The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-08-22
THE SOLDIERS HOME.
Provisions of the Bill for Wash
ingt0n Institution.
GEN. o'BRIEN's GRAVE ERROR.
The New Letter Carrier Law VIII Not
Benefit This state-squawmen
on Yakima Reservation.


sideration the measure passed by the Sem
ate, granting to the state of Washington
one half section of public land for the pur-
pose of establishing and maintaining
thereon home for honorably discharged
soldiers and sailors and members of the
state militia disabled while in the service of
the United States. The last sect on of this
measure as finally passed by the Senate
provides that ''their shall be no liability, di-
rectly or indirectly, on the part of the
United States for the support of any insti-
tuition referred to in this act" This is In
the usual form. and still it is likely to be
misleading. A general act, passed several
years ago, allows to each state in which q
home for disabled soldiers of the late war
Is organized and maintained, the sum of
500 year for each soldier SO supported.
AS II is estimated that it costs $3.50 per an
mum to thus care for one soldier, it can be
seen that the government in fact will pay
nearly two-thirds of the cost OF mainte-
nance of the veterans who may seek shell
ter IN the proposed Washington home.
In addition, the bill under consideration
authorizes the state to select another half
section of public land for the purpose of
camp and training grounds for the local
militia. and also to establish a military
academy or traing school connected with
the militia of the state.
IT might be said in this connection, and
to obviate, if possible, such an oversight
in future, that the last report made UP by
the adjutant general of the army showing
the militia forces of the country give
no information about the militia of Wash
ington, although the sister state of Mon
tana, shows up well in General Kelton's
special report to congress. The only ref
erence which he makes to the Washington
militia is, returns not received" As it is
well known that the state has q pretty good
body of militiamen, it may not be amiss to
suggest to the adjutant general of Wash
ington, or whoever has this duty to per-
form, that it would be well to furnish the
war department with this information in
season for its transmission to congress.
Secretary Window has asked congress
for special appropriation of So, 600 to paw
District Attorney White for services rem
dered in the case of the bishop of Nesuually
VS.. John Gibbons.
Under the provisions of the bill reported
by Senator Mitchell providing for the ex-
tension OF the letter-earrier system, no city
or town in Washington will be benefited.
This proposed law authorizes the estab-
lishment of the free delivery service in such
places as return postal revenues of at least
$1,000. or which have population of 900
people. tt is the desire of some senators
that this limitation be reduced so as to take
in all towns which have population of at
least 5000 or gross postal receipts of Sc, 600.
If this amendment prevails, three WASH
ington towns would have the letter-carrier
system, namely, Colfax. Ellensburg and
Port Townsend. Under existing law q
city must have population of 10000, or
a gross postal revenue of $4,000, to be sup
piled with the free delivery service.
The Indians on the Yakima reservation
object to squaw men taking possession of
their land. The agent also, recommends
that such action be taken by the depart
ment as will prevent any more white men
from residing on this reservation whose
only claim is that their wives are OF Indian
blood. "As rule" he says, 1.-THE white
men who marry Indian women for pur-
poses of getting home on an Indian res
ervation are not of the better class, and the
Indians understand this full we'll" An in
telligent Indian said to him, 'If white man
want Indian wife, why not he take her off
the reserve to his own home, and not come
to home of his wife and live on lands set
apart for us Indians. If white man can
come and live here because he marry an
Indian woman, our reservation will soon
be full of tramps."
How much do you owe the government?
The solicitor of the treasury says that the
United States has out over $35, 600 900 that
he knows of in sums of not less than 500.
1t is desired by the department, therefore,
that congress grant authority for the ap-
pointment OF special agents to go around
the country hunting up this odd change
now in the pockets of delinquent individu-
ais. Somebody suggests, though, that
tfese same speciel agents be provided with
checks in blank against the national treas-
ury, which they should be empowered to
fill out whenever they run against party
the government owes. 1t is well known
that Uncle Sam is miserably bad pay so far
as private claimants are concerned, and
there are now white-haired men and
women, too, hanging about the corridors
of the capitol when congress is in session
waiting for pay day, who have grown gray
and then white in trying to collect their