Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1879-11-29

THE HON. JOHN A. BENTLEY, Commits
siOner of Pensions, has completed his an
nual report to the Secretary of the In
terror. 1t shows that on the 30th of
June last there were 242,755 persons in
the United States receiving pensions
from the government. The pension list
is now larger than at any previous time
The present list is composed of 125,150
army invalid pensioners; S1,174 army
widows, children and dependent rela-
tives; 1874 navy invalids; LIZ navy
widows. etc.; 1852 surviving soldiers
of the war of 1912, and 81, 1914 widows of
deceased soldiers of that war. During
the year 81, 346 new names were added to
the list, and 90S name which had pre-
viOusly been dropped from the rolls
mainly from failure for three years to
claim their pensions, were restored, and
13,491 were for various reasons dropped.
The aggregate amount of one years PEN
sion to all pensioners on the rolls is $685.
493, 1925, but the actual annual pay
men texceeds that sum by several mil
lion dollars.
The United States Consul at Zurich,
Switzerland, in his dispatch to the Sec
rotary of of state, dated Oct. 80, 1879, re-
ports continued decline in the watch
and silk trade with the United States.
This is owing, first, to the rivalry of
American goods; and second, to the
usual zeal of the Custom House in ex-
acting full duties on importatiOns.
There are still American importers
whose profits consist in the difference
between the real value of the silks i'm
ported and the invoice value. With so
high duty as 60 per cent, this differ
ence, or illegal profit, may be very great
even i'm hard times. As wine in Swift
erland is not luxury, but necessity
the present failure of the grape crop is
lamentable. 1t is loss of so much food
and.necessitates the importation from
Hungary, Spain, and France Of some
100000 francs worth of wine. Hopes
are entertained that the improvement
in business i'm the United States may
reach the Alps.
THE annual report of the Commission
er of Indian Affairs has been submitted.
1t shows that during the past year there
has been among the Indians in general
a steady advance in civilization which
has had no parallel in any previous year.
In this the Ogalalla and Brule Sioux
have taken the lead, and their progress
during the last eighteen months has
been simply marvellous. 1t is no longer
a question whether the Indians will
wOrk-thOSe who are anxious to do so
are now largely in the majority. From
all, except the five civilized tribes i'm In
dian Territory, there lisa call for lands in
severalty. There is largely increased
desire for houses and agricultural i'm
plements, wagons, etc., and also for citi-
zens' clothing. The following table
shows the substantial results of Indian
labor during the year. They are much
larger than ever before, and, but for the
severe drought in Indian Territory and
among the NauajOes, the increase in
crops would have been much greater,
especially in the corn crop, which is less
than that of last year.
THE Postmaster Generals annual re-
port contains a recommendation that
the department be authorized by law to
contract with steamship lines running
between Cuba and Florida, and also be-
tween South America and the United
States, for carrying the mails ON Ameri-
can steamships by the mile, instead of
by the parcel, or by postage rates there
on, the same as the department contracts
by the mile with railroads or steam
boats in the ordinary land service. He
would have the law fix minimum and
a maximum rate per mile, with discre-
ton allowed the department between
these rates. Under such law, which is
substantially the System under which
France, Germany, England, and other
European nations have built up their
ocean commerce, the Postmaster Gener-
al is confident that American lines of
steamers would soon be established and
maintained between the West Indies and
the United States, and also between
South America and the United States,
and speedily build up large and profit
able direct commerce with these cOun-
tries. If this is subsidies" then the
railroads, river steamboats,, and stage
lines of the United States are "subsi-
died" People who are rendered ner-
vOus by the word subsidy" will do well
to do little serious thinking over these
facts.
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