Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1886-12-11

work OF leading the Indians TO the adoption
of our institutions and bringing them under
tinn OF the universal laws of u country.
The recommendations of the >~eeretary OF the
Interior and the Commissioner of the Gen
cral Land Office, looking TO the better pro
lection or
PUBLIC LAMBS
and of the public surveys. Tn preservation
az national forests. the adjudication of grants
70 States and corporations. and of private
land claims. and the increased efficiency or
tho nuhlic land service, are commended tOtne
attention of Congress, 10 secure the wloest
distribution OF public lands IN limited qusnti'
ties among 5 'ttlers OF residence aud euluVas
zion, and thus make the greatest number or
Individual homes. was the primary object OF
the pnhiio land legislation in the early DAYS
of the Republic.
This system was II simple one, IL com
msnced with AN admirable scheme OIL puptS
surveys. hy which the humhlest citizen coulu
Identify the tract upon which be wished to es-
tsblsh his home, The price of land was
nlacei within the reach Of all the enterprfs-
Ing, ihdustr Gus aud honest pioneer citize :
OF the country. II was snon. however, ionnd
that The object of the laws was perverted I'M
der he systcm of cash sales from a districu'
ton of land among the people to an aecunu'
iaton of land capital by wealthy and specu'
latiye persons. 10 cheek this tendency q
nrcfarence right of purchase was given 10
SETTLERS on tDC luuu. u pan WYNN
In tie general p-eemption act OF ls4l,
recommend She repeal of che presumption
| and timber culture acts. aud that the home
stead avs be so amended as to better secure
compliance with their requirements on T. II.
deuce, Improvement and cultivation ipr ine
rertod of i've wears from date of entry. with
out communication or provision Tor sptcuia'
tiye REIMBURSEMENT. | also recommend the
repeal OF the desert land avs, unless " shaii
he the pleasure Il the Congress TO SO amend
these lava as 10 render them less Uaoie 10
, ahuses.3A Az the chief motive for an eraslon
of the laws, and t7e principal caise OF thelr
result In land accumulation inste8e OF land
distribution. Ia the facility with whlchtrahs'
fers are made OF the right intended to pc Sc
cured to settlers, il may be deem d u dvisab!s
vvn1.ss won thas alienation or homestead
rights and LANDS covered thereby until pat
ente issue.
PENSIONS.
The report of the Conmissionerof Pensions
contains a detailed and mast satisfactory OK
hibit OF the operations of the Pension Bureau
during abe last fiscal ycar.
The amount OF work done was ihc largest
IN any year since the organization or the
bureau. and il has been done al less cost than
daring the reyiouS yekr in every division,
on tie 18th day OF June, 1885, I here we're 80,
tS} pensioners on the rolls OF the bureau.
Since 1861 there have been LOIS, 135 applica'
tiona for pensions fled, OF which 1854 were
based upon services in the war or lsl2. Ihere
were B2l, I5t OF these applications allowed, IN
Guiding 10, rs TO the soldiers of ISL aud theif
widows.
The total amount paid for pensions since
1851 ~ SSDs, 24,Sl III. The umbe OF new
pensions allowed during the year ended June
~, 1855, il 4Jbri, u larger number than has
been allowed III any year save one since VI
I he nj mes Dig ~ pensioners which had beer
previously dropped from the rolls were re
stored during the year, and after deduct'ng
those dropped within the same time for Va
rious causes, q net increase remains Tor the
yparOf 2l,65S names. From January |. 1851.
to December l., 1855. 1857 private pension acts
had been passed. Since the last named date,
and during the last session OF the Congress,
ga such acts became laws.
1t seeura 10 me that no one can examine
our pfnsion establishment and Is operations
without being convinced that through its in
struTrntality justice can lie very nearly
done to all who are entitled uhdef present
Law, to the pension bounty OF the Govern
lncDi.
BUTT il undeniable that eases exist, well en-.
titled to relief, in which the Pension Bureau
il pUYerless to relieve. The really worthy
caSea of this class are such az only
lack by misfortune the kind Of quantity OF
proof which the law and regulations of the
Bureau require, or which. though their ncr
II is apparent. for some other reason can not
be Justly dealt with through general laws.
These cond tons fully Justify ap2licat or
to tic Congress ana special ellactIneTtS. But
resort to the Congess for a special pens on
act 70 oNerrule the deliberate aud careful de
termination of the Pension Bureau on the
merits, or to secure favorable action wheE
it could not be expected under the most lib
eral eXccut N OF general laws, il must he
admitted, opeus the door to the allowance OF
questionable claims, ana presents to the leg
lative and executive branches of the Govern
{ mani nniiaAfinn pnnnniniIr NOR within fhT
law, and plainly devoid OF merit, hut sosur
rounded bg sentiment and patriotic feeling
that they are hard to resist
suppose IL will uUa BE denied that many
claim. for pension are made without merit,
and that III ny have been allowed upon
fraudulent representations. This has beer
dcclase1 from the Pc sion Bnrtau not only
in this but in prior ADMINISTRATIONS The
usefulness and the Justice of nny systefn TO;
The dlStr button Of pensions depend upon tbs
equality II uniformity OF its operation. II
VIII be seen from the report OF the Commits
stoner that there are now paid by tug GoV'
crnmcnt Isl different rates of pension.
Estimates from the hest information we
can obtain show that 80 10 of those VINO have
served in the army aud navy of the United
states are o supported, in whole or in
art, from public funds or by organized
charities. exclusive Of these n soldiers
Homes under the direction and control OF
,he Government, Only thirteen PER cent.
ct these are pensioners, whIls OF
ate war something like twenty per cent, in.
Gludilig then widows and relatives have been
Or BOW are IN receipt of pensions. TheAincr
can Icople with It rutriot!c grateful regard
Vor our CN-soldiers too broad AMI too sacred
% he mOnOpDlized by any SPECIAL advocates,
are not only wiling but anxious that equal
and exact justice should be done 10 all hon.
estcisiDbnts for pensions.
Every patriotic heart responds to atcHdel
cons dcration for those who, having served
thor country long aud well, are reduced e.
lestitutiGn and dependence. not rs an Incl.
dent ui their Serc ce, but with advancing age
or through sickness or misfortune. We are
all tempted by the contemplation If such q
eond ton TO supply relief and are often iinpa.
tent OF the limitations of public duty. Yield
ny to no one in the desire to indulge thi,
feeling of consideration ] can not rid myself
of the conviction that if these cX-sollicrs
are 70 be relieved, they and their cause arc
entitled to the benefit of an cnactmeu,
nFder which rPltf may be claimed
as a right, and that such relief should b,
granted underline sanction of law, not in
eviNion of IT; nor should such worthy OBJ
iectS of care, nl equally entitled, he re-
united To the unequal operation of ylnpathy
or the tender mcrcies Of social and pol fioa
influence, with their unjust determinations
TiE PATENT OFFICE.
IN Nh' 4 w NNiNDs loNb, tIt tNErtNl b1gl
ness of the Patent o lee was, ON an average
hge and a half months beh nd. At the clos,
~ he last fiscal year such current work wa,
hut three months in arrears. and II Is u
serted aud believed that In the neN'
Tow months the delay in pbtginin.
m examination or an application Tor
patent VIII be but nominal. The numher .
Applications for patents during the last fsca
year, including reissues, designs, trademark
ana labels, equals 40IG1S. which is ccnsidcrahl,
' = wan as Rho nNgY, --af. H..
preceding year. The receipts OF the paten
ohice dur ng the year aggregated Si,2E, i6;.A
enabling the Office to turn into tho TT a,nr
a surplus revenue, over and above al eSpenc
lures, or about ildi,TiD,I.
Inc number OF patents granted during TIA
last fiscal year, including renewals. trade
marks, designs and labels, was 2l,6l9-a nun
Der also quite largely In excess Of that OF an
preceding year. The reps't of the COMM,
sioAer shows the Office to he in y prosperou
condition and constantly incrcas ng in il
business. No increase OF forco IL asked 70,
me amount st'mate for the fiscal year enc
ing June 30, los5, Was SS,N. no. The amour
estimated fer the year ending June ~, iss
was SsS3,9jn.
The amount estimated for TIE tsca, yes
ending June ~ ISIS, is Ss,s,iiN.
Tire Secretary of the Interior tugg este
! change in the plan for the payment OF tho il
dehtedness of the
PACIFIC SUBSIDIZED noAUs
TO the Government. His suggestion has 4!
= unanimous endorsement of the persons 5
, lected by the Government to act vs. directoI
: OF tlcse roads, and protect the interests {
! the United states IN the Board OF Director
In considering the plan proposed the SO
, matters which should be taken into nceuuu
. in my opinion, are the situation Of the Go
eminent as "a creditor, and the su,est way
. secure the payment of the principle and |
{ tcfost OF its debt. BY a recent, deelaion OF Il
+ supreme Court Of the United States it b,
: been adjudged that the laws of the sever
, States are imperative TO regulate rates
T transportation upon railroads, II such reg
/ lntipp ipfnrfrrGc "a tk fhp rutn - ,.,;.