The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1893-12-07


hero we're 6 ,0I additions TO tho domestic
money order offices during the last fiscal year,
being the ,rg-st incr ase in any year since the
Inauguration of the system. The TO al number
OF these Offices at the close of the year was
lS4G4
l desire TO commend rs especially worthy OF
prompt attention The suggestions of the post
master-general relating 10 more sensible and
busness-like organic Ition aud a better distriou-
ton Of responsibility in his department
The report OF the secretary of the navy con-
tains history of the opera lions of his depart
rnent during the past year and exhibits most
gratifying condition Of the personnel of our
navy He presents q satisfactory account OF
the progress which has been made in the con
struction of vessels, and makes number of
recommendations to which attention is especial
ly invited.
During tho rnst s'x months the demand for
cruising vessels have been many ana urgent.
There have been revolutions calling for vessels
TO protect American interests in Nicar igue,
Guatarnala, Costa II c. Honduras, Argentine
and Brazil, wh le the condition OF affairs in
Honolulu has required the constant presence OF
one or more sh ps. With all these calls upon
our navy, it became necessary, in order 10 make
up sufficient feet, 10 patrol Bchrin2 sea under
modus yiyendi agreed upon with Great BcitGin
10 detail TO that service vessel from the fish
commission ard one from the revenue marine!
Progress in the coEs slruction of new vessels
has not been rapid as was anticipated There
have been delays in the completion of un-
armored vessels but for the most part they
have been such as are constantly occurring
even in cousIr es having the largest expert
erce in naval ship building The most serious
delays, however have been in the work upon
armored III pS The trouble hls been the fail
ure OF contractors to del yer armor as agreed.
The difficulues seem now, however, to have
a iS ham iaii rod
with satisfactory promptncss.
AS result of the experience acquired by
ship builders and designers and mater al men ii
is believed that the dates when vessels will be
competed can now be estimated Win reason
able accuracy. Great guns, rapid FIRE guns,
torpedo.s and powder are beiug promptly
supplied. The following vessels OF the NV navy
have been completed and are ready for service:
The double tprreted const defense monitor
Miantouomoh the double turreted coast de
fense monitor Monterey, the arnorrd cruiser
New York, the protected cruisers Baltimore,
Chicago, Philadelphia, Newark. San Francisco,
Charleston, Atlanta and Boston, the cruiser
Detroit, the gunboats Yorktown Concord, Ben
nington. Mach as Cssiine and Peirel, the dis
pa ich vessel Dolphin. the practice vessel Ban
croft and the dyn Smite gunboat Vesuvius. OF
these he Bancroft, Mechias, Detroit and Cas-
tine have heeu placed in commission dnring he
Hu..aat c9,ands- -~lr. 90 -..-
st-uction: The sccond-class battle ships Maine
and Texas; the cruisers Men gonery and Mar
biehead and the coast defense monitors Terror,
Puritan, Anrhitrite and Monacnock, all of
which WI. be completed within ore year. The
harnor defense ram Il ttahdn and the protected
cruisers Col mbus, Minneapolis Olympia Gin
cinnati and Raleigh all of which Will be COM
peied prior July l, 1896; the first-class battle
ships Iowa, Indiana, Massachusetts, and regon.
which will be completed February /. 1S96 and
the armed cruiser Brooklyn which will be COM
pleted by August |, of that year II is also eS-
pected that the lhree Cunboats, authorized by
the last congress will be completed in less than
two years.
Since 1885, congress- has OF each session au-
thorized The build ng Of one or more vessels, and
the secretary of the navy presents an earnest
plea for the continuance Of this plan. He recon-
mends the authorization Of at least one battle
ship and six torpedo boats.
The secre tary OF the interior has ihe supy.s,
ion OF so many important subjects that his re-
port is OF especial value and interest. On the
3yth day of June, 1898. there were on the PEN
sion rolls Q.e,Ol2 names. an increase OF 81, ,944
over the number on the rolls June 81. 1892 OF
IN se there were seventeen widows and daugh-
tsrs OF revolutionary soldiers, and survivors
of the war 1872, 5.425 widows OF soldiers of that
war FL ,5,S survivors and widows of the Mexi-
can war 3.Ss2 surviyGrs and widows of Indian
wars pa army nurses, and a ,64, SURVIVORS,
and widows and children OF deceased spiders
and sailors of the war of the rebellion The
latter number represents those renN'oned on
account of disabilities or death resulting frv,G
army or nav sorvlcp. The number of persons
remaining on the rolls June 81 1898, who were
reIsioned under the act of June n 1892 which
allows pensions on account OF death and dis
ability not chargable TO army service. WAS 49,.
I5l.
The number added &c the rolls during the
year was 1854 and The mber dropped was
S 69I The first payments on pensions al
lowed during Inc year amounted 10 SO, $40 9t
This tnc.rd's arrears, or The accumulation be-
tween the time from which the allowance Of
pensions dates and The lime 0f actually grant
ing The certificates
Although the law of 1890 permits p-lsions for
dis ,biiIies not related to military service yet
Us requisite 10 ito benefits disability must
exist incapacirating app ican;s "!rg n the per
forrnance If man ,iailabor u such degree as 10
render them rnlhe to earn a support"
The execution of this law in its early stages
does not seem 10 have been in accord with its
true intentic~. but toward the close Of the last
adninstra ion an authoritative construction
Was given 70 The statute, and since that time
this construction his been followed This
has had the efSect Of liIai, ng the cp"ra'ion cf
the law ~ its intended purpose. The discovery
hav ng been made ti'aI many names had been
sac ald gigantic frauds, the commissioner sus
rcnGcd payments uron number OF pensions
which SCENE 10 be trauduLen or unauthorized
pending complete examination giving notice
TO the pension frs, IN o. der that they might have
an opportunity 10 tsta' HSh. if possible, the jas
tice Of their Claims notwithstanding apparent
invaid.tv.
This. ! understand. Is the pract;cn which has
for long time pr,,vared in the pension bureau;
6ut after entering upon these recent iuvestiga
.io1s the commissioner modified III = le 50 as
not TO allow, Ut il after complete examina
tim, Interference with the payment of pen
sion apparently not altogether void, but which
he / merely been liked al n rate higher ihan thai
authorized b. law. ] am unable 10 understand
why frauds IN he pension rolls should not be
eXpGsed ana corrected with thorourhness and
, vigor. Every NJ gue fraudnlently Put upon these
rolls IS al i11pos! ion uron The kindly senti
ment in which pensions have their origin.
The sum expcnded on q. cunt OF pensions for
the year ending June 81 1884, was ila67l ,467 Il
The coy-lIn ss!oner estimates ,ha g, ,0i3 00J will
be CURED 70 pqy pensions during the year
endiny ! nc 81, 1891.
The condition OF the Indians and their uld
maze fate ar> subjects whtch are related TO a
sa'rei Guty of the government, ana which
strongly apreai 10 the sense OF justice and the
scInpa-hy cf orr people
Our indians number about oi9G0G Most OF
them are lpctted on 15l res rvations. contain
ing ss,ll55I acres of land About ll0,0oo OF
ihcsa Indians have, to largo degree, adopted
civiliz d Gus oTs Lands IN severaltv has been
allotted TO them Such aliotmcn's have ben
made % 100l9 ip3v duSs during the last fiscal
year. embrsci about Gfn,f1o acres The num-
ber Of Indian covernIuoqt schools open during
the year was 1875 an Increase of Il over The pro
cod'ng year. o. this total l70 were on reServt-
tons. of which 73 were boarding schools and 81
W re day schools.
an sure that sccTlar education and moral
and religious teaching mist be impor iaat
f,ctors IN any effort 10 save the Indian and
lead him to civilization / believe, too, that
the rclinQuishmert of tribal relations and the
holding Of land in severaty NAV, in favorable
conditions, aid this colsummation 1t seems
10 ne, however, that al!otmengs of land in sew
e-alty ought 10 be made with great care and
circums pection.
TIC solution {. t.ln 7 ian problem depends
very largely upon good administration. The
petsoHal fitness of agents and their adaptabi
ity to the peculiar duty OF caring for their
wards IL Of the utzlost i'm oortalce
The appropriation Oh account Of thc Indian
bureau for the year ending June 81, 1891, amount
10 s., 81 ps'9a, n decrease as co-.ared with the
year preccd ng /. cf 357 1871 IS
The vast area OF land which. but shor. time
aga. constituted he public domain is rapidly
in ling IN 20 pr va.c hands II is certain that in
tne transfer the henehcnnt intention OF the gov
erument TO supply from its domain homes 10
l.