The Russellville Democrat., 1888-10-04

The British navy now has but sev en cruisers which exceed eighteen knots an hour, and the rest of Eu rope has hut eleven more. This years naval appropriation bill for 19,943, 225 dollars for seven new fast cruisers, one of $500 tons to make twenty knots-faster than any war vessel nov anoat and equal In speed to the "ocean greyhound" steamers -one cruiser of 7,500 tons making nineteen knots and two 5000 ton cruisers making nineteen knots and two 2,000 ton cruisers making eigh. teen knots The fastest Republican cruiser, the Atlante, makes only six teen and half knots, the Chicago and Boston only fourteen knots. For less than 10000, ,000 this admin istration has partially completed and contracted for twelve cruisers of ov- CT eighteen knots, in event of war able to drive the commerce of our enemies from the seas. It is build ing five of these cruisers for only $400, 900 more than the Republican administration spent on the Talla poosa, Tennessee and Despatch. Within this $19, 9,900,000 named it is also building the gunboats Yorktown Concord, Bennington, Petrel and Ve- suvius, the armored battleshlp, Maine of $500 tons, speed seventeen knots, armoring the double tnrreted moni- tors, Puritan, Mlantonomah, Amphi trite, Monadnock and Terror, besides building torpedo boats. The ordina ry expenses of the Navy Department have been reduced from $6,142, 2,256 in 1884 (and even then there was a deficiency of $I49,935) to $4,S70,522 Tn 1887 (with 8 surplus balance Of $280,3l0). Provision has been made for building armor and guns for the navy in our own country, and the navy yards have been put In rerair.
 RESTORING THE PUBLIC LANDS.
 ITO secure the widest distribution of public lands In limited quantities among settlers for residence and cul- tivation and thus make the greatest number of individual homes," said President Cleveland in bis second annual message, twas the primary object of the public land legislation In the early days of the Republic" One of the brightest pages in the record of the administration is its successful efforts to effect thls object. In fourteen years the Republican party voted away to favored railroads directly 163, ,643, ,944lacres of the pub lie domain and to railroads indirect ly through the States l9. 240883 acres more. or this total of over ISl ,000, 900 acres, the Union Pacific Rail- road was given 42,000,000 acres, and the Northern Pacific 47,000,000 acres more, What do shese vast figures mean? The State of New York, with its 240,000 farms, has but 23,7S0,754 acres of farmlands, farms cover only 20,656, 259 acres, Michigan's 13,S89, ,92l acres. l5,35s,llS acres, Iowa's 55, ,055, I93 acres.
 The Democratic national admins tration has set to work to right this great wrong done the people and coming generations. It has al ready, since March 4, lS85.recovered and restored to the people S0,690, 720 acres Of tue public lands, including 26, 6,253,347 acres of railroad grants, forfeited and 2l, 1928. .600 acres of rail. road indemnity lands restored. InI other words, the present administra- ton has already recovered for the uae of future actual settlers enough lands to make oyer 500,000 farms of le0 acres, more land than there is in Great Britain and Ireland, winch embrace 77,5s7.200 acres. So much has been actually accomplished, but parn is being done. A bill is now pending to forfeit 54223,996 acres more of lands granted to railroads turing republican administrations,