River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-12-16

eompanying draft OF bill, made by the public
lands commission, which were communicated by
me to congress at the last session. Early action
upon this important subject is highly desirable.
The attention of congress is again asked to the
wasteful Expectations committed on public
timber lands, and the rapid and indscriminate de-
struetion of our forests The urgent necessity
for legislation to this end Is now generally rec
ognized. In view Of tie lawless character Of the
depredations committed, and the disastrous eonse-
quences which will inevitably follow their coutin-
uance, legislation has again and again beer rec
commended TO arrest the evil, and to preserve for
the people of our western states and territories,
the timber needed for domestic and other essential
uses.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
/ The report Of the director of the geological sur
/ yey is a document of unusual interest. The con-
solidation of the various geological and geograph-
| zeal surveys and exporting enterprises, each OF
which has heretofore operated on an Independent
plan, without concert, cannot fail TO be of great
benefit to all those industries o. the eOgatry
! which depend upon the development If our min
eral resources. The labors of our scientific men,
| Of recognized merit, who compose the corps OF
geological survey during the first season OF their
field operations and inquiries seems to have been
very comprehensive, and will soon be cOmmuni-
| Gated TO congress in a Number of volumes. The
! director Of the survey recommends that the III
vestigatiOns carried on by his bureau which SO
/ far have been confined to the so-ealed public
| land states and territories be extended over the
entire country, and that the necessary appropfia-
ton be made for this purpose. This would be par
| tieularly beneficial 10 the iron, coal and ether
mining interests of the Mississippi valley, anI of
the eastern and southern states. The subject is
commended to the careful consideration Of c1n-
| gress.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
The secretary of the interior asks attention 10
! the want of room in the public buildings of the
capital now existing and in progress of COZ strue
! ton, for the accommodation Of the clerical farce
! employed, and of the public records. Necessity
| has compelled the renting of private buildings IN
diferenlparts of the city for the location Of pub-
lie offices for which large amount of rent is
| nuay paid while the separation Of offices heleig
/ ing to the same departments impedes the trans
! action of current business. The secretary SIg
| gests that the blocks surrounding Lafayette
square, the enst. north and west be purchased
as the sites for new edihees, for the accommodH-
/ ton of the government offices leaving the square
itselfintact; and that, If such buildings were con
! structed upon harmonious plan Of architecture,
! they would add much to the beauty Of the ma
tional capital, and would together with the
| treasury and the new state, navy, and war de-
partmeutbudng form one of the most imposing
| groups OF public edihceS in the world.
AGRICULTURE.
The commissioner OF agriculture expresses the
confident belief that his efforts in the production
OF our own sugar ana tea nave been encouraging
| " rewarded. The Importance of the results at
tanned have attracted marked attention at home,
| and have received the special consideration of
foreign nations. The successful cultivation OF our
own tea, and the manufacture OF our own sugar,
would make difference of many millions of dol
lars annually in the wealth of the nation.
The report of the commissioner asks attention
particularly to the continued prevalence Of an in
fectuOus and contagious cattle disease known and
dreaded in Europe and Asia, as cattle plague or
ri, A ne
in certain sections OF our country, is the ocoa on
of great loss to our farmers, and of serious dis
turbance to our trade with Great Britain, whch
furnishes market for most of our livestock and
dressed meats The value of neat-cattle export
t ed from the United States for the eight months
ended August 81 1880, was more than twelve mil.
lion dollars, and Yearly double the value for the
| same period il, 1879, an uneXampled incrcas" of
export trade Your early attention is solicited
to this important matter.
EDUCATION.
The com missioner of education reports "A eun-
tinued increase of public interest in educational
affairs, ana that the public schools generally
| throughout the country are well sustained. In
dustral training is attracting observed attention,
and colleges for instruction, theoretical and prac-
teal in agriculture and the mechanic arts, in
Guiding the government schools recently establish
cd for the instruction of Indian youth, are gain
ing steadily in public estimation. The commits
SiOner asks special attention to the depredatIons
committed on the lands reserved for the future
support of public instruction, and TO the very
great need of help from the nation for schools in
the territories and in the southern states. The
| recommendation heretofore made, is repeated and
| urged, that educational fund be set apart tlom
the net proceeds of the sales Of the public lands
annually, the income of which and the remainder
of the net annual proceeds, to be distributed on
satisfactory plan to the states and territories
! and the District of Columbia.
The success of the public schools of the District
of Columbia, and the progress made, under the
intelligent direction of the board of education and
the superintendent, in supplying the educat'ona,
| requirements of the District with thoroughly
trained and efficient teachers is very gratifying.
The acts of congress, from time TO time, dOnGting
public lands to the several states and territories
in aid of educational interests, have proved 10 be
| wise measures of public policy resulting in great
and lasting benefit. 1t would seem to be u mat ter
of simple Justice to extend the benefits of this leg
slation, the wisdom of which has been fully
yndicated by experience, to the District of Column
| ba.
l again commend the general interests % the
District of Columbia to the favorable considera-
| ton OF congress. The affafrs of the district as
| shown by the report Of the comlnis soners are in
very satisfactory condition.
1oToMAc MARSHES.
In my annual messages heretofore, and in my
| special message of December 10, 1879, / have
urged upon congress the necessity of reclainung
| the marshes of the Potomac adjacent 10 the
| capital and am constrained by its Importance
to advert again to the subject. These flats EN-
! brace an area of several hundred acres. They
are an impedient to the drainage of the city aud
seriously impair its health. Ii is believed that,
| with this substantial improvement of It's river
'front.' the capital would be- in all respects one of
| the most attractive cities In the world. ASIDE
| from its permanent population, this city il nee
| essarly the place of residence of persons from
ever section Of the country engaged in the pub
| lie service. Many Others reside here temporarily
for the transaction of business with the govern
ment.
1t should not be forgotten that the land nc
quired will probably be worth the cost of redeem
ing it, and that the navigation Of the river will be
greatly improved | therefore again invite the at
tention of congress to the importance Of prompt
provision for this much-needed asd TO ,-long de-
layed improvement.
The water supply of the city is inadequate In
addition to the ordinary throughout the city
the consumption by government is necessarily
very great in the nayy-yard arsenal and the
rous departments and large quantity Is re
quired for the proper preservation of the numer-
Gus parks and the cleansing of sewers. ! recum-
mend that this subject receive the early atten-
ton OF congress, and that, in making
provision for an increased supply,
such means be adopted as will have
in view the future growth of the city. Temper
airy expedients for such purpose cannot but he
wasteful Of money, and therefore unwise. more
ample reservoir, with corresponding facilities for
keeping it filed, should in my judgement, be
constructed. | commend again TO the attention
Of congress the subject of the removal, Of their
present location Of the dopots of the several rail
roads entering the city; and l renew the recon
mendations ofmy former messages in behalf o
the erection ofa building for the congressional
library, the completion Of the Washington Mou-
ument. and Of liberal appropriations in support
Of the benevolent rcforinatory, and penal institn-
tions Of the district.
RUTHERFORD Il. HAYES
Executive Mansion December 6, 1880.
Horrors Of Kurdish Warfare
The st. Petersburg GoIos contains
letter from its correspondent at TabFiz,