The evening times., 1899-12-05
THE EVENNG TMEs WAsHINGTON YTEsDAY DEcEMBER 1882

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that Congress at an early day make Hbera
: appropriation for educational purposes 4
the Indian Territory.
II The TweIfth CcHsps.
} In accordance with the act Of Congress
approved. March 8, 1899, the preliminar.
work In connection with the Twelfth Cen
sus is now fully under way fhe ofiicerl
required for the proper adm,niptration o
the duties imposed have .hsep selected
The provision for securing's-a piopsl
enumeration OF the population ,.as well az
to secure evidence Of the industrial growth
4 of the nation. is broader and more com.
prehensive than any simiihr Legislation
in the past. The Director advises that
every needful effort is being made to push
this great work to completion In the time
limited by the statute. II Is believed that
the Twelfth Census will emphasize ouI
remarkable advance in all that pertains
to national progress.
Under the authority Of the act of Con-
gress approved July Z, 1898. the commits
sion, consisting of the Secretary Of the
/ Treasury, the Attorney General, and TIE
Secretary of the Interior, has made an
I agreement of settlement, which has had
my approval, Of the Indebtedness Of the
Government growing out of the issue
of bonds to aid In the construction OF the
| Central Pacific and Western Pacific rail-
| roads. The agreement secures to the Gov
| ernment the principal and interest Of said
bonds, amounting to SIS. .S12. 715.l8. There
! has been paid thereon $11, ,762, ,543.12 which
has been covered into the Treasury, and
the remainder. payable within ten years,
with interest at the rate Of 3 per cent
| per annum, payable semiannunlly, is se-
cured 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: Ns
Union Pacific, cash. .............. $5s AS, 223 IS
Kansas Pacific. cash. h.........-.... 6.S03.O0O 90
Central and Western Pacific, cash.. lI,79s.3i u
Kansas Paciac-dividends for de-
fciency due United States, cash.. s2l, ,sg7 20
The whole Indebtedness was about $780,
000,00 more than half Of which consisted
OF accrued interest. for which sum the
Government has realized the entire amount
less about s6.000.o00 within a period Of
two years.
Alaska Forests.
On June 80, 1898. there we're thirty forest
reservations Exclusive Of the Afognak For
est and Fish Culture Reserve in AIaska),
embracing an estimated area of 40, ,719. .473
acres. During the past year two Of the ex-
isting forest reserves, the Trabuco Canyon
(California) and Black Hills tSouth Dakota
and Wyoming) have been considerably en-
larged, the area Of the Mount Rainier Re-
serve, in the State of Washington, has been
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serves have been established. namely, the
San Francisco Mountains tArizona), the
Black Mesa (Arizona), Lake Tahoe tCalifor
nia), Gallatin (Montanal, Giia River New
Mexico), and Fish Lake tUtah), the total
estimated area OF which is 5,e05.775 acres.
This makes at the present time total OF
thirty-six forest reservations. embracing al
estimated area Of 4602l ,Ss9 acres. This es
timated area is the aggregated areas within
the boundaries Of the reserves. The lands
actually reserved are, however, only the
vacant public lands therein. and these have
been set aside and reserved for sale or set
tlement in order that they may be OF the
greatest use TO the people,
Protection of the national forests, inaug-
urated by the Department OF the Interior
in 1897, has been continued during the past
year ard much has been accomplished In
the way of preventing forest fires and the
protection of the timber There are now
large tracts covered by forests which will
eventually be reserved and set apart for
forest uses. Until that can be done Congress
should increase the appropriations for the
work of protecting the forests.
The Department Of Agriculture is con- |
stanTly consulting the needs Of producers
in all the States and Territories. 1t is in
Producing seeds and plants Of great value |
and promoting fuller diversifcation OF
crops. Grains, grasses, fruits, legumes |
and vegetables are imported for all parts |
OF the United States. Under this encour |
agement the sugar-beet factory multplies |
in the North and far West, semi-tropical |
plants are sent to the South, and congenial |
are sought for the choice produc- |
tions Of the far East. The hybridizing Of |
fruit trees and grains is conducted in the |
search for varieties adapted to exacting |
conditions. The introduction OF tea gar |
dens into the Southern States promises TO |
provide employment for idle hands. as well |
as TO supply the home market with tea.
The subject Of irrigation where it is of
vital importance TO the people is being care
fully studied, steps are being taken to re-
claim injured or abandoned lands. and in
formation for the people along these lines
is being printed and distributed.
Markets are being sought and opened up
for surplus farm and factory products in
Europe and in Asia. The outlook for the
Of the young farmer through agri-
cultural college and experiment station,
with opportunity given to specialize in the
Department OF Agriculture. Is very promis-
ing The people Of Hawaii, Porto Rico, and
he Philippine Islands should be helped. by
he establishment of experiment stations, to
more scientific knowledge of the produc-
ion of coffee, india rubber, and other trop-
cal products, for which there is demand
in the United States.
There is widespread interest In the i'm
Of our public highways at the
present time. and the Department of Agri-
culture is cooperating with the people in
,ach locality. in making the best possible
-oads from local material and in expert
nenting with steel tracks. A more intelli-
GENT system Of managing the forests Of the
country is being put in operation and a
areful study Of the whole forestry prob
EN- is being conducted throughout the
United States. A very extensive and COM
,lete exhibit of the agricultural and horti-
cultural products Of the United States 10
icing prepared for the Paris Exposition.
THE PHILIPPINES.
General Statement of American
Policy. Il
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