The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-12-04

use As an sgency to aid ia carrying out
the scheme OF a business house TO adj
yertise is goods by means OF trick
upon both lite rival houses aud the
regular and legitimate newspapers.
Paper-coyered literature, consisting
mainly Of trashy novels, to the extent
Of many thousands Of tons. IL sent
through the mails at one cent per
| pound, while the publishers OF standard
works are required TO pay eight times
that amount In sending their publica.
tons. Another abuse consists IN the
free carriage through the mails Of hun
dreds OF tons OF seed and grain uselesSly
distributed through the department OF
agriculture. The postmaster general
predicts that IL the law be amended as
10 eradicate these abuses, not only will
| the postofice department show no de-
ficiency but he believes that in the
near future all legitimate newspapers
and periodical magazines might BIZ
properly transmitted through the mails
10 their subscribers free OF cost. in.
yite your prompt consideration oil this
subject and fully endorse the vieHs OF
the postmaster general.
MORE RATTLE SHIPS AND TORPEDO BOATS.
The secretary OF the navy presents
with much earnestuess plan for the
authorization OF three additional battle
ships or 10 or IL torpedo boats. Whilethe
uuarmored vessels heretofore author
lied, including those now nearing com.
pletion, will constitute feet, which, it
Is believed, is sufficient for ordinary
cruising purposes in times OF peace, We
have now completed and 10 process Of
construction but four frst-class battle
ships and but few torpedo boats. II we
are to have navy for warlike opera
lions, offensive and defensive, we cer-
tainlv ought to increase both the hum.
Der OF battle ships and torpedo boats.
During the past fiscal year there has
been an unusually pressing demand in
many quarters OF the world for the
presence OF vessels to guard American
interests.
In January last, during the Brazilian
insurrectiop, o large feet was concen-
trated in the harbor Of Rio de Janiero.
The vigorous action OF Rear Admiral
Benham in protecting personal and
COMMERCIAL rights OF our citizens dur
ing the disturbed conditions afforded
results which will, it lis believed. have
far-reaching and wholesome influence
whenever in like circumstances il may
become necessary for our naval COM
manders to interfere on behalf OF our
people in foreign ports.
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
tits estimated that the public domain
still remaining amounts to little more
than 6OO,000,00o acres, excluding, how.
ever, about 100000 acres in Alaska,
as well as military reservations and
railroad and other sections OF lands
yet upadjudcated. The total cash re.
ceipts from sale OF lands amounted to
S2,674, 2s5.79 including SOL lSl.0S re-
ceived for Indian lands. Thlrty-tive
thousand patents were issued for agri-
| cultural lands aud thirty.oue hundred
patents we're Issued to Indians on allot-
ment Of their holdings in severalty, the
land so allotted being inallenable by
the Indian allottors for period OF
TWENTY-FIVE years alter patent.
Itappears that the appropriation for
the current year on account OF special
service for the protection OF the public
lands and the timber thereon is much
less than those for previous years and
inadequate for an efficient performance
OF the work. A larger sum OF money
than has been appropriated during
number OF years past on this account
has been returned to the government
as result OF the labors OF those en-
ployed Ia the Particular service men.
toned, and l hope it will not be Grip.
pied BY insufficient appropriation. l
fully endorse the recommendation OF
the secretary that adequate protection
be provided for our forest reserves and
that comprehensive forestry system
be inaugurated.
An exceedingly important recommen-
dation Of the secretary relates to the
manner in which contests and litigated
cases growing out OF efforts to obtain
government land are determined. The
entire testimony upon which these
controversies depend in all their stages
is taken before the local registers and
receivers, and yet these officers have no
power to subpoena witnesses or to en-
force their. attendance to testify. The
cases, numbering 5000 or 4,0Oo annu-
ally, are sent BY the local officers to the
commissioner Of the general land office
for his action. The exiganctes Of his
other duties obige him to act upon the
decisions OF the registers and receivers
without an opportunity OF thorough eI.
animation.
Nearly two thousand OF these cases
are appealed annually from the COM
missioner to the secretary OF the in
| terror. Burdened with other important
administrative duties, his determination
OF these appeals must be almost per-
functory and based upon the examin-
alton Of others, although this determine
alton Of the secretary operates as a final
adjudication upon rights Of very great
importance. l concur in the opinion
that the commissioner OF the general
land Office should be relieved from the
duty OF deciding litigated land cases;
that non-partisau court should be
created to pass on such cases.. and that
the decisions of this court should be
final. at least 80 far as the decisions Of
the department are now final.
Lam convinced that the proper solu-
ton OF the Indian problem and the sue
cess OF every step taken in that direction
depend to a very large extent upon the
intelligence and honesty OF the reserva-
ton agents and the interests they have
! in their work. An agent fitted for HE
place eau do much toward preparing
the Indians under his charge for citizen
ship and allotment Of their lands, and
his advice rs to any matter concerning
| their welfare will not misfead. An unfit
| ounok ,rill mnka ~ aInrt tn advance the