Mower County transcript., 1891-12-16

commission to agree upon and report a
plan for dealing with this debt.
A. 10 Irrigation.
The report of the secretary exhibits,
with interesting fullness, the condition OF
the territories. They have shared with
the states the great increase in farm pro
ducts and are bringing yearly large areas
into cultivation by extending their irri-
eating canals The future of the terri
tories OF New Mexico, Arizona and Utah
in their material growth and in the in
crease, independence, and happiness OF
their people is very largely dependent
upon wise and timely legislation.
either by congress or their own legisla-
lures, regulating the distribution of the
water supply fusnished by their streams.
If this matter is much longer neglected,
private corporations will have unie-
stricted control of one of the elements OF
life and the patentees OF the arid lands
win be tenants at will of the water com
panies.
The United States should part with its
ownership Of the water sources and the
sites for reservoirs, whether to the states
and territories or to individuals Or to cor
porations, only upon conditions that will
insure to the settlers their proper water
supply upon equal and reasonable terms.
Polygamy.
; The legislation of congress for the re-
preston of polygamy has after years of
resistance On the part of the Mormons, at
last brought them to the conclusion that
resistance is Improbable and unavailing.
The power of congress over this subject
should not be surrendered until we have
satisfactory evidence that the people of
the state to be created would exercise the
exclusive power Of the state over this sub
ject in the same way.
The NAVY.
The report of the secretary of the navy
shows a gratifying increase of new naval
vessels in commission. The Newark, Con
cord, Bennington and Miantonomoh have
been added during the year, with an ag-
gregate of something more than 11,0O0
tons. Twenty-four warships Of all classes
are now under construction in the navy
yards and private shops, but while the
work upon them is going forward salts
factorily, the completion Of the more i'm
portant vessels will yet require about a
years time. Some of the vessels now un-
NCl uCClOA, ~ 1o Uc1lctcu, WILL UC
triumphs of naval engineering. When it
is recollected that the work of building a
modern navy was only initiated in
the year 1888, that our naval constructors
and ship builders were practically with
out experience in the construction of
large iron or steel Ships that our engine
shops were unfamiliar with great marine
engines, and that the manufacture of
steel forgings for guns and plates was al
most wholly a foreign industry. the prog
ress that has been made is not only highly
satisfactory, but furnishes the assurance
that the United States will before long
attain, in the construction of such vessels,
with their engines and armaments, the
same pre-eminece which it attained when
the boat instrument of ocean commerce
was the clipper ship and the most i'm
pressive exhibit of naval power, the old,
wooden three-decker man-of-war. The
officers Of the navy and the proprietors
and engineers of the great private shops
have responded with wonderful intelli-
gence and professional zeal to the conf
dence expressed by congress in it's liberal
legislation.
Experiments with armor plate have
been conducted during the year with most
important results. 1t is now believed
that Il plate Of higher resisting power than
any in use has been found and that the
tests have demonstrated that cheaper
methods of manufacture than those here
tofore thought necessary can be used.
commend to your favorable considera-
tion the recommendations of the secre-
tary, who has. am sure, given to them
the most conscientious study. There could
be no hesitation in promptly complet-
ing navy of the best modern type
large enough to enable this country
to display it's flag in all seas for the
protection of it's citizens, and of its extend
ing commerce. The world needs no as.
snrance of the peaceful purposes of the
United States, but we shall probably be
in the near future more largely a competi.
tor in the commerce of the world, and it is
essential to the dignity of this nation and
to that peaceful influence which it should
exercise nthis hemisphere, that its navy
should be adequate, both upon the shores
of the Atlantic and of the Pacific.
The War Department..
The report of the secretary of war ex
hibits the results of an intelligent, prog
ressive and business-like administration
of department which has been too much
regarded as one of mere routine.
The separation of Secretary Proctor
from the department by reason OF his ap.
pointment as senator from the state o1
Vermont is a source of great regret to me
and to his colleagues in the cabinet, as !
am sure it will be to all those who have
had business with the department while
under his charge.
In the administration of army affairs
some especially good work has been ac
complished, The efforts of the secretary
to reduce the per centage Of desertions by
removing the causes that promoted it have
been so successful as to enable him to re-
port for the last year g lower percentage
of desertion than has been before reached
in the history of the army. The resulting
money saving is considerable, but the i'm
provement in the morals of the men is the
most valuable incident of the reforms
which have brought about this result
The work of securing sites for shore bat
teries, for harbor defence and the mann.
facture of mortars and guns and the
power to equip them have made good pro.
gress during the year. The preliminary
work of tests and plans, which so long
delayed a start, is now out of the way
Some guns have been completed, and with
an enlarged shop and a more complete
eOuiDment at Wateryliet the army will