Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-12-05

during the year for public lands dlS-
posed of amounted to $2,03S,4 54.o3.
During the fiscal year there have been
certified and patented on account OF
railroad patents 1884 03631 acres, an
Increase over the previous fscal year
of over 100000 acres.
After reviewing in detail the WORK
OF the land Office during inc past
twelve months, the secretary takes Up
the question of the arid lands and the
preservation of the forests. lie urges
that these two questions are closely
allied for the quantity OF aria lahls
far exceeds the present water supply,
even If it were all utilized for irriga-
ton. The incrt ase Of the water sup
My must depend upon the growth ana
preservation of the forests Attention
Is called to tho failure OF the Carey Dill
TO accomplish the results expected; the
secretary attributes this to the TACT
that the bill intended that money for
irrigation should be raised upon the
arid lands given to the states. me
secretary suggests the advisab!li'y ~
presenting these lands to the states
after 1t is fully determined that the Sc
lections made by them under he
Carey act are arid lands.
Under the subject OF forests the sec
rotary calls attention to the fact that
II 900 600 acres are now included with
in forest reserves, the object beng TO
thus preserve the forests for future
use and through their preservation to
control the supply Of water so that j.
may be stored and utilized for .rriga-
ton. The present force Of the gen
cral land office, 1t Is stated, is made
quatc to protect the reservations. TN"
less some plan is devised by congress
for the protection OF the forests either
by the army or by fGre5ters liVinS
upon the reservations 1t is manifest
that the objects sought to be accom-
plished will fail. The secretary
quotes the law authorizing the issue Of
permits for the cutting Of timber FROM
the public domain, and urges that the
timber cut from there should be sold
for sufficient sum to make 1t posi-
bic to preserve the standing forest and
see that the cutting Is done In n way
not destructive to it.
The review of the pension Office CON
sists chiefly of statistical Information
furnished by that bureau. The secre'
tary next refers to the patent office.
During the year ended June 30, 1899,
there were 3G,97l applications for pat
ents and 20,745 patents granted. The
total expenditures were 81, 1875 ,5J7.07 -;
the receipts over expenditures "arn
1857 400 80, and the total receipts over
expenditures to tho credit Of the pat
ent Office In the treasury Of the United
States amount to 1866, 757.73.
ON the subject of education the re-
port shows that the total number OF
pupils enrolled in 1894 in public and
private schools was $3.50, 2G8, or 2.SS
per cent. of the entire popuation-~li,-
SAG. 1858 in public and private element
airy schools, 4S0,352 In secondary
schools, and 2O3,052 In institutions of
higher education. OF the grand total
Is, $40 .2GS, the number In the public
schools of all grades was l4,Ol2,to3
and in private schools of all grades
l,517,770.
One of the interesting features OF
the report Is the discussion of the re-
lations between the government and
the Pacific bond-aided roads and oi
the possibility Of collecting the
amount duo the government from
/ these roads. The report urges that
| two things are to be considered: III,
ment and the creation Of II great
through line from the Missouri to tho
Pacific. which was the original pur.
pose Of the government leading to the
issue of the subsidy bonds, Tho re-
port shows In detail the amount OF tn.
subsidy bonds the amount of the in,
tercst which the government has pNlo
en- them and the amount of the llrs'
mortgage bonds. The secretary Says
the government Is already out $ll7,-
i36. 200 upon these roads, and that the
first mortgage bonds only amount tc
Nhf,Nln,UVu, lllit the plbItIlA IL "pl u
vastly moro than the first mortgage
bonds. and that the government inter
csts can be protected. II necessary. by
taking up these bonds, He says that
all these bonds are now maturing and
draw six per cent, that they could
easily be replaced With n three pei
cent. bond, II the government guar0l-
tCcd them, and rs the government
holds 4 second lien and must protect
the property against the first lien, the
government should sec to It, If any
new sets of bonds are issued, that the
first mortgage bonds draw no higlal
rate OF interest than government bonds
would draw. The secretary says the
net earnings Of each one Of the lines
during the past ten years have made
an average OF rcarlv six per cent. OF
the sum OF the first mortgage bonds
and on tho government subsidy bonds
and suggests the possibility OF 4 nos
issue Of bonds guaranteed by the GOV
eminent drawing three per cent. eQua
In amount 10 the first morlgaEC hona