The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-12-09

of the best lands within other reservations
require legislation for their final adjustment
many embarrassments to progress in the
work of leading the Indians to the adoption
of our institutions and bringing them under
the Operation. the influence and the protec.
ton of the universal laws OF our country.
The recommendations of the Secretary of the
Interior and the COMMISSIONS OF the Gen
eral Land once, looking to the better pro-
lection of
PUBLIC LANDS
and of the public surveys. The preservation
of national forests. the adjudication of grants
to States and corporations. and of private
land claims, and the increased efficiency of
the public n lang 9a service are T se sscare tbe w 70 tae
distribution of public lands in limited quanti-
ties among settlers of residence and cultiva.
Individual homes. was the primary object of
the public land legislation in the early days
of the Republic.
This system was a simple one. It COM
menced with an admirable scheme of PUBLIC
surveys, by which the humblest citizen could
identify the tract upon which he wished to es-
tablish his home. The price of land was
placed within the reach OF all the enterpris-
Ing, Industrious q and ID. honest nest pioneer aonsHer ei fna,s :
that the object of the laws was perverted I'M
der the system of cash sales from q distriou-
lation of land capital BY wealthy and specu.
latiye persons; To check this tendency a
settlers on the land, a plan which eliminated
in the general presumption act OF lal.
T~recommend the repeal of the ~pre;emption
and timber culture acts, and that the home
stead avs be SO amended as to better secure
compliance with their requirements Of rasi-
dence, Improvement and cultivation for the
period of i've years from date of entry, with
out Communication or provision for specuia-
tive REIMBURSEMENT. l also the
| repeal of the desert land laws, unless it shall
be the pleasure of the Congress to SO amend
! these laws ~ as fbs to cs ssad @ot iRe% for les an i evas,o 5O
of the laws, and the principal cause of their
result in land accumulation instead Of land
fers are made of the right intended to be Sc
cured to settlers, 1t may be deemed advisable
to pres'G ano Sy he. Isgis slienatio some of s homest ead
rights and lands covered thereby until pat
ents issue.
The report of the Commissioner of Pensions
contains q detailed and most satisfactory ex-
hibit of the operations of the Pension Bureau
during the last fiscal year aon. wss tho ,or.est
in any year since the organization of the
bureau, and it has been done at less cost than
On the 18th day Of June, 1856. there were $685.
1888 pensioners on the rolls OF the bureau.
Since 1851 there have been l,Cis;1sa saIpplica,
based upon services in the war OF ISL. There
were 62I, 1854 Of these applications allowed. in
Guiding 80, 17s to the soldiers of 1sls and their
The total amount paid for pensions since
1861 is $SOs, 24.S1i 81. The number of new
Il DeuSfOuSd lloWNo Ia thS SSoL - cthS
30, 1885, is 49.81, a larger number than has
been allowed in any year save one since 1851;
t he n, mes OLE ,229 pensioners which had been
previously dropped from the rolls were re-
stored during the year, and after deduct'ng
those dropped within the same time for va
yesr Of fa so.sSs a names met inc From t Ganaary l i, i ST.
10 December !, 1885. 1857 private pension acts
had been passed. Since the last named date,
and during the last session of the Congress,
644 such acts became laws.
1t seems to me that no one can examine
our pension establishment and its operations
strumentality. Justice can be very nearly
done to all who are entitled under present
laws to the pension bounty OF the Govern
ment.
But it is u%ndeniable that cases exist, well en-
titled to relief, in which the Pension Buresn
lack by misfortune the kind of quantity of
Bureau require, or which, though their mer-
it is apparent, for some other reason can not
be Justly dealt with through general laws:
These cond .tions fully Justify appiicat on
to the Congress and special enactments. But
resort to the Congess for a special pens on
act to override the deliberate aud careful de-
termination of the Pension Bureau on the
merits, or to secure favorable action when
it could not be expected under the most lib
eral eXecut on of general laws, 1t must DC
admitted, opens the door to the allow ance OF
questionable claims, and presents to the leg
ment applications concededly not within the
law, and plainly devoid OF merit, put SO sur
| rounded by sentiment ana pdtr1OClc 1eeiIHg
that they are hard to resist.
!, 1 suppose it will not be denied that many
, claims for pension are made without merit
! fraudulent representations. This has beer
/ declared from the Pension Bureau not only
: in this but in prior administrations. TIT
= usefulness and the justice of any system fOl
|. the distribution of pensions depend upon thu
: equality and uniformity of its operation. l
! sioner that there are now paid by the Gov
4 eminent 131 different rates OF pension.
? tima,e sf from th the o best e IT Information thoIe @So ba W,
served in the army and navy of the Unitet
States are nov supported. in whole or il
charities, exclusive of those in Soldiers
y Homes under the direction and control o
e the Government. Only thirteen per cent
9 the en aaese number abe of P @en farn.sh @d'' for tn 3
. = late war something like twenty per cent, in
Guiding their widows and relatives , have bee!
: lean people with a patriotic grateful re2ar
for our ex-soldiers too broad and too sacre
q are not only willing but anxious that qua
and exact justice should be done to all hor
= est claimants for pensions.
y Every patriotic heart responds to a tende
consideration for those who, having serve
q destitution and dependence, not as an inc
dent of their service, but with advancing ag
or through sickness or misfortune. We ar
all tempted by the contemplation of such
condition to supply relief and are often imp.
tient of the limitations of public duty. Yielt
i fesl; to o no e 9ns 5n fas ag I enn to not tn I'D my seI
of the conviction that if these ex-soldiei
are TO be relieved, they and their cause ar
re under which relief may be elaine
t. as a right, and that such relief should b
r. sTasien % on it; NOR ss shanld such St la wc,rt hS' o.
a. jects of care, all equally entitled, be r
lie mitted TO the unequal operation OF sympath
n influence, with their unjust discrimination
y THE PATENT OFFICE.
il Or the 4th of March. 1856, the current bus
il ness of the Patent Office was, on an avcrag
in five and q half months behind. AT the clOi
~ of the last fiscal year such current work VIZ
lg but three months in arrears: and it is a
n. serted and believed that in the me-
few months the delay in obtainir
$ an examination of an application for
he patent will be but nominal. The number
ne applications for patents during the last flsc
nd year, including reissues. designs. trademark
ne and labels. equals 4o,67s. which is considerab
N. in excess of the number received during al
IS. preceding year. the receipts of the Pate
OF enabling the Office to turn into the Trt aSuI
lures, Of about SIS. 7io.3 Sc.
The number of patents granted during Il
last fiscal year, including renewals. trad
marks, designs and labels, was Il, 6l9-a nul
MT Der also quite largely in excess of that of al
NJ preceding year. The report OF the Comm
IN Sioner shows the Office to be in a prOspero
he business. No increase of force is asked fe
" inn J ameu %, e isss, Was .sasa sso. n'i The yam amo si
SO estimated for the year ending June 30, IS
ISL was $s53,960.
or The mount estimated for the fiscal We
ending June 30, 1883, is SITS, no.
us The Secretary of the Interior suSg est
IN change in the plan for the payment of the
m debtedness of the
PACIFIC SUBSIDIZED ROADS
cal to the Government. His suggestion has I
err unanimous endorsement of the persons
IN, lected by the Government to act as directt
Ill of these roads, and protect the interests
lal the United States in the Board OF Directo
ate In considering the plan proposed the 81
ire matters which should be taken into accnu
bic in my opinion, are the situation of the Gt
ast eminent as a creditor, and the surest way
CT secure the payment of the principle and
of tercSt of its debt. By a recent decision of I
yer Supreme Court of the United States II !
lily been adjudged that the laws of the seve
he States are imperative to regulate rates