The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-12-09

Extraordinary Growth and Gratifying
Increase In Efficiency.

~ years both the revenues and exDendie
lures of the postoffice department have
multiplied three-fold In the last 10 years
they have nearly doubled. Our postal
business grows much more rapidly than
our population. 1t now involves an expen-
diture of $1O0,000.0O0 year, numbers 70 900
postofices and enrolls 100000 employees.
This remarkable extension of a service,
which is an accurate index of the public
conditions, presents gratifying evidence of
the advancement of education, of the in
crease of communication and business
activity and Of the improvement of mail
facilities, leading to their constantly aug
menting use.
The war with Spain laid new and excep-
tional labors on the postoffice department.
The mastering of the military and naval
forces of the United States required spe-
cial mail arrangements for every camp
and every campaign. The communication
between home and camp was naturally
eager and expectant. In some of the
larger places of rendezvous as many as
$4,000 letters a day required handling.
This necessity was met by the prompt
detail of experienced men from the es-
tablished force and by directing all the
instrumentalities of the railway mail and
postoffice service so far as necessary to
this new need. Congress passed an act
empowering the postmaster-gener to es-
tablish an Office or branch at every mill
tary camp or station, and under this au-
thority the postal machinery was speed
lily put into effective operation.
Under the same authority when our
forces advanced upon Cuba, Porto Rico
and the Philippines, they were attended
and followed by the postal service.
Though the act of congress authorized
the appointment of postmasters where
necessary, it was early determined that
the public interests would be best sub
served not by new designations, but by
the detail of experienced men familiar
with every branch of the service, and this
policy was steadily followed. When the
territory which was the theater of con-
flict came into our possession, it became
necessary to re-establish mail facilities
for the resident population as well as to
provide them for our forces of occupa-
ton, and the former requirement was met
through the extension and application of
the latter obligation. l gave the requi-
site authority, and the same general
principle was applied to this as to other
branches of civil administration under
military occupation. The details are more
particularly given in the report of the
postmaster-gene and while the work is
only just begun, it is pleasing to be able
to say that the service in the territory
which has come under our control is
already materially improved.
The department of the interior has in
augurated a forest system, made pos
sible by the act of July. 1898, for a graded
force of officers in control of the reserves
This system has only been in full opera
ton since August, but good results have
already been secured in many sections.
The reports received indicate that the sys-
tenn of patrol has not only prevented de-
structve fires from gaining Roadway, but
has diminished the number of fires.
Indian Affairs.
The special attention of congress is
called to that part of the report of the
secretary of the interior in relation to the
five civilized tribes. 1t is noteworthy that
the general condition of the Indians shows
marked progress. But one outbreak of a
serious nature occurred during the year,
and that was among the Chippewa In
dams of Minnesota, which, happily, has
been suppressed.
While it has not yet been practicable to
enforce all the provisions of the act of
June %, 1898, For the protection of the
people of the Indian territory and for
other purposes" it is having a salutary
effect upon the nations composing the
five tribes. The Dawes commission re-
ports that the most gratifying results
and greater advance toward the attain
ment of the objects of the government
have been secured in the past year than
in previous years. / cannot too strongly
indorse the recommendation of the commits
sion and of the secretary of the interior
for the necessity of providing for the edu-
cation of the 10000 white children resident
in the Indian territory.
Department of Agriculture.
The department of agriculture has been
active in the past year. Explorers have
been sent to many of the countries of the
eastern and western hemispheres for seeds
and plants that may be useful to the
United States, and with the further view
of opening UP markets for our surplus
products The forestry division of the
department is giving special attention to
the treeless regions of our country, and is
introducing species especially adapted TO
semi-arid regions Forest fires, which
seriously interfere with production, espe-
cially in irrigated regions, are being
studied that the losses from this cause
may be avoided. The department is in
curing into the use and abuse of water
in many states of the West and collect
ing information regarding the laws of
states, the decisions of the courts and the
customs of the people in this regard, so
that uniformity may be secured.
Experiment stations are becoming more
effective every year. The annual appro-
priation of $720 600 by congress is supple
mented by 100000 from the states. Nation
wide experiments have been conducted
to ascertain the sutablenesS to soil and
climate and states for growing sugar
beets The number of sugar factories has
been doubled in the past two years, and
the ability of the United States to pro-
duce its own sugar from this source has
been clearly demonstrated.
The weather bureau forecast and OBJ
servation stations have been extended
around the caribbean sea, to give early
warning of the approach cf hurricanes
from the South seas to our fleets and
merchant marine.
Capital Centennial.
In the year 1900 will occur the centen-
NAL anniversary of the founding of the
city of Washington for the permanent
capital of the government of the United
States by authority of an act of con-
gress approved July 16. 1890. In May,
1850, the archives and general offices of the
federal government were removed to this
place. On the 18th of November, $780, the
national congress met here for the first
time and assumed exclusive control of
the federal district and city. This inter-
estins event assumes all the more signifi-
canoe when we recall the circumstances
attending the choosing of the site, the
naming of the capital in honor of the
father Of his country, and the interest
taken by him in the adoption of plans for
its future development on magnificent
scale.
These, original plans have been wrought
out with a constant progress and sig
nal success, even beyond anything their
trainers had foreseen.
Labor Laws.