The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-12-08

the previous year.
am sure that secular education and
moral and religious teaching must be i'm.
portant factors in any effort to save the In
dian and lead him to civilization. / be-
lieve, too, that the REIMBURSEMENT Of tribal
! relations and the holding OF land In sever
atty may in favorable conditions aid this
consummation. It seems to me, however,
that allotments of land in severasty ought
TO Le made with great care and circumspec-
tioU.
The law providing that, except in special
cases. army officers shall be detailed as In
dian agents, it is hoped will prove sue
cessful experiment.
The vast area Of land which but short
time ago constituted the public domain is
rapidly falling into private hands. 1t is
certain that in the transfer the benefcent
intention of the government to supply
from its domain homes to the industrious
and worthy home seekers is often frus-
trated. Though the spcculator, who stands
with extortionate purpose between the
land Office and those who, with their fam
lilies, are invited by the government to set
tie on the public lands, Is despicable
character who ought not to be tolerated,
yet 1t Is difficult to thwart his schemes.
lands Of the Cherokee outlet, embracing
an area Of Q, 500, 600 acres, notwithstanding
the utmost care in framing the regulations
governing the selection of locations and
Notwithstanding the presence of United
States troops, furnished an exhibition,
though perhaps in a modified degree, of
the mad scramble, the violence and the
fraudulent occupation which have accom-
panied previous openings of public land.
l concur with the secretary in the belief
that these outrageous incidents cannot be
entirely prevented without a change in the
laws on the subject, and hope his recon-
mendations In that direction will be favor
ably considered.
especially commend to the attention Of
the congress the statements contained in
the secretary's report concerning forestry
The time has come when efficient meas
ures should be taken for the preservation
OF our forests from indiscriminate and
remediless destruction.
Agricultural Department..
The report of the secretary of agricul-
ture will be found exceedingly interesting,
especially to that large part of our citizens
intimately concerned in agricultural occu-
pations.
On the 7th day of March, 1S93 there
were Upon its payrolls 2430 employees
This number has been reduced to $50 per-
sons. In view of depleted public treas
ury and the imperative demand of the peo-
pie for economy in the administration Of
their government, the secretary has en-
tered upon the task OF nationally reducing
expenditures by the elimination from the
payrolls of all persons not needed for an
efficient conduct Of the affairs of the de-
partment.
The exports of agricultural products
from the United States for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1892, attained the enor-
nous figure of $500, 100000 in round num-
bers, being 1877 per cent of our total ex-
ports. In the last fiscal year this aggre-
gate was greatly reduced, but nevertheless
reached s615, ,oO0, 600, being 75.1 per cent of
all American commodities exported
review Of our agricultural exports
with special reference to their destination
will show that in almost every line the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ire
land absorbs by far the largest proportion.
OF cattle the total expNrts aggregated in
value for the fiscal year ending June 80,
1893, $4,000, 900, Of which Great Britain
took considerably over s25, ,0OO,O 900. OF beef
products of all kinds our total exports
were $2S, 100000, Of which Great Britain
took s4, 100000. OF pork products the
total exports were sS4,OO0,OO0, of which
Great Britain took S53, 100000. In bread
stuffs, cotton and minor products like pro-
portions sent to the same destination are
shown.
Conoerning Seeds.
During the last fiscal year the cost of
seeds purchased was s66, 6,54S.61. The re-
mainder of an appropriation of sl35, 900
was expended in putting them up and dis
tributing them. 1t surely never could have
entered the minds of those who first sane
TONED appropriations of public money for
the purchase of new and improved vari-
cites of seeds for gratutous distribution
that from this would grow large appropri-
ations for the purchase and distribution by
members of congress of ordinary seeds.
bulbs and cuttings which are common I'm
all the states and territories and every-
where easily obtainable at low prices.
In each state and territory an agricultur-
al experiment station has been established.
These stations, by their very character and
name, are the proper agencies to expert
ment with and test new varieties of seeds.
and yet this indiscriminate and wasteful
distribution by legislation and legislators
continues, answering no purpose unless it
Do TO remind constituents that their repre-
sentatives are willing to remember them
with gratuities at public cost.
In view of these facts this enormous ex
penditure without legitimate returns of
ber eft ought to be abolished. Anticipat-
ing contamination so manifestly in the
interest Of good administration, more than
slOO, 900 has been stricken from the esti-
mate made to cover this object for the
year ending June 80, 1895, and the secretary
recommends that the remaining S35, 900 of
the estimate be confined strictly to the
purchase of new and improved varieties of
seeds, and that these be distributed through
experiment stations.
Thus the seed will be tested, and after
the test has been completed by the expert
ment station the propagation of the useful
varieties and the rejection of the valueless
may safely be left to the common sense of
the people.
Civil Service.
The continued intelligent execution of
the civil service law and the increasing ap-
proval by the people of its operation are
most gratifying The recent extension of