Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1894-12-08

divided profits. less expenses and taves paid
/ amounted to S344 III. 0S2. 10 which was Sl6O39-
! 7sO less than on October 81, 1893
! The circulation has increased Si,741, 56}.
/ The obligations of the banks to each other
were increased s1l7 263, 334 and the individual
| deposits were S227, 294. 4S9 less than at the
| corresponding date in the previous years
/ Loans and discounts were t161 206 923 more
| than at the same time the previous year and
checks and other cash items were t9O,349 go
more. The total res ources of the banks at
! the date mentioned amounted to So, 473 922, 0j5
as against s3, 109, ,563 284 SO in 1898.
War Department.
The message reviews and comment on the
report of the secretary of war. The president
does not believe there is any necessity for in
cneasIng the army to 5000 men, recon-
mended by Secretary Lamont He advises
against the creation of new military posts
The secretary's plan of the adoption Of the
battalion system is recommended The strike
troubles of last summer are briefly referred to
and the action of the military commended
In recognition of the long and distingu uis hed
military services and faithful discharge of
delicate and res ponsible civil duties by Major
General John NJ Schofeld now the general
commanding the army, it IS sugg ested 10 con-
gress that the temporary revival of the grade
oflieutenant general in his behalf would be
just and gracious act
Department of Justice.
The report of the attorney general notes the
gratifying progress made by the supreme
court in overcoming the arrears OF its busi-
ness and in reaching condition in which it
will be able to dispose of cases they arise
without any unreasonable delay This result
is of course very LARGELY due to the successful
working of the plan inaug urating circuit
courts of appeals. In respect to these tribun
ais the suggest tion is made in quarters entitled
to the highest consideration that an addi-
tional circuit jud re for each circuit would
greatly strengthen these courts and the
confidence reposed in their adjudications
and that such addition would not create a
greater force of judges than the increasing
business of such courts requires. 1 commend
the suggestion to the careful consideration of
the congress Other important topics are
adverted to the report accompanied by recon-
mendationS, many of which have been treated
at large in previous messages. and at this
time they need only be named, refer to the
abolition of the fee system as a measure of
compensation to federal officers The
largement Of the powers of United States
commissioners in the territories. the allowance
Of writs of error in criminal cases on behalf
of the United States and the establishment of
degrees in the crime of murder. A topic dealt
with by the attorn ey general of much import
ance is the condition of the administration of
justice in the Indian Territory The perma-
nent solution of what is called the Indian
problem Is probably not to be expected at
once, but meanwhile such ameliorations of
present conditions of the existing system will
admit ought not to be neglected. 1 am salts
fed there should be federal court estab-
lished for the territory with sufficient judges
and that this court should sit within the ter
ritory and have the same jurisdiction as to
territorial affairs as now vested in the federal
courts sitting in Arkansas and Texas.
Eight years ago in my annual message
urged upon the congress as strongly as I could
the location and construction of two prisons
for the confinement of United States prison
ers A similar recommendation has been
made from time to time since and few years
ago a law was passed providing for the selec-
t1on of sites for three such institutions No
appropriation has, however. been made to
carry the act into effect and the old and dis
credttible condition still exists
Postal and Navy Departments.
The message next takes up the report of the
postmaster general and strongly urges the
recommendations of that official looking to
the correction of the abuses of the second
class mail matter privilege by publis hers of
advertising matter, who send tons of papers
through the mail and defraud the government
out of millions of dollars postage annually.
The free carriage of seeds of grain throu h
the mails is also condemned II these abuses
were rectified the department would be self
sustaining. The report of the postmas ter
general. which has already been published is
reviewed at length.
Attention IS called to the report of the sec
retary of the navy which shows very crafty
ing progress in the construction of ships for
our new navy.
recommend that provision be made for the
construction of additional battle ships 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 supply for the auxil
iary fleet Guns and their apurtenances
should be provided and kept on hand for both
those purposes We have not to-day a single
gun that could be put upon the ships Paris or
New York of the International Navigation
company or any other ship of our reserve
navy The manufacture of guns at the
Washington navy yard is proceeding salts
factorily, an none of ships will be
required to wait for their uns or ordnance
equipment
Interior Department.
The report of the secretary of the interior
exhibits the situation of the mum rous and in
teresting branches of the public service con-
nected with his department I recommend
this report and the valuable recommends
tions of the secretary to the careful attention
of congress.
fully indorse the recommendation Of the
secretary that adequate protection be pro-
vided for our forest reserves and that COM
prehensive forestry system be inaugurated
The recommendations of the secretary in
regard to dealing with the Indian question is
concurred in and has already been published
Pensions.
The barefaced and extensive pension frauds
veteran soldier now at the head of the bureau
leaves no room for the claim that no purgation
of our pension roll was needed or that con-
tinued vigilance and prompt action are not
necessary TO the same end The accusation
that an effort to detect pension frauds is evi-
dence of unfrendline<s towards our
worthy veterans and q denial OF their
claims to the generosity of the gov
ernment suggests an unfort unate indiffer-
ence to the comis sions OF any ofense which
has for its motive the securing Of a pension
and indicates willingness to be blind TO the
existence of mean and treacherCus crimes
which play upon demagogic fears and make
sport OF the patriotic people.
Agricultural Department..
The secretary of agriculture in his report
reviews the operations of his department for
the last fiscal year and makes recommends
tions for the further extension of its useful
ness The recommendations of the senate
are concarred in. The prohibition of free dis
tribution of seed by the department is again
urged.
The work done by the department of agri-
culture is very superfcially dealt with in this
communication and commend the report of
tie secretary and the very important inter
es1s with which it deals to the careful atten-
tion of the congress
An exceedingly important recommendation
of the secretary relates to the manner in
which contests and ltigated cases growing
out of efforts to obtain government land are
determined The entire testimony upon
which these controV ersies depend in all their
stages is taken before the local registers
and receivers and yet these officers have no