The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-12-02

purpose has been 10 peflccS lAe tllle Oh
honest settlers with such pronplness that
the value of the entry shG not be swat
lowed up 10y the expo, - aud eXiortloBs 10
which delay subjecttd he ciainiant. TIE
! average monthly issue CI agricultural
patents has been inc,ei SAD about C0J0.
THR DISABILITY PEHsIoN ACT.
The disability pension act. which was
approved on une e last has been put
into operation ~ rapidly rs WAS practical
BILE. The increased clerical force pro-
vided was selected ANA as sl5ncl to work
and considerable part OF the force en-
gagged in examinations in the field Was re-
called and added to the working force of
the office. The examination and adjuli-
cation of claims have. by reason of i'm
proved methods, been more rapid than
ever before.
THE MoRMONs.
The increasing numbers and influence
Of the non Mormon population in Utah
are observed with satisfa -tiOu. The recent
letter of MILFORD Woodruff, president of
the Mormon church. in which he advised
his people Ito refrain from contracting
any marriage forbidden by the laws OF the
land,' has attracted wide attention, and
it is hoped that its infiuence will he highly
beneficial in restraining infractious of the
laws of the United States. But the fact
should not be overlooked that the doc
trine or belief of the church that pJlygam-
Jus anu supporter
by divine revelation remains unchang ed.
OUR NEw STATES
The admission of the states of Wyoming
and Idaho to the Union are events full Of
interest and congratuiatiCn, not only to
the people OF those states, hut 10 ali our
people. Another belt of states stretches
from the Atlantic TO the Pacific
PATENT OFFICE.
The work of the patent Office has won
from all sources very high commentator
largely increased, and all the results have
been such as to secure confidence and con-
sideration for tle sugges; ions Of the com
missioner.
TIE CENSUS.
The enumeration Of the people OF the
United States under the provisions OF the
act of March l, 1889, has been completed,
and the result will lie at once officially
communicated to congress The compile
tion of this dece nnial enumeration de-
wolves upon congress the duty of making
new apportionment of representatives
among the several states according to
their respective numbers.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS
At the last session had occasion to re-
turn with my objections several bills
making provisions for the erection of pub
lie buildings, for the reason the expendi-
lures contemplated, were, in my opinion,
greatly in excess of any public need. No
class of legislation is liable to more abuse
or to degenerate into an unseemly scranl-
Bile about the public treasury than this.
There should be exercised in this matter a
wise economy, based upon some response
BILE and impartial examination, and report
as to each case under special law.
AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS
The report of the secretary of agrcul-
ture deserves especial attention, in view
Of the fact that the year has been marked
in very unusual degree by agitation and
organization among the farmers looking
to an increase in the profits of their bust
ness. A very substantial improvement in
the market prices OF the leading farm
products during the year is noticed The
price of wheat advanced from 81 cents in
October, 1889, to 81 90 "a in October, 1890;
corn, from 81 cents TO 80 IA cents; oats,
from 10 IA cents to 43 cents and barley
from 63 to rs cents. Meats showed a sub
stantial but not so large an increase. The
export trade in live animals and fowls
shows very large Increase.
The total value of such exports for the
year ending June 80, 1890, was $50, 900 900,
and the increase over the preceding year
was over $l5, 000,0 600 Nearly 100000 more
cattle and ov er 40, 900 more hogs were ex-
ported than in the preceding year. The
export trade in beef and pork products
and in dairy products was very largely in
creased, the increase in the article of but
ter alone being from 1904, 97S pounds to
%, 74S, 042 pounds. and the total Increase in
the value of meat and dairy products ex-
ported being S34,000,0)0.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
The law relating to the civil service has,
SO far as can learn, been executed by
those having the power OF appointment in
the classified service with fidelity and i'm
Partially, aud the service has been in
creasing satisfactory. The report of the
commission shows large amount of
good work done during the year with very
limited appropriations
LABoRs or THE FIFTY FIRST CONGRESS.
l congratulate the congress and the
country upon the passage at the first SEES
sion of the Fifty-first congress Of an unS
usual number of laws of very high i'm
portance. That the results of this legis-
lation will be the quickening and enlarge
ment of our manufacturing industries,
larger and better markets for our bread
stutfs and provisions, both at home and
abroad, more constant employment and
better wages for working people, and an
increased supply of safe currency for
the transaction of business, i do not doubt
The general trade and industrial condi-
lions throughout the country during the
year have shown a marked Improvement
For many years prior to 1888 the merchan-
disc balances of foreign trade had been
largely in our favor, but during that year
and the year following they turned against
us. 1t is very gratifying to know that the
last hscal year again shows a balance in
our favor of over SOS 000,0O0. The bank
clearngs, which show good test of the
volume of business transacted, for the
first ten months OF the year 1890 show, as
compared with the same months of 1889,
an increase for the whole country of about
S4 per cent, while the increase outside
the city of New York was over 10 per
cent. During the month Of October the
clearings of the whole country showed an
increase of 8. per cent. over October, 1889,
while outside of New York the increase
was IL. 3 per cent.
The value of onr exports of domestic
merchandise during the last year was
Sll3,O0O,000 greater than the preceding
year, anu was only exceeded once in our
history. About Sl00, 10000 OF this excess
was in agricultural products. The pro
dnction OF .plg-lron-alwaYs good gauge
Of general prosperity-is shown bv re-
cent census bulletin to have been 1873 per
cent. greater in 1899 than in 1880, and the
production OF steel 300 per cent greater.
Mining in coal has had no limitation ex-
cept that resulting from deficient trans
portation. The general testimony is that
labor Is everywhere fully employed, and
the reports for the last year show a
smaller number of employees affected by
strikes and lOck-outs than in any year
since 1884
The depression in the prices of agricul-
tural products had been greatly relieved,
and buOyant and hopeful tone was be-
ging to he felt by all our people.
THE NEW TARIFF.
The general tariff act has only partially
gone into operation, some of its important
provisions being limited to take effect at
dates yet in future. The general provi
sions of the law have been in force less
than sixty days, It's permanent effect
upon trade and prices still largely stand
in conjecture. 1t is curious to note that
the advance in the prices of articles
wholly unaffected by the tariff act was by
many hastily ascribed to that act. Notice
was not taken of the fact that the general
tendency of the markets was upwards
from influences wholly apart from the re-
cent tariff legislation. The enlargement
Of our currency by the silver bill I'M
doubtedly gave an upward tendency to
trade and had a marked effect upon prices,
but this natural and desired effect of the
silver legislation was by many errone-
ously attributed TO the tariff act.
There is neither wisdom nor justice in
the suggestion that the sublec5 of tariff re-
VISION shall be again opened before this
law has ha n fair trial 1t is quite true
that every tariff schedule is subject to OBJ
Jections. No bill was ever framed, | sup
pose, that in all of its rates and classified
tions had the full approval even of party
caucus. such legislation is always and
necessarily the produc5 Of compromise as
to details, aud the present law is no ex-
exception. Bat in It's general scope and
effect think il will Justify the support of
tnose VINO D -lIeve tnat American legsla-
tlon should conserve and defend Ameri-
workmen t'''4
The INSTRUMENTATION as tn tho terp,s