Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-12-05

cultural college scrip, G .O53 .535 acres cert
| fed by railroads, $3.50 acres granted Ia
wagon roads, 238, 546 approved to States \.
swamp lands. l33, 92l acres were CERT.
| fed TO agricultural colleges, comma,
/ schools, universities and seminaries. ieO
! rs acres were approved to States "a,
| internal improvements, II .222 acres were
located with Indian scrip. The cash re.
! ceipts during the SINE time were S34 4Oa
| SIS 50, being $3.50. 4l6.5O in excess Of the
/ receipts of the previous year. Daring thu
year 30 ASS, 1872 acres of public lands were
/ surveyed, an increase over the amount
surveyed in the previous year Of O3-. ls9
acres, which added to the acres preyiOusly
surveyed aggregates Gle, 554 .595 acre
which have been surveyed, leaving ,2I5
| 443. sos acres OF public land unsurveyei
| The increased and steadily increasing faeili-
| ties for reaching the Gnoccupied public d.
main and for the transportation Of surpM-
products enlarges the desirable field for
| desirable homestead locations, thus stimu-
| latlng and gradually increasing the ratio
| nr the areas Of occupation and cultivation
/ II is The expressed desire of the represent
| lives of a large colony of citizens Of Russia
| to emigrate TO this country with lit j.
| under=tood) the consent Of their govern
/ mont If certain concessions can be madz
| 10 enable them to settle in 4 compact
| colony. This is of great interest, as going
| To show the light in which our institutions
are regarded by an industrious, intell.
gent and wealthy people, DESTROYS 81
| enjoying civil and religious liberty, and tn.
/ acquisition Of 50 large an immigration OF
/ citizens of a superior class would without
I doubt he n substantial benefit to the cOun-
| try. / invite attention 10 the suggestion
of the Secretary Of the interior IN this be
half
TUE GOVERNMENT PENSIONERS.
There was paid during the las. fiscal year
for pensions. including the expenses Of dis
bursements, 500, 155, 1892, being an
amount less BY 1884 ,050.O5 than wGs Fl
pended for the same purpose during the
preceding year. Although this state
ment OF expenditures would indicate
material reduction in amount a.
compared with the preceding year.
it is believed that the changes in the pen
sion laws at the last session Of COngre--
will reach and absorb that amount during
the current year. Al the close OF the last
fiscal year there were on the pension lists
90 ,SO4 invalid military pensioners AMI
ll2 .05S widows, orphans and dependent
widows OF deceased soldiers, making
4 total in that class Of 2ll 1872
Il ,26G survivors of the war Of 1872.
and ) ,053 widows of soldiers OF that war
succored under an act Of Congress OF Feb
ruary l4th. ISL making a total IN that
class Of 23,3l9; ,43O invalid navy pen
sioners and 10 widows and orphans AMI
dependent relations of officers. sailors ami
mariners of the navy, making the total OF
navy pensioners :, 200 and the grand totaloi
all classes Of % 81, showing net increaSe
during the last fiscal year of 6, l52. During
the last year the names Of l6 ,405 penSi0ner-
dropped therefrnm for various causes. The
system adopted for the detection Of fraud,
against the government in the matter OF
pensions has been productive OF satisfactory
results. but legislation Is needed 20 provide
ifpossible against perpetrating sueh frauds
in the future.
TIE CAUSE oF TDTcAIIoS.
There r. evidently m increasing inter-
in the cause % education a most encogr.
aging feature in the general progress of
the country The bureau of education ~
earnest in it efforts to give proper direc
ton 10 new applicacei and increased iaeiA
ties are being applied to aid the educator,
Of the country in their great work.
THE CENzr5 BUREAU
The ninth census has been completed, the
report there0fpuhlished and distributed and
the working force Of the bureau disbanded
The secretary Of the interior reneVs his re-
commentator for census to be taken "A
1873. to which subject the attention of Con
rress Is invited The original suggestion ia
that behalfhas met with the general approx
al Of the country and even ifit be not deemed
advisable at pre7ent to provide for a regular
quinluennial census, one taken IN 1875
a report IF which cOuld be compiled and
published before the one-hundreith anu
yersary Of our independence, would be
especially interesting and valuable ~ sho"
ing progress of the country during the mr.,
century of our national existence. Ii IS Be
lieved, however. that regular census every
FIVE wears would he q substantial benefit t.
the country, inasmuch as our growth hith
erto has been so rapid that the results Of q
deceunial census are necessarily unreliable
as a basis Of estimates for later YEAR "a
the 3ecennial period
THE DISTRICT GJvERSEENT.
[ nder the very efficient management 81
the government and board of public work
this district and the city Of Washington
are rapidly assuming the appearance of q
capital Of which the nation may vel he
proud. From being 4 most unsightly place.
three years ar0. disagreeable 10 pas
through in summer IN Conseo usnce OF the
dust arising from the unpAved streets, ami
almost impossible in winter from mud.it 8,
now one of the most slightly cities in the
country and can boast of being the best paved
The work has been systematically done,
plans, grades, the location of sewers and
water and gas mains being determined upou
before the work was commenced, thus So
curing permanence when completed Il IS
a question whether so much has ever been
accomplished before in any American city
for the same expenditure. The govern
MA ha
and the nation at large having an IN
terest in the capital. recommend a liberal
policy towards the District Of Columbia
and that the government should bear IL
Just share OF the expense OF these improve
mentS. livery citizen visiting the capital
feels 4 pride IN its grand beauty, and that
he, too, is part owner IN the investments
made here. l would suggest 10 Congress
the propriety OF promoting the establish
ment in this district 0f an institution OF
learning or 4 university Of the highest
class By the donation Of lands There a.
no place better suited for such an institn-
ton than the national capital There L.
no other place in which every citizen f.
SO deeply interested.
CIVIL SERVICE BEroRH
In three successive messages to Con<re=-
| have called attention 10 the subject o.
civil service reform. Action has been taken
50 TAR aS to authorize the appointment ofa
board 20 revise rules governing the method,
OF making appointments and promotions.
but there never has heea any action makinE
these rules or any rules binding or even
entitled to observance when person,
desire the appointment OF q friend
or the removal 0t an official VII.
may h5 Iisagreeable n them To have anV
rUles elective they must have the acluieS
Iaf -off al
tive. | l. Commend, therefore. the subject
to your att alton and suggest that a specia
committee Of Congress might confer with
the civil service board during the present
session, for the purpose OF deviSsns such
rules a can be maintained and which VII
secure the services of honest and caps5.e
officials and which will also protect them
IN degree Of independence while n Office
Proper rule wall cause the Avoidance rs
much needles persecution, and VII r-55-
NJ great value to the public 81 large
COLORADO AID TN TAR UEs4
would recommend Tor y1dr is71rs,.
consideration the passaF of IN act for IN.
admittance Of Colorado asa state 10 ,h-
/ mon IL possesses all the elements ol
prosperous State. agricultural ami n nsrs
ana, l helieye, has population t. Justify
such admission. In connection with that
" '-- a. .-".A.iHuiisi lur rulnAla zrii-ru-
Il canal Tor the purp0-e # irrigation
rom the eastern slope Of the Rocky Noun
tam 90 the Missouri river A. = rule
an opposed TO further donations
i public llnl= for Internal improve
nants owned and controlled bv pr.
'aie corporations, but in TIN instance
would make one exception. Between the
Missouri and Rocky Mountains there III
,elt Of public land from 300 70 500 miles IA
Width, perfectly useless for t.llsye iron.
he want Of sufficient rs4a 90 secure
he growth ct any products. An irrigs
ing canal would make productive
belt az wide a. the supply %
water could ha nat- To enra7 aver acro5-