Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1896-10-31


mittee on postotfices 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
ulation. 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 of that increase has been used in the
large cities.
In fact. the amount thus diverted dur
ing the last fiscal year was $670, 900,
whereas the increase in the appropria-
ton for country mail service was only
100000; so that notwithstanding the
successful efforts of the friends of the
farmers TO secure an appropriation 10
better his mail service, there was actual
" less money spent on that service than
before, because the Democratic admins
tration of the postoifice department used
elsewhere, us il 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. it
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 in
troduced. and in which the experiments
were conducted for five years, the aver
age annual income of the office was
So.3, while the free delivery cost only
$500. A business that Yields an average
annual profit of 161l5 per cent, part of
the period being 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 practioability
of free daily delivery 20 farmers; and
he secured from the Fifty second Com
gress an appropriation for experiments
i'll free mail delivery to farmers. and an
appropriation for this purpose was made
by the Fifty-third Congress ut both
sessions. The language of the appro-
priatiops was mandatory, but both MIR.
oiSHNii anu MI w liSOll HdNt RNiuNtu IL
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 administers
tons toward rural mail service and the
efforts made to improve it, the farmer
will find excellent aid in deciding for
which party TO vote.
who Forfcits Land Grants?
For some years the farmers Of the
country have beep demanding that the
grants of lands u aid in the construction
of certain railroads, should be declared
forfeited where the conditions of the
grants had not been complied with. The
Fifty-frst COngress-the first Congress
Republican in both branches since the
demands for the annulmont of these
grants had been made-at its first ses-
sion enacted a law
That there is hereby forfeited 10 the
United States, and the United States hereby
resumes the title thereto all lands hereto
fore granted to any state or TO any corpora
ton to aid in the construction of railroad
tion of any such railroad not now completed
and IN operation, for the construction or
benefit Of which such lands were granted;
and all 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 viii vote, for, aside from re-
storing considerable areas to the public
domain to the profit of the national treas
ury it showed that Republican Con-
Srcss did not fear TO enact righteous laws
for the people and against some ef the
most powerful corporate in the .osln-
try--in marked contrast to the subsoryi
ency to trusts and corporations of the
Democratic Congress that we have hsa
since.
Who Opened Foreign Markets?
For some years certain European ns-
tions-one Of which, at least, while
free trade. praeticed the pro-
lection of certain farm products 20 The
extent Of prohibitory decrees-had ex-
Guided our animal products and live ami
mails for their markets or had subjected
them to vexatiOus and profit destroying
regulations, because it was alleged, they
were frequently unwhOlesomc or dis
eased Our farmers were well aware
that this allegation was an nntruthfui
suhterfugc, and they demanded such in
spection of our slaughtered auimals and
live animals offered for export that for
eign governments could not plead disease
among onr animals as Il justification for
excluding those products of our Farms
from their markets. Everyone familiar
with onr live stock interests. knows that
this WAS Il matter of great moment to
them The Fifty-first Congress- that did
so much for the farmer, made meat in
spection laws that fully met the wishes
of our stock-rasers. and that, being
faithfully administered by Secretary
Rusk. accomplished all that was expect
ed of them. II is unfortunate shdt by
his own utterances and actions the pres
ent secretary of agriculture should have
shown a different attitude toward those
wise laws. In determining which ticket
he shall vote, the farmer win certainly
compare the department of agriculture
under Secretary Rusk with il under his
successor. who began his career as gee
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 otter
iDcapacity or completely successful in
10 learn.
10 to 1 Not Wanted
The currency plank Of the Chicago
platform certainly does not express the
sentiments of the National Grange and
at its last annual meeting, in Atlanta,
Ga. October 10-16, 1895. the Farmers
National congress voted down all Of the
16 To free silver coinage resolutions
presented. and adopted resolutions in
which IL declared that it was embbafical-
Iy in favor of the use of both gold and
silver as the money Of ultimate redeInp-
ton and was in favor OF the free coinage
of silver by international agreement at