The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-06

wisdom and Justice of Inodifica tion OF
the third section of the Act of June 81,
1890, which provides pensions for the
widow Of officers and enlisted men
who served ninety days or more during
the war of the rebellion and were hon
orably discharged, provided that such
widows are without other means of
! support than their daily labor and we're
married to the soldier, sailor or marine
on account of whose service they claim
| pension prior to the date of the act.
The present holding OF the depart
| ment Is that IL the widows income
aside from her daily labor does not
exceed in amount what her pension
| would be, to wit, 500 per annum. she
| would be deemed to be without Other
means of support than her daily labor.
ami would be entitled to a pension un-
der this act: while IL the Widows in
come. Independent of the amount re-
ceived by her as the result of her
daily labor. exceeds 500, size would not
| be peEsionable under the act. 1 am
| advised by the commissioner of PEN
siOns that the amount of the income
allowed before title to pension would
| be barred, has varied widely under diff
| ferent administrations of the pension
| office as well as during different periods
| of the same administration, and has
been the cause of just complaint and
| criticism.
with the approval OF the>secretary OF
the interior, the commissioner of PEN
sions recommends that i'm order to
make the practice at all times uniform
| and TO do Justice to the dependent
widow, the amount Of income allowed,
| Independent of the proceeds of her
daily labor. should be not less than
$3.50 per annum, and he urges that the
congress shall so amend the act as
! t, ha aton nf1ra Tn grant
| penshionable status to widows under
the terms OF the third section of the
| Act of June q, 1890, whose income,
aside from the proceeds of daily labor,
is not in excess of $3.50 per annum.
believe this to be a simple act OF justice
and heartily recommend 1t.
The Dawes commission reports that
gratifying progress has been made in
it's work during y the preceding year.
The field work of enrolment OF fq1Ss
of the nations has been completed. |
recommend that congress. at an early
day, make liberal appropriation for
educational purposes in the indian
Territory
The Census.
In accordance with the Act Of Con-
gress, approved March 3, 1899, the pre-
! lminary work in connection with the
twelfth census is now fully under way.
The officers required for the proper ad-
ministration of the duties imposed have
been selected. The provision for secur-
ing a propr enumeration of the populs-
ton as we'll as to secure evidence OF
the Industrial growth of the nation, is
broader and more comprehensive than
any similar legislation in the past.
The director advises that every need
full effort Is being made to push thls
great work to completion in the time
limited by the statute. IT Is believed
| l,n tu.olfth will AmnhaStZG
our remarkable advance in all that per-
tains to national progress.
Under the authority of the act or
congress approved July Z, 1898, the
commission consisting of the secretary
of the treasury, the attorney general
and the secretary of the interior, has
made an agreement of settlement
which has had my approval, of the in
debtedness to the government growing
out of the issue of bonds to aid in the
construction of the Central Pacific and
West Pacific railroads. The agreement
secures to the government the princi-
pal and interest of said bonds, amount
, ing to s5SSl27 7l5.48. There has been
paid thereon 1872, 54S.12, which has
been covered into the treasury and the
remainder payable within ten years,
with interest. at the rate OF per cent.
per annum, payable semi-annually. is
secured by the deposit of an equal
amount Of first mortgage bonds OF the
Pacific railway companies. The
amounts paid and secured to be paid
to the government on account OF the
Pacific railroad subsidy claims are:
Union Pacific, cash, $5S,4tS,22S.15;
Kansas Pacific, cash, Sc, ,303, 900; Central
. and and Western Pacific, cash, Hl.-
19S,134.10: notes secured, A7,050, 172.S6; 4;
, Kansas Pacific dividends for deficiency
due United States. cash. $s2l,s9770;
) making a total of $l24,42l ,6O1s5.
| m. hnl nd tadn ahOnf
, $3.50, 600, 900, more than half of which
/, consisted of accrued interest, for which
? sum the government has realized the
! entire amount. less about $4,000, 900,
! within a period of two years.
l Forest Reservations.
? On June 30, 1898. there were 80 forest
l | servations-eXclusive of the Afognak
| forest and fish culture reserve in Alas
ka-embracing an estimated area of
: 4O,71s,474 acres. During the past year
2 two of the existing forest reserves the
1 Trabuco Canyon California, and
I Black Hills South Dakota and Wyo-
J ming, have been considerably enlarged.
1 the area of the Mount Rainier reserve.
= in the state of Washington has been
D somewhat reduced and six additional
reserves have been established, namely,
the San Francisco Mountains, Arizona
the Black Mesa Arizona; Lake Tahoe,
I California; Gallaty. Montana; Gila
. River, New Mexico; and Fish Lake,
! Utah the total estimated area OF
y which is 5,265.770 acres. This makes at
y the present time 80 forest reservations,
Il embracing an estimated area of 46.021,
= S99 acres. This estimated area Is the
= aggregated areas within the boundaries
c OF the reserves. The lands, actually
e reserved are. however only the vacant
Il public lands therein, and these have
y been set aside and reserved for sale oil
= settlement in order that they may bt
!. of the greatest use to the people.
: Protection of the national forests, in
u augurated by the department of the
4 interior in 1897 has been continued dur
ing the past year and much has been
$ accomplished in the way of preventing
II forest fires and the protection Of the
NJ timber, There are now large tracts
= covered by forests which will eventu-
e ally be reserved and set apart for for
:, est uses, Until that can be done con-
!. gress should increase the appropria-
e tions for the work of protecting the
= forests.
= The department of agriculture (,
s constantly consulting the needs of pro.
II ducers in all the states and territories
q 1t is introducing seeds and plants oi
o great value and promoting fuller d.
n versifiCatien OF crops. Grains, grass as
e fruits. legumes and vegetables are i'm
e ported for all parts OF The United
States. Under this encouragement thC
/. sugar beet factory multIplles IN tn,
5, north and far west, semi-tropica
+ plants are sent to the south and con
e genial climates are sought for tn,
I. choice productions of the far east. TIL,
= hYbridizing of fruit trees and grain |;
S conducted in the search for Yarietie!
adapted 10 eNacting conditions. Tn,
y Introduction OF tea gardens into th'