Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-12-09

presses the opinion that he will
able to carefully adjudicate an
allow 5000 claims during the pre-
ent fiscal year. The appropriate
for the payment of pensions for I'll
flscal year ls9O-gl was S127,6S5, 793
SO, and the amount expended wa
S119,5 }O,640. 90, leaving an uneS
pended surpu, Of So, 1j5, 1859.
The report Of the commissioners {
railroads, shows that the total del
of the subsidized railroads TO tn
United States was on December 81
1890, Sll2,5l2,Gl3C6. Alarge part Q
the debt Is now fast approaching
maturity with 10 adequate provis
ion for its payment. Some polio.
for dealing with this debt with
view TO to ultimate collection, shoult
be at once adopted. It is very diff
cult and well nigh impossible for 81
large a body as the congress to con
duct necessary negotiations and in
vestigations. / therefore recon
mend that provisions be made for Tho
appointment of a commission t'
agree upon and report plan fOl
dealing with this debt.
The work of the census bureau il
IN far advance aud the great bulk Oi
the enormous labor involved com
pleted. 1t will lie more strictly {,
statistical exhibit and less encum
bered by essays than its immediate
predecessors. The methods pursued
have been fair, careful and intelli.
gent and have secured the approva
of the statisticians who have fol
lowed them with a scientific and
non-partlsan interest.
If the irrigation matter is mucl
longer neglected private corporations
will have unrestricted control Of ont
of the elements of life and the
patentees of the arid lands will be
tenants at will of the water com.
panies. The United States shoulc
part with its ownership of the watel
sources and the sites for reservoirs,
whether to the states and territories
or TO indiv duals or corporations,
only upon condition that will insure
to the settlers their proper water
supply upon equal and reasonable
terms.
Legislation Of congress for re-
preston of polygamy after many
years of resistance on the part of the
Mormons has 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 subject in the
same way.
| recommend that provision be
made for the organization of sim
pie form Of town government in
Alaska, with power to regulate such
as are usually in the statutes
lnder municipal control. The local
will give better pro-
ection in such matters than the
present skeleton territorial organiza-
ion. Proper restrictions as to the
,ower to levy taxes and to create
lebts should be imposed.
If the establishment of the de-
)artment of agriculture is regarded
~ any one as a mere concession to
he unenlightened demand of Il
worthy class Of people tnat impress
ion has been most efiectually re-
moved by the great results already
attained.
The grain crops of this year were
he largest in our history-50 per
,ent. greater than that of last year
Ind yet the market that has opened
md the larger demand, resulting
rom short crops In Europe, have
prices TO such an extent
hat the enormous surplus of meals
md bread stufis will be marketed at
rood prices. The value of the grain
'rop of The United States Is esti-
mated by the secretary to be $780,
00,000 more than last year; of
meals, $3.50, 900, 900 more, and of all
PRODUCTS of the farm 100000, 900
more. lt Is not Inappropriate,
hink, however, to suggest here that
'ur satisfaction in the contempla.
ion of this marvellous addition to
he national wealth is not clouded
" any suspicion of the currency by
which IL Is measured, and In which
he farmer is paid for the product of
is fields.
The report of the civil service
commission should receive the care
al attention of the opponents as
yell as the friends of this reform.
he head of the several executive
apartments have been directed to
be establishment at once of an eff
lent record rs u basis of comparative
ltlng Of clerks within a classified |
srvice, with view to promoting
lelhod therein.
| have twice before called the
Itentlon OF congress 10 the necessity
legislation for the protection of
ne lives of railroad employees, but
othing has been done. During the
49,. a.. lt,,.. I,...a yn lpao Oan A..a