The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-08

guns actually completed has been in
creased to total of twenty-one lZ-incn.
fifty-siX l0-inch, sixty-One s-inch. high
power breech-loading. steel guns; ten
rapid fire guns and eighty l2-inch rifle
mortars. In addition there are In process
of construction 16-inch type gun, fifty L.
high power guns, and sixty-six 12-inch
rified mortars. In all. four hundred ana
twenty-eight guns and mortars.
UNITED STATES PENITENTIARIEs.
The ownership and management by the
government of penitentiaries for the con-
finement OF those convicted in United
States courts of violations of federal
laws, has to slight extent been realized
by the utilization Of the abandoned mill
tary prison at Fort Leavenworth as
United States penitentiary. This is GER
tainly movement in the right direction,
but It ought to be at once supplemented
by the rebuilding or extensive enlarge
ment of this improvised prison. and the
construction of at least one more. to be
located in the southern states. our post
the exhibit made of its operations during
the fiscal year ended June 30. 1896, If allow
ance is made for imperfections in the laws
applicable to it: is very satisfactory.
of all forms of military preparation.
coast defense alone is essentially pacific
in its nature. While 1t gives the sense OF
security due to consciousness or
strength 1t Is neither the purpose nor the
effect of such permanent fertilization to
involve us in foreign complications. but
rather to guarantee us against them.
The construction of vessels for our new
navy has been enersetically prosecuted ny
rs .ra nss vinmnis hnoia pI has heen
decided. however, to provide In every
ship-buiding contract that the builder
should pay all tried expenses, and it has
also been determined to pay no speed
premiums In future contracts.
ON March I. 1893, there were in commis-
sion but two armored vessels. the double
turreted monitors Miantonomoh and Mon
terey.. Since that date there have been
placed In their first commission three
iirst-class and two second-class battle
ships, two armored cruisers. one harbor
defense ram, and five double turreted
monitors. Including the Maine and the
Puritan. just completed Eight new un-
armored cruisers and two new gunboats
have also commissioned The Iowa an
other battleship. Will be, completed about
March and at least four more gun boats
will be ready for sea In the early spring.
There have been authorized by congress
since March. 1893, five battleships. six light
draught gun boats, sixteen torpedo boats
and one sub Marine torpedo boat. CON
tracts Tor the building or all OF lhem have
been let: the secretary EXPRESSES ,he
opinion that we have for the present
sufficient supply or cruisers ana gun
boats, and that hereafter the construc,,
ton of battleships and torpedo boats VIII
supply oti
The report of the secretary of the in
terror presents a comprehensive ana IN,
teresting exhibit OF the numerous ana
important affair committed TO ms sup
erVision.
MONEY APPROPRIATED,
Inc money appropriateu oI, accou.t VI
thls department ana Tor us uispurSeH ea,.
lor the iscal year eildeu June oo 1870,
amounted to more than Sl5lWOOeJ or a
greater sum thah was appropriated LOT
the entire maintenance OF the S9V9rnmedI,c ~,
Tor the two NscaI years ended June oo'
1881 ...,..-
our puonc LANDS, oriSiiiaiiy anouiltilS
TO lSioooo,Oo0 acres nave been 50 ftIuceu
lhat only about oVo,Voo,oVo acres sun r.
nam IN government Goi,'Tol, uA,iuu'iS ,,o u.
Alaska. Inc total lndlan population OF
the United states Is i'l,.d2 accorGins 10
census made IN isS2 exclusive o, those
wltnln me state Oh New iork anu thoSe
COMPRISING the hVe ciVliizeu lrtoes. ~
thiS number thefe are approNlmateiy % :
Ooo chlidreh OF Ecnooi at DurimS 'ie
year 23.5S3 OF these were ehroiiea III
schoois, a,, :, ,,,,,,,, .,r,,, .,,o, tn
IL may pe salu IN general tcrins Ihat IN
every particular the lmprovemeht OF the
indians under soNerhmeht care mas peeii
most marked ana eilcourasins. ,,,,.,,,.v,
Inc communion Oh our eiioI i,ious ,p; pe,a'I;i
ron anu tne uecIease Vi pe.S'oii
turc, Whlcn nave so olte'l cohiiupnllS
lortlolu sun IAN III Hlalerldl IcailA .oii.
Ihe NUMBER OF pensioners on tne roiS az
the close OF me llsca, year eiiueu Ju'i,.
sv Is'o was was Sav,o,s. as w. n,,p, nT ,'' "a y
number ever reported. lne amount paiu
exclusively LOT pehSIohS 'uilhS 'he irai
was Si3s;2i.'b bl'H, sllsht ueGreaSe from from
that OF the preceding year, Whiie me toii Al
eNpeHuitures on acCoul. u pcnsio,iS' N
cluulhE the cost OF Ha'ns nsaih,lS ~ III di.o ue.
partment amounted to $li2'2v6' 550o9, or
within very small iraction OF one-thira
of the entire expense OF surport,liS , LIE
number of new pension certificates issued
was NGiV. Or these io,3'i represent or
isihal allowances OF claims ana 1880 IN
creases or eXisting pensions. .
Ihe sum appropr'ateu lot tne pay men
OF the pensions LOT the eurTent ona o iiscai YER
ending June 80, 1896, Is SliOoV.OOo. ana lor
the succeeding year II Is estimated that
the same ainount VIII pc iiesessaiS.
In my opinion. Dased upon sucn state
ments as these ana ihuch olner ihlorhia- :
tion and observation, the abuses Whlcn
have been allowed 10 creep INTO our PEN
sion system nave done ihcaicaiaDie narh
In demoIaliZins our people ana uhueril,in, !,
Ing, good citizenship; i nave enueaVoreu
within my sphere or Official duty to pro-
tect our pension roll ana make II what
It should De: ron ah Oi hohGr, ION, foi.a,l,ms
the names OF those disabled IN thelr coun-
try,s service ana worthy OF their couhI
.ry's arectlonate TememDerance. hen
have seen those VINO pose as tne soiui r.
friends, aftve anu Ss aitr. III n.nsa nHs sSSnan1
laXity ana more reckless pension eNpenii-
ture While nursing seinsh scneines, i nav Z
deprecated the approach OF sltuatloii
when necessary retrenchmein ana en-
forced economy may lead TO an attack
upon pension abuses, so determined as 10
overlook the discrimination due TO those
who, worthy OF nation care, ousht
nations gratitude.
l;c interests Involved in an adjustment of
the ohlieations of the Pacific railroads to
The povcrnment
IN January l. 1897. with the amount al
ready matured. more than Si3, ,OOO, 900 of the
nrincinaI of the subsidy bonds issued by
he I;nited States in aid of the construc-
tinn of the Union Pacific railroad includ-
inc its Kansas line and more than 81. COO OOt
~ ~ lilo honds issued in aid of the Central
p,ciHc railroad will have fallen due and
hssn naiJ or m,st on that day he paid
Nv the government. Without any refer
.Ica 70 tbe annlication of the sinking fund
rnIv in The tr,nsury. this will create suct
HoW ~ ,he '.s" - .naa ,,,,,,,a,; :.