The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-12-05
BILLIONS FOR PENSIONS.
ENORmOUs AMOUNT PAID BY THE
GUyEENuENTI THIRTY YEARS.
TIL, Nicaragua Canal Company not Yet IN
"A Position To Resume Norh-hePort
Of Secretary Francis


for the last fiscal year amounted to Sl"-
1860 The estimates Tor the present
fiscal year are about 100000 more thah
was appropriated last year.
The actual public domain Is now i''f''-
2O7,65l acres. The public lands sun Va
cant amounts TO over 6OO0yJ,ol0 acres, not
including Alaska. About oJ.,-J,iol acres
have been patented 10 railroads, ana 'heie
are yet due railroads and wagon rOads'
under their grants, an aggregate OF Ill.,
1s5.6sg acres. The total acreage agsre-
gated from the public domain was 49,
AgIGO acres. The secretary deems II de-
slrable that our waste acreage should be
taken up by actual settlers. who should
bo given every encouragement, ana says
II the rate Of settlement continues in the
future as in the past, but little vacant
land will be left in thirteen years time
lie urges legislation for the preservation
Of the forests. aud states that report
will be submitted 10 Congress by the For
cstry Committee, which has lately re-
turned from a tour OF inspection.
Secretary Francis is Of the opinion that
the free use Of timber on public lands
for commercial purposes should be dis
continued.
BILLIONS FOR PENSIONS
on the pension question ne says that
about elO.6ls persons are drawing about
F4lIfNIN''N per hIuulN III IfHIrlDil0s anu tic
branch Of the service should bee conducted
with great care and discretion. lie gives
"a table which show that the total amount
paid out by the Government in pensions,
and the cost OF disbursins the same dur
Ing the last thirty-One years. was S2.03l.-
M,169, which lacks only 1916. 1888 Of
being equal 10 the high-wator mark OF
the Understanding public debt lie sug-
gests "a number of amendments Of the
pension laws. some Of which have already
been made public.
One hundred and forty millions OF dol
lars is thought TO be sufficient for the
payment OF pensions during the next
fiscal year. unles pensions are increased
/ by fi~ther legislation. The Secretary
recommends that an increase from IS 10
/ Sl2 per month be granted 10 all survivors
/ Of the Mexican war. who are wholly dis
abled and destitute.
The Indians. ne says. now occupy about
/ 100000 acres of land and they should
| DO protected from the sinister machina-
/ tions of INSCRIPTIONS men. He recon-
mends that the Indian Bureau should
| De conducted by "a commission of three
/ members. two to Doe civilians of different
! political parties. and one An army officer.
BOND-AIDED RAILROADS.
! Concerning TIE bOnd-aided railroads,
! the Secretary summaries the rt>gmmen-
/ datiOns Of his predecessors and tne result
of the litigation. He calls attention TO
| the TACT that the tables he presents clear
/ ly show hat the Central Pacific Railroad
I is i'm default TO the government. or un-
! oucstionably will be on January 1st next
when $2.43200O additional OF its indebted
ness. together with thirty years interest
| thereon. will fall due and must be re-
deemed by the government.
! ON January /. 1891. S6,6i00lO additional
| bonds OF the Union Pacific will mature
J interest on same-Sl1 9j2 0OO-will be then
| due. and II not paid the Union Pacihc
! Will Enthusiastically be i'm default
! lie has therefore declined to patent
! lands 10 the Union Pacific railroad or 10
! the Central Pacific railroad except IN
/ cases where 10 can be shown that the
/ lands for which patents are asked have
/ been sold TO bona ndc purchasers. Inc
/ Central Pacific railroad was on June 30
/ 1896 i'm default TO the government 10 the
extent of S2SS1i3 on its bond ana m
torcst" and IFS sinking fund account
NICARAGUA CANAL.
lie ref rred TO the fact that the act
/ chartcring the Nicarauga Canal
! Company required the company TO
/ make report ON the first Monday IN
/ December in each year 10 the secretary
! of-the-Interi0r. TO be verified on oath by
] =
! statement has been submitted by the
! Canal Company showing that no work
! has been done on the canal since August
] lsl3.
The Maritime Canal Company entered
/ into a contract with the Nicarauga Canal
| Construction Company for the construc-
| ton of the canal. but the latter company
! became financially embarrassed ~ Au-
| gust 1898. and subsequently made an as
/ ..f farr.. Inn
| all its assets 20 the Nicaragua Canal
! Company. % corporation chartered by the
/ State Of Vermont The latter company
"has not yet found itself in position
10 resume the work of construction under
| its contract"
! The Secretary wants am extension Of
! the building accommodations for his de-
| partmcnt lie closes his report by saying.
| IF earnestly recommend that Congress
! take Immediate steps looking 10 the pur-
chase or condemnation OF "a block or more
| of ground adjacent or contiguous TO the
! Interior Department Building for the
| erection thereon Of another structure 10
! meet the present necessities Of an inn
| pOrtant branch Of the Government. which
! must expand and grow with the develop
/ mcnt of the cOuntry's resources.
| "The area of our country. the variety ~
! its products ihe diversity Of the Interests.
Che trade and social relations between
| localitie- and classes Of people. make its
| internal commerce Of enormous magui-
| ude and must from time 10 time me-
| ccssitate enlargement Of its existing Gov
| eminent bureaus and the establishment
OF additional ones Provision for the ace
commofatfno thoroof should no longer he
delayed Let 70 bo building of that
distinctive and dieniGed character Of ar
chitceture which is Observed in the Ma
uonal Capital the Treasury and the ln-
| terror Department buildings.