West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-12-12

| the courts or the United States The law
eompels those who arc supposed 70 have
knowledge of public offenseS to attend upon
our courts and grand juries and 10 give evil
dence. There is a manifest resulting duty
that these witnesses shall be protected from
injury on account OF their testimony. The
Investigations OF criminal offenscs are often
rendered futile, and the punishment OF crime
impossible, by the intimidation OF witnesses.
TRUSTS AND TuR CoPYRGHr LAWS.
Earnest attention should be given by Con-
gress TO a consideration OF the question how
Tar the restraint of those combinations OF
capital commonly called trusts is matter
OF Federal jurisdiction. When organized as
they often are, 10 crush out all healthy COM
petition aud 20 monopolize the production or
sale of an article OF commerce aud general
necessity they are dangerous conspiracies
against the public good and should be made
the. subject of prohibitory and even penal
legislation.
The subject OF an international copyright
has been frequently commended 20 the atten-
tion Of Congress by my predecessors The
enactment of such law would be eninentiv
wise and lust
Our naturalization laws should be so re-
Nlsed as 20 make the inquiry into the moral
| character and good disposition toward onr
! government OF the persons applying for citi-
zenshlp more thorough. This can only be
| done by taking fuller csntrol of the examine
ton, by fixing tho times FOR hearing such
| spphcsuonS ana by requiring the presence
| ment in the inquiry Those who arc tho
( svowed enemies of social order or who Gonna
to our shores TO swell the injurious influence
ana 10 extend the evil practices of any nsso-
slations that deHes our laws, should not only
DC denied citizenship but domicile.
! Inc enactment of national bankrupt law
OF character TO bea permanent part OF our
| general legislation is desirable. IL should be
simple IN It's methods and inexpensive in its
administration.
THE rosTMAsrER-GENE REPORT
| The report OF the Postmaster.Cieneral not
only exhibits the operations OF the depart-
ment for the last fiscal year. but contains
many valuable suggestions for the improve.
ment and extension of the service, which are
commented 10 your attention. No other
branch or the government has so close n con.
tact with the daily life OF the people Almost
| every one uses the service il offers, and every
| hour gained in the transmission of the great
commercial mails has an actual and possible
! understand.
! CONSTRUCTING NEW WAR VESSELS.
In general, satisfactory progress has beam
made in the construction OF the new ships of
| war authorized by Congress The eFst vessel
! OF the new navy, the Dolphin was subjected
to very severe trial tests and 10 very much
| adverse criticism. But it is pratifyine In Ia
able to state that cruise around the world
| from which she has recently returned, has
| demonstrated that she is a frst-class vessel of
| her rate
The report OF the Secretary shows that
| while the effective force of the navy Is rap
idly increasing, by reason OF the improved
| build and armament OF the new ships the
number Of our ships fit for sea duty grows
very slowly. We had, on the 4th of March
| last thirty-Seven Eerviceable ships and
though four have since been added 10 the
| list, the total has not been increased, because
tu the meantime four have been lost or cou-
demned. Twenty-siS additional vessels have
been authorized and appropriated for, but
| III Is probable that when they are completed
| our list Will only be increased TO forty-two n
! gain of five. The old wooden ships are
disappearing almost as fast as the new ves-
sells are added. These facts carry their own
argument. One of the new ships may, in
| lighting strength, be equal 10 two Of the old
but 1t cannot do the cruising duty OF two. 1t
| IS important, therefore, that we should have
moro rapid increase i'm the number of SER
| Viceable ships. concur in the recommenda-
tion OF the Secretary that the construction of
eight armored ships, three gunboats and five
! torpedo boats be authorized.
INDIAN AFFAIRS
The report of the Secretary of the Interior
exhibits the transactions OF the government
with the Indian tribes Substantial progress
has been made in the education Of the chill
! dren of school ago and i'm the allotment OF
lands to adult Indians 1t Is TO be regretted
that the policy OF breaking up the tribal re-
! laton and of dealing with the Indian as an
individual did not appear earlier in our leg
lsiation. Large reservations, held i'm com
| mon, and the maintenance Of the authority
| OF the chiefs and headmen have deprived the
| individual Of every incentive 10 the exercise
OF thrift and the annuity has contributed an
affirmative impulse toward state of con-
| hrmed pauperism.
Our treaty stipulations should be observed
! with fidelity and our legislation should be
| highly cOnsiderate of the best interests of aa
Ignorant and helpless people. The reservs
tlons are now generally surrounded by white
| settlements We can no longer push the
Indian back into the wilderness, and IL re
mains only, by every suitable agency. TO
| push him upward into the estate Of a self
| supporting and responsible citizen For the
adult the first step is 20 locate him upon a
farm and for the child, 10 place him in q
CLAIMS or SETTLERS.
In the administration Of the land laws the
| policy OF facilitating in every proper way
the adjustment Of the honest claims Of indi-
vidual settlers upon tho public lands has
Deen pursued The number Of pending cases
had, during the preceding administration
been greatly increased under the operation
| or orders FOR time suspending final action
| ~ large part or the cases originating I'm the
west and Northwest, and by the subsequent
use OF unusual methods Of examination
Only those who are familiar with the CON
dltons under which our agricultural lands
have been settled can appreciate the serious
and often the fatal consequences 90 the settler
Of a policy that puts his title under suspicion
or delays the Issuance Of his patent While
| care is taken % prevent and to expose fraud
| ~ should not be imputed without reason
| Inc manifest purpose Of the Homestead and
| Fre-emption laws was to promote the settle
ment OF the public domain by persons having
| bona fide intent 70 make n home uuon the
! selected lands. Where this intent is we'll es
| tablished and the requirements OF the law
| nave been substantially complied with the
claimant is entitled 60 a prompt and friendly
| consideration Of his ease But where there
| is reason 70 believe that the claimant
| is the mere agent Of another, who is eeok
| ing to evade a Law intended 20 promote
| small holdings and 30 secure by fraudulent
/ methods large tracts OF timber and other
| lands, both principal and agent should not
| only DO thwarted tn their fraudulent p1ir-
| pose, but should be made 70 feel the full
! penalties Of our criminal statutes The laws
/ should be- 50 administered ne not TO coufouud
these two classes, and 10 visit penalties only
/ upon helatter.
THE PENSION SYSTEM
The law now provides a pension for every
| soldier and sailor who was mustered into
| the service Of the United States during tho
/ civil war and is now suffering from wounds
/ or disease having an origin in the service
| and iu the limo Of duty. Two of the thres
| necessary facts, viz. muster and disability
/ are usually susceptible of easy proof but the
/ third, origin ina che service is often difficult
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