The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1896-10-31

vi r. lLOuu. CUhlk A1N VI
mittee on postotices and ~postrOads, sa1d
in the course of the debate:
The increase In the appropriations Tor tne
star route service during the last -FOUR yeA.s
taken from that service and devoted to reg
ulation, screen, and other wagon service.
In other words. while you gentlemen ,reom
Ing appropriations for the star route service,
ali OF that Increase has been used IN the
large cities.
In fact, the amount thus diverted dur
ing the last fiscal year was S6IU,VU!U'
whereas the increase in, the approprla-
ton for country mail service was only
$500. 1000: so that Notwithstanding the
successful efforts of the friends OF the
farmers to secure an appropriation 10
better his mail service, there was actuai-
Nv less money spent on that service Thar
before, because the Democratic admins.
tration of the postofice department used
elsewhere, as it has in previous years,
the money specifically appropriated TOT
This is in striking contrast with tne
Republican administration of the post
office department. Mr.. Wanamaker Sc
cured appropriations for experiments IN
free mail delivery in villages and ne
faithfully expended these appropriations.
In a communication to the Senate ne
stated that after making an
equal to the previous average annual
increase of the business of the offices, II
was found that the increase of the bust
ness of the offices due to the free daily
delivery had more than paid for that
delivery. In some cases the profit from
free delivery was quite large, In New
Canaan, Conn, for example, the village
in which free daily delivery was first IN
%troduced, and in which the experiments
were conducted for five years, the aver.
--o ,-~,n1 snonron nf tho ntf1Hp W1S
1923, while the free delivery cost only
5000: A business that yields an average
annual profit of 1914 per cent, part OF
the period being a time of panic and de-
preston, is a good business indeed; yet
the present administration of the post
Office department has discontinued the
free delivery in the villages in which it
was established by Mr.. Wanamaker.
The results from experiments IN VII
lagos indicated, as Mr.. Wanamaker fore
saw that they would, the practicability
of free daily delivery to farmers; and
be secured from the Fifty-second Com
gress an appropriation for experiments
in free mail delivery to farmers, and an
appropriation for this purpose was MADE
by the Fifty-third Congress at both
sessions. The language Of the appro-
Bissell and Mr.. Wilson have refused to
expend these appropriations. The mail
has become a very important factor in
the prosperity, welfare and enjoyment
of the people. In the attitude OF the
Republican and Democratic administra-
tons toward rural mail service and the
efforts made to improve it, the farmer
will find excellent aid in deciding ZOE
which party to vote.
Who Forfoits Land Grants?
For some years the farmers of tho
--...L-- hoo l11~ loVo0nHSN~ thQf tho
grants of lands to aid in the construction
of certain railroads, should be declared
forfeited where the conditions of the
i grants had not been complied with. The
Fifty-first Congress-the first Congress
Republican in both branches since the
demands for the a9nnlmen i4s Ct these sass
sion enacted a law
That. there is hereby forfeited to the
| United States, and the United States hereby
resumes the title thereto, all lands hereto
fore fore e 3|G In t. }h any so Sta5e eH to Of pps q f rails :
opposite to and coterminous with the p0fss
tion Of any such railroad not now completed
and ln operation, for +, the nas constructor instr crsnte 81
| and ali such lands are declared to be a part
Of the public domain.
This law should have much weight
! with the farmer in determining what
| ticket he will vote, for, aside from re-
storing considerable areas to the public
ury, it showed that a Republicac o..
! gress did not fear to ensSt righteous laws
| for the people and against some of the
most powerful corporations in the
try-in mNrked contrast to the subservi,
i ency to trusts and corporations of the
| Democratic Congress that we have had
since. "
! Who Opened Foreign Markets?
For some years certain European ma
tions-one of which, at least, while
lection of certain farm products 70 the
extent of prohibitory decrees-had ex-
cluded our animal products and live ami
mails for their markets or had subjected
them to veXatious n Notwithstanding
regulations, because it was alleged, they
were frequently unwholesome or dis
eased. Our farmers were we'll aware
subterfuge, and they demanded such in
spection of our slaughtered animals and
live animals offered for export that for
eign governments could not plead disease
among our animals as a justification for
excluding those products of our farms
from their markets. Everyone familiar
with our live stock interests, knows that
them. The Fifty-irst Congress, that did
so much for the farmer, made meat in
spection laws that fully met the wishes
of our s~tock-raisers, and that, being
faithfully administered by Secretary
Rusk, accomplished all that was expect
ed of them. 1t is unfortunate that by
his W utterances and actions the pres
ent secretary of agriculture should have
shown q different attitude toward those
wise laws. In determining which ticket
he shall vote, the farmer will certainly
compare the department of agriculture
under Secretary Rusk with it under his
successor, who began his career as sec
rotary of agriculture by insulting organ
lied farmers, and who has made the
truly remarkable record of not missing
even one opportunity to show, along with
his total lack of sympathy with farmers,
not only his complete ignorance of our
agricultural interests, but either an utter
%incapacity or a completely successful in
disposition to learn.
10 to I Not Wanted.
The currency plank Of the Chicago
platform certainly does not express the
sentiments of the National Grange; and
at it's last annual meeting, in Atlanta,
Ca, October 1915, 1895. the Farmers
National congress voted down all of the
.16 to ] free silver coinage resolutions
presented, and adopted resolutions in.
which it declared that it was ~emphatical-
.ly in favor of the use of both gold and
silver as the money Of ultimate redemp-
ton and was in favor of the free coinage
of silver BY international agreement At!
a ratio, to be agreed up0n.
It is but Justice TO the Demecra5e
party to say that, until rec emily, through
it's. long career, it was friendly to agt5.