Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-12-03

aud that The dechion, whatever IL may Be,
will arrest further agitation Of this subject,
ouch agitation being apt to produce . dis.
turbine effect on the service 10 well ~ on
the lndians Themselves.
HOT srRINas TROUBLES.
10 the enrolment Of the bill making ap-
preparations for the sundry civil expenses
at the last session Of congress that portion
which provided for tho construction OF the
Hot Springs commission was omitted. AZ
the commission had completed the work Of
taking testimony on many eonnicttnk
claims the suspension Of their labors before
determining the rights OF the claimants
thrsatened for q time to embarrass theln-
terests not only of the government. but also
. largo humber Of citiasns, Of the Hot
| Sprinee,3 who were uaitisx for 6nsl action
on thsirIciaiuas before beginning contem
plated Finpfovements. In order to prevent
serious difficulties which were apprehend.
ed, and at the solicitation If many lead.
log Ct izens of Hot Springs and others
interested In the welfa,sD { the town. the
eecretary of the interior wss authorized .
request the late commissioners to take
charge of the records OF their proceeding
and perform such work % could properly
be done by them under such circumstances
tofacililate the further ADJUDICATION of claims
At an early date and to pres rye the statss
Of claimants until their rights should be
finally determined. The late commission
ers complied With that request and report
that the testimony In all the cases has bctn
written out, examined, briefed and 90 ar.
ranged as to facilitate an early settlement
when authorized BY law. tits recommended
that the requisite authority DO given at 40
early . day IL. the session a. poeaible, and
that fair compensation be allowed the late
commissioner for the expense incurred and
labor performed by them since the 25th Of
June last.
PROTECTION OF TIMBER.
I invite the attention Of congress to the
recommendations made BY the secretary Of
the interior with regard to the preservation
Of timber on the public lands Of the United
States. The projection Of public property
Is one Of the FIRST duties of the government.
The department of the interior should
therefore be enabled by sufficient appropria.
tions to enforce the laws in that respect.
But this mater appears still more import
ant as . question Of public econ omy. Rap.
id destruction Of our forests is an evil
frauGht With the sravest consequences. es-
pecially in the mountain districts, where
rocky rlopes once denuded Of their trees,
will remain 80 forever. The injury once
done cannot be repaired. l fully concur
with the secretary of the interior in the
opinion that for this reason Liquidation
touching public timber in the mountainous
states and territories of the west should b.
especially we'll considered, and that the ex.
listing Laws in which the destruction Of for.
ests is not sufficiently guarded against should
be speedily modified. A general Law con
Germ ng this important subject appears to M,
to be a matter Of urgent public necessity.
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIONS. .
From the organization of the government
the importance ofencouraging by all possibl
means the increase of agricultural pro
d%uctions has been acknowledged and urge'
on the attention Of congress and the peopl
as the eurest and easiest means Of increa.
ing our substantial and enduring prosperity
The words Of Washingt IN are as applicabl
to day as when in his eighth annual mes
sage he said:
ut is not to be doubted that with refe,
ence either to individual or national welfar
agriculture is Of primary importance. Ii
proportion az nations advance in population
and other circumstances Of maturity tina
truth becomes more apparent and render
the cultivation Of the soil more and NOR
an object of public patronage. Institution
foi promoting it grow, each supported BY
the public purse, and to what object
can it be dedicated with greater
propriety. Among the means which have
been employed TO this end none have been
attended with greater success than the es
adjustment OF boards, composed of proper
characters, charged with collecting and
difusing Information and enabled by prem
iums and small %pecuniary aids to encourage
and assist The spirit of discovery and im-
provement. This species Of establishment
contributes doubly to increase improve
ment by stimulating TO enterprise and cx
pertinent and by drawing to q common cen
tire the results every where of individual
skill and observation and spread.
ing them therce over the whole
nation. Experience accordingly hath
shown that they are very cheap instru-
ments of immense national benefit.
The great preponderance of agricultural
any other interest in the United States
it to all considerations claimed for
it, by Washington. About one half of the
population of the Unired States is engaged
agriculture. The value of the agricuitu-
tal products of the United States for the
rear 1877 is Estimated at three thousand
of dollars. The expense of agri-
products for the year 1877, as ap.
,ears from the report Of the bureau of stats.
ics, are four hundred and twenty-four mil.
ions of dollars The grand extent of our
with its diversity of soil
nd climate, enable US to produce within
ur own borders and BY u own labor not
My the necessaries but most of the luxu
les that are consumed in civilized coun-
les. Yet Notwithstanding our advantage
I soil, climate and intercommunicatiop, it
opears from statistical statements in the
port of the commissioner Of agriculture
lat we import annuslly from foreign lands
aEy millions Of dollars worth Of aeri.
lltural products, which could be raised in |
If " country. Numerous questions
Use 10 the practice of advanced aoricn,-