Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1896-12-14


certificates issued was 9e.64O OF these
40 374 represent original allowances OF
claims and 15S7S increases of existing pen
sions.
In my opinion. based upon such state
ments as these and much other informa-
ton and observation the abuses which
have been allowed to creep into our pen
sion system. have done incalculable harm
In demoralizing our people and undermln-
Ing good citizenship. L have endeaVored
within my sphere of official duty to pro-
tect our pension roll, and make it what
it should be, a roll of honor containing
the names of those disabled in their
country's service and worthy of their
countrys affectionate remembrance.
Railroads Obligations
The secretary calls attention to the pub
lie interests involved in an adjust
ment of the obligations of the Pacific
railroads to the government. deem it to
be an important duty to especially pre-
sent this subject to the consideration of
the congress.
On Jan l. 1897 with the amount already
matured,- more than 900 of the prin-
cipal of the subsidy bonds issued by the
United States in aid of the construction
of the Union Pacific railway, including
its Kansas line and more than $6,000,0 900
of like bonds issued in aid of the Central
Pacific railroad, including those issued
to the Western Pacific railroad company,
will have fallen due and been paid, or
must on that day be paid by the govern
ment without any reference to the ap-
plication of the sinking fund now in the
treasury.
In the case of the Union Pacific COM
pany, however, the situation has become
especially and Immediately urgent. Pro-
ceedings have been instituted to foreclose
first mortgage upon those aided parts
of the main lines upon which the govern
ment holds a second and subordinate
mortgage lien. In consequence OF those
ffn,,c
added to the default occurring on the hrst
day of January, 1897, a condition Will be
presented at that date, so far as this
company is concerned, that must en-
phasize the mandate of the act of 1887 and
give to executive duty under its proV1S-
Ions more imperative aspect.
Therefore, unless congress shall other
wise direct or shall have previously de-
termined upon a different solution of the
problem, there will hardly appear to ex-
1St any reason for delaying beyond the
date of the default above mentioned, such
executive action will promise to sub
serve the public interests and save the
government from the loss threatened by
further inactiOn.
Agricultural Interests.
The department of agricultural is so in
timately related to the welfare of our peo-
pie and the prosperity of our nation, that
it should constantly receive the care and
encouragement of the government. From
small beginnings it has grown to be the
centre of agricultural efforts. Large sums
of money annually appropriated for
the maintenance of this department, and
it must be confessed that the Hesitation re-
lating to it has not always been directly
in the interest of practical farming
properly guarding against waste and ex-
travagance. So far however, as public
money has been appropriated fairly and
SenSibly to help these who actually till
the soil, no expenditure has been more
profitably made or more generally ap-
proved by the people
The secretary reports that the value of
our exports of farm products during the
last fiscal year amounted to $50 000, 600,
an increase of ST., 100000 over those Of
the year Immediately preceding. This
statement is none the less welcome be-
cause of the fact Notwithstanding such
increase the proportion of exported agri-
cultural products to our total exports of
all descriptions fell off during the year.
The benefits of an increase in agricultu-
raj exports being assured, the decrease
in its proportion to our total. exports is
the more gratifying when consider
that it is owing to the fact that such
total exports for the year increased more
than SIS, 000, 900.
In my opinion the gratutous distribu-
ton of seeds by the department as at
present conducted ought to be discon-
tinued. No one can read the statement
of the secretary on this subject and
doubt the extravaganza and questionable
results of this practice. she progressed
friends of the farmer, and certainly the
farmers themselves, naturally ex-
pected to be willing to rid a department
devoted to the promotion of farming in
terests of a feature which tends so much
to it's diScredit.
Civil Service Reform
The progress made in civil service re-
form furnishes cause for the utmost
1t has survived the doubts
of its friends we'll as the rancor of its
enemies, and has gained a permanent
place among the agencies destined to
cleanse our politics and to improve econ
omize and elevate the public service.
There are now in the competitive CLASH
fed service upward of $4,000 places. More
than half Of these have been included
from time to time since March 4, 1888.
A most radical and sweeping extension
was made by executive order dated May
6, 1895. And if fourth-c1ass postmaster
ships are not included in the statement, it
may be said that practically all positions
contemplated by the civil service law are
now classified. Abundant reasons exist
for including these misunderstanding,
based upon economy improved service,
and the peace and quiet of neighborhoods.
If however,; obstacles prevent Such action
at present, 1 earnestly hope that cob
gress will, without increasing postoffce
appropriations, SO adjust them as to PETE
NIT in proper cases consolidation Of
these postof1ces, to the end that through
this process the result desired may "a
limited extent be accomplished.
The interstate commerce commission
has during the last year, supplied. abuh-
dant evidence of it's usefulness and the
of the work Committed to its
charge. Public transportation is a unf-
versa1 necessity, and the question of just
and reasonable charges therefore has
become of vital Importance not only to
shippers and carriers, but also to the
vast multitude of producers and consum-
erS. etst4
The justice and equity of the principles
embodied in the existing law passed for
the purpose of regulating these charges
are everywhere conceded, and there ap-
pears to be no question that the policy,
thus entered upon, has permanent place
in our legislation.