The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1896-10-31

Mr.. Pickler said: at seems that there
is no effort to improve the service for
country people," and on the same day
Mr.. Loud, chairman of the House COM
mittee ON postoflices and postroads, said
in the course of the debate:
The Increase In the appropriations for the
star route service during the last four years
has arisen from the fact that money was
taken from that service and devoted to reg
ulatlon, screen, and other wagon service.
In other words, while you gentlemen from
the country have been persistently increas-
Ing appropriations for the star route service,
all or that Increase has been used In the
large elites.
In fact, the amount thus diverted dur
ing the last fiscal year was 100000,
whereas the increase I'm the appropriate
ton for country mail service was only
SoOO,0O0; so that Notwithstanding the
successful efforts of the friends of the
farmers to secure an appropriation to
better his mail service, there was actual
ly less money spent on that service than
before, because the Democratic admins
tration of the postofiice department used
elsewhere, as it has in previous years,
the money specifically appropriated for
the Improvement of country mail service.
This Is in striking contrast with the
Republican administration of the post
Office department. Mr.. Wanamaker Sc
cured appropriations for experiments in
free mail delivery in villages and he
faithfully expended these appropriations.
In communication to the Senate he
stated that after making. an allowance
equal to the previous average annual
increase of the business of the Offices, IL
was found that the increase of the busi-
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 Inc
troduced, and in which the experiments
were conducted for five years, the aver
age annual income of the Office was
SOB, while the free delivery cost only
$500. business that yields an average
annual profit of 1919 per cent, part Of
the period being n time of panic and de-
preston, is good business indeed; yet
the present administration of the post
office department has discontinued the
free delivery in the villages in which IL
was established by Mr.. Wanamaker.
The results from experiments in vii.
lagos indicated, as Mr.. Wnnamaker fore
saw that they would, the practicability
of free daily delivery to farmers; and
he 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 Mt both
sessions. The language of the appro-
priati0ns was mandatory, but both Mr..
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-
tiOns toward rural mail service and the
efforts made to improve it, the farmer
will find excellent aid in deciding for
which party 10 vote.
Who ForfcIts Land Grants9
For some years the farmers Of the
country have been demanding that the
grants of lands to aid in the construction
Of certain railroads, should be declared
forfeited where the conditions OF the
grants had not been complied with. Tho
Fifty-first Congress-the first Congress
Republican in both branches since tho
demands for the annulment of these
grants had been made-at it's first ses-
sion enacted q law
That there is hereby forfeited to tho
United States, and the United States hereby
resumes the title thereto, all lands hereto
fore granted to any state or to any corpora:
tion to aid In the construction OF u railroad
opposite to and coterminous with the por-
tion Of amy such railroad not now completed
and In operation, for tho construction or
benefit Of which such lands were granted,
and all such lands are declared to be- part
of the public domain.
This law should have much weight
ticket he will vote, for, aside from re-
storing considerable areas to the public
domain to the profit of the national treas
ury, it showed that Republican Com
gress did not fear to enact righteous laws
for the people and against some Of tho
most powerful corporations in the ceun-
try-in marked contrast to the subservi-
cncy 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, II least, while
preaching free trade, practiced the pro-
lection of certain farm products 10 Tho
extent of prohibitory decrees-had exc
cludcd our animal products and live ami
mails for their markets or had subjected
them to veXatious and Notwithstanding
regulations. because 1t was alleged, they
were frequently unwholesome or dis
eased Our farmers were well aware
that this allegation was an untruthful
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 justification for
excluding those products of our farms
from their markets. Everyone familiar
with our live stock interests, knows that
this was Il matter of great moment to
them. The Fifty-frst Congress, that did
so much Tor the farmer, maze meat IN
spection laws that fully met the wishes
of our stock-raisers, and that, being
faithfully administered by Secretary
Rusk, accomplished all that was expect-
ed Of them. 1t is unfortunate that by
his own uttcrances and actions the pres
emit secretary of agriculture should have
shown q different attitude toward those
wise laws. In determining which ticket
he shall vote, the former 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
ized 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 4 Not Wanted.
The currency plank of the Chicago
platform certainly does not express the
sentiments of the National Grange; and
mt it's last annual meeting, in Atlanta,
Ga, October 10-1G. 1895. the Farmers
National congress voted down all of the
~ To 1 free silver coinage resolutions