Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-12-13
nal improvements; and 1I,22g acres were 10

were SS,4OS 1850, beng Sl9O4l5.5a ia excess
OF the rece pCs Of the previous year. Daring
tle year 80 4SS132 acres of public laud were
surveyed, au increase over the amount sur
veyed the previous year of 1887 ,193 acres and
added 10 ne area previously surveyed, aggre-
| gates 6lG5a sos acres Which have been sur
veyed leaving 1,21s, ,44S, 800 acres of the public
| lard still unsurveyed. ,,
The Increased aud steadily increasing tacili-
| ties for reaching our unoceupled puDllc 90
| main, and for the transportation OF surplus
/ urodncts, epIarges the available Held Tor de-
! slrahle homestead locations, thus stmulaung
| ,ettlement and extending, year by year, IN a
/ gradually increasing ratio, the area OF occu-
! patton and cultivation.
The expressed desire OF the representatives
| OF large colony of citizens of Russia to emil
| crate to this country. as 1t IS understood, with
the consent OF their government. II certain
concessions can be made to enable them 10
settle in a compact colony, is OF great interest,
as going to show the light IN which our lnstltu-
tons are regarded by an industrious, lntelll-
! gent and wealthy people desirOus of enjoying
| civil and religious liberty. and the acquisition
of so large an Immigration OF citizens OF su-
| perior class would without doubt be OF sub
| etantial benefit TO the country. Invite atten-
! ton to the suggestion Of the Secretary OF the
! Interior in this behalf.
There was paid during the last fiscal year
for pensions, including the expenses of DIS
bursemeut. $40 1S5, ,2S9. so, being an amount less
| by S9e4 ,050.9S than was expended for the same
| purpose the preceding year. Although tins
| statement of expenditures would Indicate O
material reduction in the amount compared
with the preceding year, it IS believed that
the changes In the pension laws at the last
| session of Congress Will absorb that amount
The current year. AT the close OF the last
fiscal year there we're on the pension rolls
| g9SO4 invalid military pensioners and 112OS8
| wIdows orphans, and dependent parents OF
deceased soldiers, making total Of that class
of 211 ,892; 1926 survivors of the War of 1872,
and 5,053 widows of soldiers OF that war pen
stoned under the Act of Congress of February
14th, 1871, making total of that class OF 23,Sl9
l,43O Invalid navy pensioners and Ito WIDOWS,
Nhon M
officers, Sailors and marines of the navy,
making a total of navy pensioners OF 5000,
and a grand total of pensioners of all classes
of 384l1-showlng net increase during the
last fiscal year of 6192.
DunDg the past year the names of 16, ,405 pen
sOncrs were sdded TO the rolls, and 1O,223
names were dropped theTefrom for various
causes.
The system adopted for the detection of
frauds against the government in the matter
of pensions has been productive of satlsfac.
tory results, but legislation is needed to pro-
vide, If possible, against the perpetrating OF
such frauds IN the future.
| The evidently increasing interest in the
cause OF education is a most encouraging fea-
JGre in the general progress and prosperity OF
the country. and the Bureau of Education is
earnest in It's efforts to give proper dlrecton
to the new applicants and the increased faclll-
ties which are being offered to aid the educa-
tors of the country in their great work.
The ninth census has been completed, and
the report thereof published and distributed
and the working force Of the bureau disband-
ed. The Secretary of the Interior renews his
recommendation for q census to be taken IN
1876, to which subject the attention of Congress
IS invited. The original suggestion in that
behalf has met with the general approval OF
the country and even If it be not deemed
advisable at present to provide for regu
lar qulnquenn!al census, census taken IN
1876, tho report of which could be completed
ana published before the one hundreth ami
versary of our independence, would be espe-
cially interesting and valuable as showing the
progress Of the country during the FIRST cen
Jury of our national existence: IL is believed,
however, that census every five years would
be of substantial benefit to the country, mas.
much as our growth hitherto has been so rapid
} that the results of the decennial census are
necessarily unreliable as basis OF estimates
for the latter years OF decennlal period.
, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
Under the very efficient management Of the
governor and the Board of Public Works OF
this district, the city OF Washington IS RAPIDLY
assuming the appearance of capital OF which
the nation may well be proud. From being
most upsghtly place three years ago, dis
: agreeable to pass through in summer, IN con-
sequence of the dust rising from unpaved
: streets and almost impossible in the winter
+ from the mud, it Is now one of the most sight
, lY cities i'll the country, and can Doast or be-
) ing the best paved. The work has been done
Q systematically; the plans, grades, location Of
J, sewers water and gas mains being deter
5 mined upon before the work was commenced,
thus securing permanency Wnen competed
) | l question whether SO much mas ever been ac-
: Gomplshed before ia any American city for
: tie same expenditures.
The government having large reservations
| IN the city, and the UQtl0n at large having an
interest III their Capital, | recommend lib
. eral polIcy towards the District of Columbia,
and that the government should bear its just
r | share of the expenses OF these improvements.
Every citizen visiting the Capital feels
, pride in its growing beauty and that he, too,
| is part owner i0 the investments made here.
| would suggest to Congress the pr0pr1ety OF
+ | promoting the establishment i'll tins district OF
an institution of learning or university of the
: highest class, by the donation OF lands. There
is 10 place better suited for such au institution
|, than the National Capital. There IS no other
q place in which every citizen is SO directly III.
y terested
!. CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
v In three successive messages to Congress I
s have called attention TO the subject of Civil
: Service reform. Action has been taken so far
Y as to authorize the appointment of a board to
!, devise rules governing methods Of making ap-
, pointments and promotions, but there never
3 has been any action making these rules or any
Y rules binding. or ever entitled TO observance,
where persons desire the appointment of
l. friend or the removal of an official who may
Q be disagreeable to them.
q To have any rules effective they must have
the acquiescence OF Congress as well as Of the
Executive. / recommend, therefore, the sub
J. jeCt to your attention, and suggest that
l. special committee of Congress might cOnfer
l. with the Civil Service Board, during the pres
Q ent session, for the purpose OF devising such
Y rules az can be maintained, aud which will Sc
g cure the service OF honest and capable Off
Gals, aud which will also protect them in a
Q degree of independence while III Office
3 Proper rules VIII protect Congress as well as
n the Executive from much needless persecU-
d ton, and Will prove of great value 70 the pub
IS lc at large.
COLORADO,
would recommend for your favorable con-
@ sideratiOn the passage of an enabling act for
q the admittance of Colorado as a State in the
!. Union. 1t possesses all the elements of
v prosperous State, agricultural and mineral,
md nnll has "a nlltI Inp ipty
admission.
n WESTERN CANAL.
s In connection with that, would also recon-
. mend the encouragement OF canal, for pur-
y poses or irrigation, from the eastern Bope of
" the Rocky Mountains to the Missouri River
y AS Il rule, am opposed to further donations
U of public lands for internal improvements
70 owned and controlled by private corporations
], but in this instance would make an excep-
u ton.
@ Between the Missouri River and the Rocky
Q Mountains there is an aId belt of public land
l. from three hundred TO four hundred miles in
% width, ferfecty useless for the occupation Of
man, for want Of sufficient rain to secure the
o growth of any products.
# An iTrigatng canal would make productive
u belt as wide as the supply Of water could be
o made to spread over across The entire country,
# and would secure II Gordon OF settlements CON
Q Meeting the present population Of the noun
l. tam and mining regions with that Of tho older
l. states.
All the land reclaimed would be clear gain
4 II alternate sections are retained by the gov
IL ernment l would suggest that the retained
t. sections be thrown open to entry under the
n homestead laws or sold TO actual settlers for
d very low price,
!, GENERAL AMNESTY.
u renew my previous recommendation to
o Congress for general amnesty. The number
engaged III the late rebellion yet laDuring
under disabilities Is very small, but enough to
"a keep up O constant irritation, No possible
a danger hV no.