Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-12-07

T dissenting from the Recommendation Of the Post.
master General, that the government assume the
same control over the telegram which il has al.
ways mad ever the mails, Admitting that its
authority IN the premises is ample as has ever
been claimed Tor II, il would NOT, in my Judgment
! be wise to purchase or assume the control of eS.
iStug telegraph lines or 10 construct others With
! a view OF entering into general competition with
private enterprise.
The objections which may be Justly urged
/ against either of these projects and indeed
/ against any system which would require ali
enormous increase in the evil service do hot how.
ever Apply Il some of the plans which have late.y
! provoked public comm mt and discussion 1t has
/ been claimed, for example, that congress might
/ wisely authorize the post master 10 contract with
some private person or corporation for the trans
mission OF messages at specified rates and under
/ government supervision Various schemes of
the same general nature, but widely differing i'll
Their special chacterlStcS have been suggested in
/ the public prints, and the arguments bv which
they have been supported and opposed have
| doubtless attracted Your attention.
1t is likely that the whole subject will be con.
Sldered by GU AT the present session. In the ma.
ture of things it involves 50 mauv questions of
detail that yous deliberations would probably be
aided slightly if at ALL by any particular slsges-
tons whlch1 might now submit. vow my belief
however. that the government Shoult. he author
lied TO exercise court supervision over interstate
I telegraph communication. and express the hope
that for attaining that end some measure be adopt
ed which will receive your approval
The attorney general critciSeS in his report the
provisions of the existing law, fixing the
FEES OF JURORS ND WITNESSES
in the federal courts. These provisions are
chiefly contained i'll the act of February 26 1853
| Though some of them were introduced into the
action from statutes which had been passed many
Years previous, it is manifest that such compen-
Sation as might, when these laws We're enacted
have been just and reasonable. would in MANY
instances be justly reminded at the present tlay
as inadequate. | concur with the attorney gen
eral i'll the belief that the statutes should be re-
NlSed by which these fees are regulated.
So also should the laws regulating the compeuSa-
ton of district attorney and marShals They
could be paid wholly by salary instead in part by
fees as is now the case. The ch.nge would prove
To he
A MEASURE OF ECoNoMN.
and would discourage the institution of needless
and oppressive legal proceedings which ii is to be
feared have in some instances been conducted fr
the mere sake of personal gain.
Much interest and valid information Is contained
in the report of the Secretary of the Interior.
particularly call your attention to certain phases
THE INDIAN QUESTION,
10 his recommendation for the repeal of the pre-
empton of timber culture acts, and for more
strict legislation prevent fraud under the pension
laws. The statute which prescribes by definition
and punishment of crimes relating To pensions
could doubtless be made more etfectual by certain
amendments and additions pointed out in the See
retary 5 report.
| have previously referred to the alarming state
of illiteracy i'll certain portions of the country,
and again submit for the consideration of congress
suggestions that federal aid should be extended
provision therefor has not already been made.
THE UTAH COMMISSION
has submitted to the Secretary of the Interior
its second annual report as a result of its laborS
in supervising the recent election in that terri
tory pursuant to the act OF March ~ 1882. 1t
appears that the persons by that act disqualified
numbered about l2,O0a. and that number We're eN-
cluded from the polls. This fact however af-
fordS but little cause for congratulatiou, and
fear that is far from indicating any real
substantial progress towards the eNtirpa-
ton OF polysamy All the members of the legis-
latore are mormons and there are good reasons
10 believe that they are in symsathy with
practices that this government is
seeking to suppress, and that its
effort in that regard will be more likely to en-
counter the opposition than receive their encour-
agement and support Even if this view should hap
PLY be erroneous the law under which the commits
sloners have been acting should be made more
effective by the incorporation of such
measures as they recommend, and as We're inslud-
ed in bill No .a3S on the calendar of the Senate at
its last session. | am convinced that polygamy
has become SO strongly intrenched i'll the territory
of Utah, that it is protitleSS to attack with any but
the weapons which constitutional legislati on can
provide for them flavor therefore the report of
THE ACT ON WHICH THE GOVERNMENT DEPENDS,
the assumption by the national legislation of the
entire political control of the territory and the
and duties as shall be delegated to it by law.
THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
is accomplishing much in the direction of agricul-
tural developments of the country, and the de
partment of the commissioner irving the results
or his Investigations and experiments will be
found interesting and valuable. At tins instance
a convention of those interested in the cattle in
dnstry of the country. lately held at Chica
go The prevalence of Peuro pneumonia and
other contagious diseases of animals was one of
the chief topics OF discussion. The commissioner
invites your investigation into the of these
diseases, and providing methods of their preven.
tion and cure
tlust that congress will not fail at its pres
ent session, to put
under TIE protection of our laws. Its people
have repeatedly demonstrated against our
neglect to afford them the maintenance and pro-
lection expressly guaranteed by the terms of the
treaty, whereby the territory was ceded to the
United States. For sixteen years they have
pleaded in vain for that which they should have
received without asking. They have 70 law for
the collection of debt, the support of education,
the conveyance OF property, the administration
of sta rs or the enforcement of contracts. None
indeed for the punishment of criminals except
such as are offered as against certain customs of
commerce and navigation acts.
The resources of Alaska, especially in fur
mines and lumber are considerable i'll extent
and capable of large development. while its geo
graphical situation is one of political and com
mercia importance. The promptngs of interest,
therefore, as well as considerations of honor amt
good faith, demand the immediate establishment
of civil government in that territory.
Complaints have lately been general and urgent
that cerlain corporations controlling in whole or
in part the facilities for the inter state carriage
roads Of the country, have resorted, in their deal
ingS with the people, to divers measures unjust
and oppressive in their character. In some instan
ce the state forts have attacked and suppressed
these evils but in others they have been unable to
afford adequate relief because of the jurisdiction
al limitations which are imposed upon them by
lhe federal constitution. The question, how far
the national government should interfere in the
premises, and what if any supervision of control
1t ought to exercise, is one which merits your
careful consideration While we can't fail to
recognize the Importance of the
VAST RAILWAY SYSTEMS
of the country, and their great help and benefit
to the development OF our material wealth. we
should on the other hand, remember that no in
divdual and no corporation ought to be vested
with absolute power over the interest of any other
citizens or class of citizens. The right of those
railway corporations to award any profitable re
turn upon their investments. and to reasonable
freedom n their regulation, must be recognized,
but it seems only Just that far as its cOnstltu
tiona authority will permit, congT -ss should pro
tect he people at large in their interstate traffic
against acts of injustice which the state govern
ment are powerless to prevent
PROTECTION OF FORESTS
In my last annual message | called attention to
the necessity Of protecting, by suitable legisla-
ton the forests situated on the public domains in
numerous portions of the west The pursuit Of
general agriculture is only made practicable by
resort TO irrigation While successful irrigation
would be impossible without the aid afforded by
forests in contributing to the regularity and Gus
tomary supply of water, during the past year
suffering and great loss OF properly have
been occasiones by profuse foods followed by
periods of unusually low water. In many OF the
great rivers of the country these iTrigations were
in a great Measure caused by the removal from
about the sources Of the streams in question the
timber by which the water supply had been nour-
ished and protected. The preservation OF such
portion of the forests the national domain as
essentially contribute 10 The flow of important
water courses. is of the highest consequence I'm
portant Tributaries OF the Missouri the Columbia
and Saskatchewan rise in the mountains Of Mon
tana, near the northern boundary of the United
States, between the Bllrk Feet and Flat Head In
dian reservations. This region is unsuitable for
settlement but upon the rivers which flow from il
depend the future agricultural development Of a
vast tract Of country. The after tion Of congress
is called 20 the necessity Of withdraw ing from the
public sale this part Of the public domain and es
tabllshing there forest preserfe.
THE INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITIONS
which have been held in the United States durin1
the present year attracted attention in many for
eign countries where the annol nceEiIent Of those
enterprises had been made public through the
foreign agriculturalists Of this government The
Industrial Exhibit at Boston and the Southern Ex
hibition at Louisville largely attended By the
exhibitors Of foreign countries, notwithstanding
the absence Of any professional character in those
undertakings The Centennial Exposition to Be
held next year at New Orleans in commeInOra-
tion Of the centennial Of the first shipment Of
cotton from port OF the United States BIDS fair
TO meet with Like gratifying success. Under the
caring that exhibition to be OF national and in
ternatlonal character, foreign governments
with which the United States maintain relations,
have leen invited % participate The promoters
Of this important undertaking have already re
cpived assurances Of the lively interest which
it has excited abroad.
DIsTRTcT or coLUxBTA