The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1880-12-09
wasteful depredations committed on our public
timber lands, and the rapid and indiscriminate

umDef lands. and the rapid and indiscrimlnate
DESTRUCTION OF OUR FORESTS.
The urgent necessity for legislation to this end is
now generally recognized. In view of the lawless
character of the depredations committed and the
low. their continuance, LEGISLATION has again and
again been recommended to arrest the evil and to
preserve for the people of our western States and
tic and other essential uses. The report of the
director OF the geological survey is document
OF unusual interest The consolidation Of the var-
and % and
operated upon an independent plan, without con-
cert cannot fail to be of great benefit to those in
dustrles OF the country which depend upon the de-
Velopment OF our mineral resources. The labors OF
the sclentlhc men OF recognized merit who
compose the corps Of the geological sur
yey, during the first season of their
very comprehensive, and will soon be communi
Gated to congressi in number of volumes. The d.
rector OF the survey recommends that the investi-
been confined to the so-caled public land of States
and Territories, be extended over the entire coun-
Try ana that the necessary appropriation be made
fof th1s purpose. This would be particularly bene-
IRON, COAL AND OTHER MINING INTERESTS
CT the mississippi valley aud of the eastern and
careful consideration of congress The secretary of
the interior asks attention to the want of in
public buildings of the capital now existing,
Of Ss for orae e
employed and the public records. Necessity has
compelled the renting Of private Buildings in differ
ices, for which large amount of rent is annually
paid, while the separation of offices belonging to
the same department impedes the transaction of
current business The secretary suggests that the
north and west be purchased as the
SITES FOR NEW EDIFICEs
TOT the accommodation of the government Offices.
leaving the square intact and that if such buildings
were constructed upon harmonious plan Of archi-
lecture. they would add much to the health
OF the national capital, and would, with
the treasury and the new state, navy and war de-
partment building, form one of the most imposing
groups OF public edifces in the world. The COM
missioner of agriculture expresses the confident be-
LEI that his efforts in behalf of the production of
OUR OWN SUGAR AND TEA
have been encouragingly recorded. The import
ance OF the results attained have attracted marked
consideration of foreign nations The successful
cultivation Of our own tea and the manufacture of
our own sugar would make difference Of many
the nation. The report Of the commissioner
asks attention particularly to the continued
prevalence of an infectious and contagious cattle
disease, known and dreaded in Europe and Asia as
cattle plague or pleuro pneumonia. mild type of
this disease, in certain sections Of country, is
the occasion of great loss to our farmers and of
serious disturbance to our trade with Great Britain
which furnishes a market for most Of our live
stock and dressed meats. The value Of neat
cattle exported from the United States
IOT Tue elSQC mO0tnS enQeu august 81, 1880. was
more than $12,OOO,OOO, and nearly double the
value for the same period in 1S79-an unexampled
increase of export trade. Your early attention is
solicited to this importrnt matter The commits
soner of education reports continued increase Of
public Interest in
EDUCATIONAL AFFAIRS,
and that the public schools generally throughout the
country are well sustained. Industrial training is
attracting deserved attention, and colleges
for instruction, theoretical and practical, in
agriculture and the mechanic arts, in
Guiding the government schools recently
established for the instruction of Indian youth,
gaining 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 i'll the southern States.
The recommendation heretofore made is repeated
and urged-that an educational fund be set apart
from the net proceeds of the sales of the public
lands annually, the income of which, and the re-
mander Of the annual proceeds to be distributed
en- some satisfactory plan to the States and Terri
tories, and the District of Columbia. The success
Of public schools of the District of Columbia
ton of the board of education and the superintend
ent, in supplying the educational requirements of
the District with thoroughly trained and efficient
teachers is gratifying. The acts of congress- from
time to time donating public lands to the
several States and Territories in aid of educational
interests have proved to be wise measures of public
policies resulting in great and lasting benefit. It
would be matter of simple justice to extend the
benefits of this legislation, the wisdom of which has
been SO fully indicated by experience, to the Dis
trict Of Columbia.