Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-12-02
our Pos,omce.

The report of the postmaster general
shows the most gratifying progress in the
important work committed to his direc-
tion. The business methods have been
peuditures and an increase of VA, $50, COO in
receipts have been realized The def
cheney this year is S5,7S6, 800, as against
W, $50, 1855 last year, Notwithstanding the
great enlargement of the service. Mail
routes have been extended and quickened,
and greater accuracy and dispatch in dis
tribution and delivery has been attained.
The passage of the act to amend certain
sections of the revised statutes relating to
lotteries, approved Sept. 49, 1890, has been
received with great and deserved popular
favor. The postotlice department and the
department of justice at once entered upon
the enforcement of the law with sympa
thetic vigor, and already the public mails
have been largely freed from the fraudu-
lent and demoralizing appeals and litera-
ture emanating from the lottery compa
nies
Our Navy.
The construction and equipment of the
new ships for the navy have made very
satisfactory progress. Since March 4,
1889, nine new vessels have been put in
commission and during this winter four
more including one monitor, will be
added The construction of the other yes
the government and private yards, with
energy and watched with the most scru-
pulous care,
The experiments conducted during the
year to test the relative resisting power of
armor plates have been so valuable as to
attract great attention in Europe. The
only part of the work upon the new ships
that IS threatened by unusual delay Is the
armor plating, and every effort is being
made TO reduce that to the minimum
The Interior.
The report of the secretary of the interior
exhibits with great fullness and clearness
the vast work of that department and the
satisfactory results attained. The sugges-
tiOns made by him are earnestly com
mended to the consideration of congress,
though they cannot all be given particular
mention here
The Indians.
The several acts Of congress looking to
the reduction of the larger Indian reserva-
tions TO the more rapid settlement of the
Indians upon individual allotments, and
the restoration to the public domain of
lands in excess of their needs have been
largely carried into effect, so far as the
work was coniided to the executive
Agreements have been concluded since
March 4, 1883, involving the cessioa to the
United states OF about II, 900 acres of
land
Attention is also called to the fact that
the appropriations made in the case of the
Sioux Indians have not covered all the
stipulated payments. This should be
promptly corrected, If an agreement is
confirmed, all of its terms should be com
piled with without delay, and full appro-
priations should be made.
The policy outlined in my last annual
message in relation to the patenting Of
lands to settlers upon the public domain
has been carried out in the administration
of the land office.
Pensions.
The disability pension act, which was
approved on the 9th of June last, has been
put into operation as rapidly as was prac-
ticable. The increased clerical force pro
vided was selected and assigned to work,
and a considerable part of the force en-
gagged in examinations in the field was re-
called and added to the working fore of
the office The examination and adjudi-
cation of claims have, by reason of inn
proved methods, been more rapid than
ever before There is no economy to the
government. in delay, while there is much
hardship and injustice to the soldier The
anticipated expenditure, while very large,
will not, it is believed, be in excess of the
estimates made before the enactment of
the law This liberal enlargement of the
general law should suggest a more careful
scrutiny of bills for special relief, both as
to the cases where relief is granted and as
to the amount allowed
The Mormons.
The increasing numbers and influence of
the onMormon population in Utah are
observed with satisfaction. The recent let |
ter of MILFORD Woodruff, president of the
Mormon church, in which he advised his
people "To refrain from contracting any
marriage forbidden by the laws of the |
land,n has attracted wide attention, and
it is hoped that its influence will be highly |
beneficial in restraining infractions of the |
laws of the United States. But the fact /
should not be overlooked that the doctrine |
or belief of the church that polygamous
marriages are rightful and supported by
divine revelation remains unchanged
New States.
The admission Of the states of Wyoming |
and Idaho are events full of interest and |
congratulation, not only to the people of
those states, now happily endowed with a
full participation in our privileges and re- |
sponsibiities, but to all our people. An
other belt of states stretches from the At |
lantic to the Pacific
The Patent Office.
The work of the patent office has won
from all sources very high commendation |
The amount accomplished has been very |
largely increased, and all the results have |
been such as to secure confidence and con-
sideration for the suggestions of the com
missioner.
The Census.
The enumeration of the people of the |
United States, under the provisions of the |
Act of March /, 1889, has been completed, |
and the result will be at once officially |
communicated to congress. The COM
pleton of this decennial enumeration
devolves upon congress the duty of maxi
ing a new apportionment of representa-
tiVes "among the several states according |
to their respective numbers"
At the last session had occasion to re-
turn with my objections several bills |
making provisions for the erection OF
expenditures contemplated were, in my
opinion, greatly in excess of any public |
need No class of legislation is more |
liable to abuse, or to degenerate into an
scramble about the public
treasury than this There should be exer-
eised in this matter wise economy, lased
upon some responsible and impartial
examination and report as to each case
under general law.
Agriculture,
The report of the secretary of agriculture
deserves especial attention in view of the
fact that the year has been. marked in
very unusual degree by agitation and or
ganization among the farmers looking to
an irc ease in the profits of their business
It will be found that the efforts of the
department have been intelligently and
devoted TO the promotion Of the
interests intrusted to its care.
A very substantial improvement In the
market prices Of the leading farm products
during the year il noticed.
The export trade in beef and pork pro
ducts and in dairy products was very
largely increased, the Increase in the arti-
Gle OF butter alone being from 15,504, ,91s
pounds TO %, 74s, ,042 pounds, and the total
increase in the value of meat and dairy
products exported being S34. 100000
The efforts Of the secretary to establish