96.
being IN amount less by SOS. 4O5, O9S thai
> was xPended for the same purpose the pre-
cr' ing year. Although this statement o
, expenditures would indicate q material re
. ducfioD Of the amount compared with th,
preceding year, il is believed that the chang
q in the pension laws at the last session O
Congress, will absorb that amount Ii,
current year. At the close of the lsst fisca
year there we're on the pension rolls 99, 80
invalid military pensioners, and ll2,OSs
widows, orphans and dependent widows Of
deceased soldiers, making total Of that class
of 2ll,S92; 1896 survivors Of the
war of 1912, and 500 widows Of
soldiers Of that war, pensioued
under the act Of Congress of February lith,
1871. making total of that class of e,333,
10l, 430: unissued navy pensions, Of 1870
to the widows and orphans and dependent
relatives of deceased officers, sailors and
marines OF the navy pensioners OF 3, 200, and
grand total Of pensioners Of all classes OF
23S, All, showing a net increase during the
last fiscal year OF 6,2lS. The names of !, 6I5
pensioners are added to the roll, and 10, 223
names were dropped therefrom for various
causes. The system adopted for the detec-
| ton of
FRAUDS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT
in the matter OF pensions has been produc-
live OF satisfactory results. Legisialion Is
( needed TO provide if possible against the per-
pe,rating OF such frauds in the future. The
| evidently increasing interest in the cause OF
| education Is a most encouraging feature in
| the general progress of the country, and the
Bureau OF Education is earnest in its efforts
| TO give proper desire to the Few applicants,
| snd the increased facilities which are being
| offered to aid in the education of the coun-
| try. The census has been completed and the
report thereof published and distributed,
and the working force Of the buresu dis
| charged. The Secretary of the Interior rem
dsrs his recommendation for CENSUS to b.
taken in 1875, to which subject the attention
OF Congress lis invited; The original sug-
gestion in that behalf has met with the gen.
eral approval OF the country, and even if it
be not deemed advisable at present to provide
for a regular qninquennial census, a census
which will show 1873, the report Of which
could be completed and published before the
ONE ANNIVERSARY.
vi our independence, would be especially
interesting and valuable, a. showing the
progress of the country during the first CEN
Jury of our national ex istence. Ii il believed
however, that a regular census every i've
years would be of substantial benefit 10 the
country, inasmuch as our growth hitherto
has been 40 rapid that the decennial Census
are necessarily unreliable, as basis of esti-
mates for the latter years, Of a decennisl
period, the District of Colunbis, under the
very efficient management Of the Govern
nent and the Board of Public
Works of this District. the City
of Washington is rapidly assuming
the appearance of a capitol of which the ma
ton may well be proud. From being a most
unsightly place, three years ago, disagree
able to pass through in summer, in conse-
quence Of the dust arising from unpaved
streets, and almost impossible in the winter,
T IN the mud, it is now one of the mott
slightly cities in the country, and can boast
of being the best paved. The work has been
done systematically, the plans, grades, loca-
ton in sewers, wafer and gas mains being
determined upon before the work VIA COM
menced, thus securing permanency when
question whether 50 much has
ever been accomplished before in any
American city for the same expenditures;
the Government having q large reservation |
in the city, and the nation at large having |
an interest in their capital, / recommend |
liberal policy toSards the District of Co. |
lumbia, and that the Government should |
hear its joint share OF the expense of those |
Improvements; every citizen Of the capital !,
feels pride IN its growing |
beauty, and would here suggest TO the |
the propriety of promoting |
the establishment in this district OF an insti- |
tuition OF learning university of the highest |
class, BY the donation of lands. There il no |
place better surveyed for such an institution |
than the National Capitol. There il no
other place which every citizen IL so directly |
interested.
CIVIL SERVICE RFFoRM.
In three successive messages TO Congress ! |
have called attention TO the subject of civil |
service reform. Action has been taken So |
far "a 10 authorize the appointment of a |
board TO devise rules governing methods OF |
making appointment and provisions, but |
there never has been any action |
on these rules or any rule, pending, |
or even entitled to observance. When per
-Ons desire the appointment Of a friend or /
the removal Of an official who may be dis |
agreeable, 10 nave any rules effect it, they |
must have the acquiescence Of Congress a.
we'll as Of the executive. | recommend,
therefore, the subject to your attention, and |
suggest tina, special committee Of Congress |
might confer with the board during the pre-
sent session, for the purpose of dsvising such |
rules as may be necessary, and which secure /
the success OF honest and capable officials,
and which will also protect them in 4 degree |
Of independence while in Office. Proper |
rules will protect Congress as well as the e1-
ecutive from much needless precautIon,
and will prove great value
to the public at large. l would
Tor your favorable Confederation /
the passage of an act for the admitisnee of |
as State in the Union. 1t pos
sesses all the elements OF prosperous State,
agricultural, mineral and, believe, has a
population to Justify such an admission. In
that connection | would also recommend the /
OF canal, for the purpose of /
irrigating, from the eastern slope OF the
Rocky Mountains to the Missouri river, a.
am opposde TO donating public lands for il
ternal improvements owned and controlled |
by private companies, but in this instance |
would make an exception between the Mis-
souri, river and the Rocky Mountains,
a. there ia an area belt Of public
land from 300 to 500 miles in width, perfect
ly statueless Of man for want of sufficient /
rain to secure the growth Of any products.
An irrigation canal would make productive
a belt as wide as the supply of water could
be made to spread over scro-s this entire
and would secure Gordon Of settle
ments connecting the present population Of
the mountain and mining regions with that
of the Older States. All the land unclaimed |
would he clearing, if alternate section. we're |
by the government would sug-
gest that the retained sections be thrown
open to entry under the pre-emp,ion Law,
.Old to actual settlers for very low prices;
and l renew my previous recommendation
to Congress for general amnesty. The
number engaged in the late rebellion, Ia
boring under Disadvantages, is very email,
but enough to keep up constant irritation;
no possible danger can ensue to the Govern
ment by restoring them to eligibility to hold
office. suggest for your consideration the
enac ment of law 20 better secure tie
civil righfs which freedmen would secure, bat