The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-08

TTGuCCUSEOT, UNIV y VCTTnnnbnT COlniIESIUn, CON
sisting Of three members, ono ofwhom shall DO on
army officer, be created to perform the duties
now deyolving upon the Commissioner and As.
management of tho Bureau involves such numer.
GUS and diverse details, and the advantages Of an
the change suggested will meet the approval OF
the Congress.
NO %ECREA IN PENSION EXPENDITURES.
The diminution of our enormous pension roll
have been so often confidently forctoid, stiii fail
In material realization. Tho number Of pension.
s snae On june ShS E So, 1856 81 'S %as s,S : S.S 2! the f tlSsa i yf tSs
lergest, eyer reported; The amount paid OK
s%lnsiyely for pensions during the year was $iss.:
preceding year, while the total expenditures on
account of pensions, including the cost of main
p IsiMaRs '1 Gist Rsgsssm'nt am Sna S%sa0P to s StiSn sos.;
b5O, %, CT, within n very small fraction. of one
tah aTar1 of tho d entire o.. expense snm,o OF suPPPSSr r h,,n, the
OF new pension certificates issued WINS 90.640. OF
these, 4Oy3I4 represent original allowances OF
The number of persons receiving pensions from
the Unitco states but residing In foreign coan-
tries at the close of the last fiscal year was 1891,
and the amount paid to them during the year
wns 1852, 1888.
The sum appropriated for tho payment of pen.
gions for the current fiscal year ending juno 80.
1897. Is Sl4O,O 100000 and for the succeeding
year 1t is timnted that the same amount will be
The Commissioner of Pensions reports that dur
Ing the last fiscal year. 800 indictments wore
IOuIluu phlnNU NlOlHIOTS OF tho pension laws. Upon
these indictments 1877 convictions resulted.
In my opinion, based upon such statements as
these ton an and 0 much , either b information matt si,o and 9 10 sr,an
into our pension system have done incalculablc
harm in demoralizing, our people, and undormin-
my Sphere sSSc Of Official duty to protect our pension
roll and make 1t what 1t should be. a roll Of
honor. containing the names of those disabled in
their country's service and worthy OF their coun-
try's affectionate remembrance. When / have
seen those who pose as the soldiers friends, active
and alart In rirfyinp urNatnr Ia xity md mora rprk.
less pension expenditure, while nursing selfish
schemes, / have deprecated tho approach OF q
enforced economy may lead to an attack upon
pension abuses, so determined as to overlook tho
discrimination duo to those who, worthy of a
nations care, ought to live and die under the
protection of u nation gratitude.
THE PACIFIC RAILROADS.
The Secretary calls attention to the public In
terests involved in an adjustment OF tho obliga-
tions OF the Pacific railroads to the Government.
deem il 10 be an important duty to especially
present this subject to the consideration OF the
On January /, 1897. with the amount already
matured; more than $4,000 900 of the principal
of the subsidy bonds issued by the United States
In ad of the, construction of the Union Pacific
Railway: including its, Kansas lire, and more
Central Pacific Railroad, including those issued
to the Western Pacific Railroad Company, will
have tailsn due u and been paid or must on that
reference to the application of the sinking fund
now In the Treasury, this will create such a
oN'o'a va '"S pay VI Tvs NOilllillltS u llt
Government as will give ii the right to at once
Institute proceedingS to foreclose its mortgage
lien. In addition to this Indebtedness. which will
be due January l, 1897. there will mature be-
tween that date and January I, 1899, the re-
masr nisPp riba be- mat Of bv s tSG GSG oSsrnm bonds T ThHsa
amount to more than 800. 900. 900 on account Of
the Union Pacific lines, and exceed ST., 0OO,o 900
on account of the Central Pacific lines.
dition, of their Indebtedness to the Govern
ment have been fully set forth in the re
ent and prior Congresses; and as early
as lss1 they were Thoroughly examined by a
spcrial commission appointed pursuant to an act
OF congress. The considerations requiring an
adjustment Of the Governments relations to the
companies nave been clearly presented. and the
conclusion reached with practical uniformity,
tina; If these relations are not terminated they
continuance.
Under section I ofthe act Of Congress passed
Mach 3; 1887, the President is charged with the
duty, in the event that any mortgage or other in
cumurance paramount to the interest Of the
United States in the property Of the Pacific rail.
forced. TO direct the action Of the Departments Of
Tr,asury and OF Justice in the protection OF the
through judicial proceedings, including fore
closures OF the Government liens.
IN view Of the fact that the Congress has for n
number OF years almost constantly had under
consideration various plans for dealing with the
CONDITIONS existing between these roads and the
GgvernnCnt. l have thus far felt justified in
withholding action under the statute above men
tio"od.
~ NuN 'sSS VI tIt HiDn r dClUC company, now
ever. the situation has become especially and i'm
.hc t.ttely URGENT. Proceedings have been insti-
' "a to foreciese a ilrst nortgaso upon those
Government holds n second and subordinate
hiori "sc lien. In consequence of those proceed
iGgs nd increasing complications. added to the
default occurring on the ! st day Of January. 1897,
a condition will be presented at that date. so far
as THIS company is concerned, that must empha-
size the mandate Of the act OF 1887 and give to
Executive duty under Its provisions n more i'm
Otherwise direct or shall have prpyipugly
detcrinined upon a different solution OF the prob
lem; thcrS vii hardly appear to exist an, reason
mentioned such Executive action as will promise
TO sibserve the pubic interests and save the
government from the loss threatened by further
~inaction.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
The Department OF Agriculture is so intimately
related 10 the welfare Of our people and the pros
perity OF our nation that 1t should constantly re-
celVe the care and encouragement of the Govern
ment. From email beginnings 1t has grown to DO
the centre OF agricultural intelligence and the
source of aid and encouragement to agricultural
efforts. Large sums Of money are annually APP
propriatcd for the maintenance of this Depart
ment, and 1t must he confessed that the lcgisla-
ton relating to It has not always been directly In
the interest OF practical farming or properly
guarded against waste and extravaganza. So
far, however, as public money has been appro-
priatcd fairly. and sensibly to help those who
actually till the soil. no expenditure has been
Eots prontnbly made or more generally approved
Under the present management OF the Depart.
ulcit IS uStluncSS mas DcCn ennanCBd In every
direction. and at the same time strict economy
has been enforced to the utmost extent permitted
by Congressional action. From the report of the
Secretary 1t appears that through careful and
prudent financial management he has annually
saved a large sum from his appropriations. aggre-
eating during his incumbency and up TO the close
OF the present fiscal year nearly one-fifth Of tho
entire amount appropriated. These results have
been accomplished by n conscientious study Of
the real needs of the farmer and such a regard for
economy as the genuine farmer ought to appreci-
ate. supplemented by n rigid adherence to civil
service methods In a Department which should
be conducted in the interest OF agriculture instead
Of partisan politics.
The Secretary reports that the value of our ex-
ports OF farm products during the last fiscal year
amounted to 1870, O0O, 900. an increase of $l7,-
100000 over those Of the year Immediately pre-
ceding. This statement Is not the less welcome
because Of the fact that, Notwithstanding such
increase, the proportion OF exported agricultural
products TO our total exports Of all descriptions
Ill OFF during the year. The benefits of an in
crease in agricultural exports being assured, the
decrease in its proportion to our total exports Is
the more gratifying when we consider that 1t Is
owing 10 tho fact that such total exports for the
year increased more than $75. 600 900.
The large and increasing expectation OF our
agricultural products suggests the great useful
pess OF the organization lately established in the
DeDartmpnt for tho purDnge NJ QiyinU IN thnan