The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-06
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT

Onthe Both Of June, 1899, the pension roll
! of the United States numbered 991, 519.
| These include the pensioners of the army
and navy in all our wars. The number
| added 10 the rolls during the war was
1891. The number dropped by reason of
| death, re-marriage, minors by legal limi-
tations, failure to claim within three
years, and other causes was 43,1S6, and
| the number of claims disallowed was
101,Sl7. During tthe year S9,054 pension
| certificates We're issued, Of which 1881
were for new or original pensions. The
amount disbursed for army and navy
pensions during the year was $13s, $780,
O52.95, which was s1,651, 461.61 less than
the sum Of the appropriations.
THE GRAND ARMY'S REQUEST.
The Grand Army of the Republic, at its
recent national encampment, held at
Philadelphia, has brought to my atten-
ton and to that of congress the wisdom
and justice Of a modification Of the third
section of the act of June 27, 1890, which
provides pensions for the widows of Of
hcers and enlisted men who served ninety
days or more during the war of the re-
bellion and were honorably discharged,
provided that such widows are without
other means of support than their daily
labor and were married to the soldier,
sailor or marine on account of whose ser
vice they claim pension, prior to the date
of the act.
THE DEPARTMENTS HOLDING.
The present holding OF the department
is that if 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, and would be entitled to
pension under this act. while If the wild
ows income dependent on the amount re-
ceived by her as the result of her daily
labor exceed $96, she would not be pen
sionable under the act. 1 am advised
by the commissioner of pensions that the
amount of the income allowed before title
to pension would be barred, has varied
widely under different administrat tons of
the pension Office as we'll as during diff
ferent periods of the same administra ton
and has been the cause of just complaint
and criticism. With the approval of the
secretary of the interior, the commission
er of pensions recommends that, in order
to make the practice a all times uniform
and to do justice to the dependent widow,
the amount of income allowed Sldepend-
ent of the proceeds of her daily labor
should not be less than $3.50 per annum,
and he urges that congress shall so
amend the act as to permit the pension
office to grant pensionable status to wild
ows under the terms of the. third section
of the act of June 27, 1890, whose income,
aside from the proceeds of daily labor, is
not in excess of $3.50 per annum. I be-
lieve this to be a simple act of justice and
I heartily recommend it.
DAWES COMMISSION
The Dawes commission reports that
gratifying progress has been made in its
work during the preceding year. The
field work Of enrolment of four Of the
Nations has been completed. I recon-
mend that congress at an early day make
liberal appropriation for educational pur-
poses in the Indian Territory.
THE TWELFTH CENSUS
In accordance with the act of congress,
approved March 3, 1899. the preliminary
work in connection with the Twelfth
census is now fully under way. The Off
GERS required for the proper administra-
ton of the duties imposed have been Sc
lected, The provision for securing a
proper enumeration of the population, as
well as to secure evidence Of the indus
trial growth of the nation. is broader and
more comprehensive than any similar
legislation in the past The director adj
vises that every needful effort is being
made to push this great work TO com
pletion in the time limited by the statute
1t is believed that the Twelfth census
will emphasize our remarkable advance
in all that pertains to national progress.
RAILROAD DEBT
Under the authority OF the act Of con- /
gress. approved July :. 1898. the commits (
sion, consisting Of the secretary of the (
treasury, attorney general and secretary |
of the interior. has made an gareement Of |
settlement. which has had my approval. /
of the indebtedness to the government /
growing out OF the issue Of bonds to aid 1
in the construction Of the Central Paci- /
fic and Western Pacific railroads The /
agreement secures to the government the /
principal and interest of said bonds. /
amounting to S5S sl2 -l5.4s. There has been /
paid thereon. ST. 762. 543.12 which has been /
covered into the treasury. and the re- /
malnder payable within ten years, with /
interest at the rate Of . per cent per an
num- payable semi-annuslly. is secured /
by the deposit Of an annual amount Of /
first mortgage bonds o, the Pacific rail
way companies. The amount paid and 4
secured TO be paid to the government on
account Of the Pacific railroad subsidy
claims are: Union Pacific. cash s. 44S,-
- -; Kansas Pacific. cash s., 703 Co; Cen
trail and Western Pacific cash sll,7Ss.-
}1Al+; notes. secured. S4..1-..II2.3G: Kan
sas Pacific dividends for deficiency, due
United States. cash Ss2I s$i10. making a
total Of Sl24 f2l s97.sl- The whole indebted
ness was about sl9o cDo orl. more than half
II which consisted Of accrued interest,
for which sum the government has real
zsd the entire an cunt. less about 100000
within a period % ,wo years.
FORESTRY
FOREST RESERVATIONS
On June -. 1sss. there were thirty forest
reservations exclusive ~ the Atog1ak
forest and fsa culture reserve il Alaska.
embracing an estimated area Of +4.-ts.l-i
acres. During the past year TWO q the
existing forest reserves Ire Trsbuco
canyon california; and Black Hli's
s 9Th Dakota and Wyou7ingl have been
considerably enlarged. the area o. the
Mount Rainier reserve. ~ the state -
has been somewhat reduced
.nd SIX additional reserves have been e.
. h2szh@s namely -ha San F-e-rfs-1