New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-12-16
rHr r11rx1nf. n y,

had. cEixin I'm sessions OF land by the states
TO the general government. The first cesston
va ,. made. by the State OF New York, and the
Stateof Virginia The territory. the pronrietor or
ship Of which became thus vested in the eeneral
government. extended from the western line OF
Pennsyiva.da to the Mississippi river These
bered with no condition except that they should
pc held and used For the common benefit Of the
,1 states By purchase with the common
THIS domain until it extended to the northern
line Of Mexico, the Pacific ocean and the Polar
sea The original trust, For the common ben
execution of that trust the policy Of many
homes rather than large estates. was a6lopted nv
the government That these might be easily
aa and be the abode of security and con-
lensment, the laws for the acquisition were few,
easily understood and general in their character
but the pressure of local interests combined
with speculative spirit have. in many in
marred the harmony Of the general plan and
lncumbered the system with a multitude of gen
aral ana special enactments which n,ndered the
and laws complicated subjected the tiles to IN
certainty and the purchasers often te oppression
Ind wrong Laws that were intesvei for the
common benefit" have been perverted so
maj sa large Quantities Of land are yestng
md character OF the laws this seems incap-
able of correction by mere administrative
= Is not for the common benefit of the United
states That large area Of the public lands
should be acquired, directly OF through fraud. in
me hands OF a single individual The nations
'sreneth is in the people; the nations prosper
ny IS In their prosperity: the nations glory is
the equality of her justice: the nation per.
petulty is In the patriotism of all her people:
lence as far as practicable the plan adopted for
ne disposal OF public lands should have in view
ne original policy which encouraged many pur-
:hasers OF these lands for homes and discouraged
ne massr7g Of large areas, exclusive of Alaska
ADout thIee-hfths OF the national domain has
ne remaining two-tif considerable portion
either mountain or desert. A rapidly increas-
ng popuiatlOn creates growing demand for
lomes and the accumulation of wealth insnires
N eager competition to obtain this public land
OF speculative purposes In the future this
collision OF interests will be more marked than
the past, and the execution of the nations
rust In behalf OF our settlers will be more diff
uit therefore commend to your attention the
recommendations contained in my report Of the
secretary of the interior, with reference to the
epeal and modification of certain of
OUR LAND LAWS.
The nation has made princely grants and SUBJ
ndles to system Of railroad projected as great
rational highways to connect the Pacific states
With the East It has been charged that these
lOnatlOns from the beople have been diverted TO
private gain and corrupt uses, and thus public
ndlgnation has been aroused and suspicion en-
rendered. Our great nation does not begrudce
Us generosity, but 1t abhors peculation and
raud, and the favorable regard Of our people for
he great corporations to which these grants
we're made can only be revived by restoration
II confidence to be secured by their constant,
tneQuivocal and early manifested integrity. A
a1thful application Of the undiminished pro-
leeds OF the grants to the construction and per-
Getting OF their roads, an honest discharge OF
helr O6llgatlons and entire justice to all the
,eople in the enjoyment Of their rights on the
highways OF travel is all the public asks and it
will be content with no less. To secure these
htngs should be the common purpose of the
Ulcers of the government as we'll as of the cor
,0rat1ons With this accomplishment prosperity
would I've permanently secured to the roads, and
lational pride would take the place Of national
Omplaint
PENSIONS
1t appears from the report of the commits
lay of July, 1885. 345, 1875 persons borne upon
he pension rolls. who were classified as follows:
Widows, minor children and dependent 400
relatives OF deceased soldiers. ..... 1854
Navy inyalids. Observation-Disclosures. 2745
Navy widows, minor children and i'; de. '
survivors Of the war Of 1872. 295
Ind widows OF those who served in that
About one man in ten Of all those who en-
'ensions,, exclusive Of the dependents Of de-
ceased soldiers. On the first Of July, 1875, the
lumber OF pensioners was 234, 1921, and the
Increase within the ten years next thereafter
'ublic funds which the people more cheerfully
.pprove than that made in recognition of the
ervices OF our soldiers living and dead, the
continent underlying the subject should not be
it1ated by the introduction of any fraudulent
,ractices Therefore 1t is fully as important
hat the rolls should be cleansed Of all those
Who by fraud have secured place thereon, as
hat meritorious claims should be speedily
xamined and adjusted. The reforms In the
Methods Of doing the business Of this bureau
Fhich have lately been inauRurated promise
'etter results in both these directions, The
operations Of -
THE PATENT OFFICE
demonstrate the activity OF the inventive genius
i the country. For the year ended June 80,
1856, the applications for patents, including re-
ssues, and for the registration Of trademarks
nd labels, numbered IS, G88. During the same
,eriod there were 22.928 patents granted and
eissued, and 1.429 trade marks and labels reg
stored. The number of patents issued In the
rear 1875 was 14,387. The receipts durinathe
asst fiscal year were $l,O74, 974 IS, and the
Otal expenditures. not including contingent ex-
,enses: 1884. 123.11. There were 8. 7ss applica-
ions for patents pending on the first day Of
July. 1884, and 5,786 on the same date in the
'ear 1885. There has been considerable i'm
rovement made in the prompt determination
Il applications and q consequent relief to ex-
>ectant inventors. A number of suggestions
md recommendations are contained in the re-
,ort of the commissioner Of patents, which are
cell entitled to tile consideration Of congress.