River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-12-06

llshed. making total o. gas such o.ices in
operation lime 30. lsgi The number OF inter-
national money orders issued during the year
and their valee WIS sl3, 7gs455.3i, decrease in
amount OF .S893 So -. The number OF orders
paid was SOL ls0. an increase over the proceed
ing wear OF 61-d3. and their value was s6,5SS
4s3 =. an increase Of Il. rs 1isOS
From the foregoing statements IL appears
that tue total issue OF money orders and postal
notes Tor the year amounted to Sid5-2si5 lZN. %.
Tie number OF letters and packages mailed
turing the ye r for special delivery was 3 49,
50 The special delivery stamps used npon
these letters and packages amounted to S343,-
os7 The messengers lees paid for their de-
livery amounted to 1901. 204.7 20 leaving balance
Ia favor Of the government OF So, 4s7. 30
The Navy.
Attention Is called to the report OF the sec
Rotary Of the nav which shows very s-ratify-
ing progress in the construct on OF ship for
our new navy. AL the vessels now building in
Guiding the three torpedo boats authorize ut
the lsst session OF congress and excepting the
nrst-cl IS battle ship Iowa. Will probably be
competed during the coming fiscal year.
Z he estimates for the Increase OF the navy for
the year ending June 3D. 1896. are large, but
they lhc.uue pfactleally the entire sum nee es-
sary 70 complete and equip all the new ships
not now In comm .ss.On, so that unless new
ships are authorized the apprc priations for the
naval service for the fiscal year ending jane
coming year by at least si2.00O00)
More Battleships Needed.
The secretary presents with much earnest
ness plea for the authorization Of three ad-
ditional battleships and ten or twelve torpedo
boats. While the unarmoret vessels hereto
fore authorized including those now nearing
completion will constitute feet. which II is
believed is sufficient for ordinary cruising pur-
poses in -iEne OF peace, we have now completed
and in process o. construction but four first
class battle-nipS and out rev torpedo DO Is.
The manu- seizure of arm1r requires ex-
pensive plant and the a9greg ton OF many
skilled work zen. All the armor necessary to
n sr the vessels building viii be do
hvcred before the LIST OF June next If no new
contracts "a @ given o1t contractors must dis
band their workmen ana their plants must lie
lille. iial tlcshlps authorized at THIS time
YOU not lie well under way until late in the
coming fiscal year and at Least three years ana
a half from the date OF the contract would be
required for their completion. The secretary
states hat not more tnan Is per cent. OF the
cost OF such sh ps need be included in the ap-
preparation for the coming year. / recommend
that pro ision be IA c for the construction OF
additional battle hips and torpedo boats.
The secretary recommends the manufacture
not only Of a reserve supply OF ordnance and
ordnance material for ships OF the navy. but
also a supply for the au1il " feet. Guns and
their anpurtenauces sh5u pc provided and
kept on hand for both these PURPOSES. We
have not to-day a single gun that could be put
upon the ships Paris or New York Of the Inter-
~llp OF our reserve navy. the manufacture OF
guns At the Washington navy yard is proceed
ing satisfactorily. ana none of our new ships
VIII be required TO wait for their guns or ord
nance equipment.
Ciyii Service in the Navy.
The system adopted few years ago regulat-
ing the employment Of labor at the navy
yards is rgidly upheld ana has fully demon
Stratcd its usefulness and expedieney. 1t is
within the domain OF civil service reform
iuasmuch wOrkmen are employed through "a
board OF labor selected AT each navy yard and
are given work without refe -ence to politics
and in the order OF their application. prefer
ence. however. being given u army and navy
veterans and those having former navy yard
experience. Amendments suggested by ex-
perience have been made to the rules reg lat
ing the system Through Its operation ne
work at our w yards has been vastly i'm
proved In efficiency and the opportunity 70
work has be n no lestlV ana fairly ava Led to
willing and competent applicants It is hoped
that If this system continues to he strictly
adhered TO there viii sooa be as n
tiOn OF party benefits as will remove
all temptation To relax ora abandon It,
The Public Domain.
The report OF the secretary OF the interior
exhibits The situation OF the numerous and in
teresting branches Of the public service con-
nected with his department. 1 commend this
report ana the valuable recommendations OF
the secretary to the careful attention OF the
C ngress The public land Sposed Of during
the ycar amounted to 10 4O6 l9l0 acres
including - 5000 OF Indian lands. II Is
estimated that the public domain still
remaining amounts to "A little more than
600O0lO0O acres including. however, about
800 0oJO0J acres in Alaska as well as military
reservations and railroad ana other selections
OF laldS yet un1djudic ted he total cash re-
CFiu from s lie or Xmas amounted 10 -.tt T.
~ 80 including .9l9Sl % received or indian
lands Thirty-nve thousand patents were is
sued for agricu tura lands and 300 D tents
were ISIS led TO Indians On allOtmentS Of their
lands in severaity. the land 50 allotted
BET inalienable by the Indian al
lottees for period of Twenty-Five years
patented on account Of railroad and wagon
ROAD grants during the year. During the wear
s. 5 q - acres OF land and az the close Of the
year 290O00o0 acres were embraced IL the lists
OF selections made by railroad and wagOn-road
companies and awaited settlement. The Sc
lections OF swamp lands and that taken as in
demnity therefor since the passage of he act
providing for the same in 1919. amount TO
nearly or quite 8 500 90 acres, Of which IS CO.
ogo havr been patented to states; About lSs :
900 acres We're patented during the last year.
Nearly $50 90 acres OF school AMI education
grants were app owed during the year and at
It's close o0S63 - acres rem iucd unadl
Prot tion of the Lands.
il appears that the appropriation for the
cure. YER on account Of Spesigl service for
the protection o. the public lands and the tim
Der thereon Is much less tn IN those for pre-
vious wears and inadequate fur IN efficient per-
fOrnauce OF the work. 4 larger SUN of money
than has been appropriate during number
OF years past on TINS account has beel re-
turned TO the government as result OF the
iabors OF those employed in the p rticular
$ rvice mentioned. and 1 hope II will not be
crITplel by insufi lent appropriation. fully
iudJrSe the recommendation OF the secretary
that adequate protection be provided for our
forest reserves. and that "A comprehensive for
estry system he inaugurdtei such keepers
/ ami Superinteniehts as are necessary 10 pro-
tect the forests already reserved should be
provided 1 an of the opinion that there
should be an ab ndoument OF the policy sane
toned by present laws under which the gov
eminent for very small con 'ideration Is rap
idly losing it'll 20 immense tracts OF land COW
cred with timber which should be p operlv re-
served as permanent sources OF timber supply.
\ Land Court Needed.
An exceedingly important recommendation
Of the secretary relates to tire manner in
which contests and litigated cases growing out
Of efforts TO obtain government land are deter
mined. The entire testimony upon which these
controversies depend in all their stages is
taken before the local registers and receivers.
and vet these oficer, ave no power to sub Oena
witnesses or to enforce tn ir attend tGce to
testify These cases, numbering O0o or coo
anuua ~ are sent by the local officers to the
commissioner OF the general land ONCE for his
action. The eSigencles OF his other duties
a. ilge him 10 act upon the dee SONS OF the reg
tsteIs AMI receivers without an Opportunity OF
thorough personal examination. rrly -,OO)
from the commissioner to the secretary OF the
interior. Bur5e ned With other in pogtaEt ad-
ministr'tire duties, his determin1t on Of these
appeal must be almost perfunrtory and
based upon the examination OF OF ers. though
this determination OF the secretary operates
as a final adjudication upon rights OF very
great Importance. / concur in the opinion
that the commisS Oler OF the general land
office should be relieved from the duty OF de-
Gliding 1T gated landc SCI; hat n1npartis n
court should be created to pass on such eases.
and that the decisions Of thi, court should be
NAAA at least 50 lar Us inc QEEAsAoAa OF
the department are now final
Ailotmputs in SeveraIty.
I have always believed that allotments OF
reservation lands to Indians in severalty should
be made spariugly or at least owly and with
the utmost caution. In these days when white
agrculturistS an 4 stock raiSers Of experience
and Intelligence find their lot hard one. we
ought not To expect Indians. unless far ad-
Vdnced IN civiliZat on and bits OF industry.
TO support themselves on g small tracts OF
land usually allotted to them. IL the self-sup-
porting scheme by allotment fai 5 the Nretched
pauperism OF the alIottees which results Is
worse than their original condition Of regG-
lated dependence Il is evident that the evil
consequences Of i'll advised allOtmeuts are in
teneified in eases where tue false step cannot
be retreatej on account Of the purchase by the
government OF re ,ervution lands remaining
after allotmcnts are made and the disposition
Of such remaining lands TO settlers or pur-
chasers from the government.
Honesty In Bssiltng with the Indians.
Whenever allOtments are made and any In
dian on the reserN at GA has previously settled
unun lot and Gu ttvatel it, or shown dis
position to improve 10 in any way, such lot
should certainly be allO ted to him and this
shou "a be made plainly obig tory by statute
N the light Of experience. and considering the
uncertainty OF the Indian situation and its ext
posed to be very cautious in making al
lotments but l incline to agree with
the sc rotary OF the interior in the
opinion that when allOtments are made the
balance or reservation land remaining after
allotment. instead OF being bought by the
government from the Indians and opened for
settlement with such scandals and unfair
practices as seem unavO dable. should remain
for a time Mt least as common land or DE sold
by the government on behalf OF the Indians in
an orderly way and at fixed prices, to be deter
min by its location and desirabitity, and
that the proceeds. less expenses. should be