The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-05
PENSIONS.
Recommendations of Grand Army Are
Endorsed.

Endorsed.
On June Goth. 1899, the pension roll
! of the United States numbered 991,5 519.
These include the pensioners of the
army and navy in all our wars. The
number added to the rolls during the
year was 40 991. The number dropped
by reason of death, remarriage, minors
by legal limitations. failure to claim
within three years, and other causes
was 43. 1856, and the number of claims
disalloWed was 1O7 917. During the year
! SO, 054 pensions certificates were issued,
of which 81 or were for new or original
pensions. The amount disbursed for
army and navy pensions during the
year was $138, ,355, 052. 80, which was ST.
651, ,461.6 81 less than the sum of the ap-
prOpriations.
The Grand Army of the Republic at
its recent national encampment held at
Philadelphia has brought to my atten-
tion and to that of congress, the wis
dom and justice of q modification of the
! third section OF the act of June p,
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 hOnora-
bly, discharged, provided that such
widows are without other means of
support than their daily la Dor and were
married to the soldier, sailor or ma
rine on account of whose service they
claim pension prior to the date of the
act
The present holding of the depart
ment is that if the Widows income
aside from her daily labor does not ex-
ceed in amount what her pension
would be, tOwit: $50 per annUm, she
would be deemed to be without means
of support other than her daily labor
and would be entitled to Il pension un-
der this act while if the widows in
come independent of the amount re-
ceived by her as the result of her daily
labor exceeds $96, she would not be
pensiOnabIe under the act. I am ad-
vised by the commissioner of pensions
that the amount Of the income allowed
before title to pension would be barred,
has varied widely under different ad-
ministratiOns 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, in order to
make the practice at all times uniform
and to do justice to the dependent wild
OW, the amount of income allowed in
dependent of the proceeds of her daily
labor should be not less than $3.50 per
annum and he urges that congress
shall so amend thesact as to permit the
pension Office to grant pensionable
status to widows under the term of
the third section of the act of June o.
1899, whose income aside from the pro-
ceeds of daily labor is not in excess of
$3.50 per annum. 1 believe this to be a
simple act of justice and heartily rec
ommend it.
DAWES COMMISSION.
The Dawes commission reports that
gratifying progress has been made in its
work of enrolment of four of the nations
has been completed / recommend that
appropriation for educational purposes in
In accordance with the act of congress,
approved March g. 1899, the preliminary
work in connecton with the twelfth cen
sUS IS now 1uIIy under way. me oitlcerS
required for the proper administration of
the duties imposed have been selected.
The provision for securing proper enum-
GRAFTON of the population, as well as to
secure evidence of the industrial growth
OF the nation, IS broader ana more com
prehensive than any similar legislation
every needful effort is being made to push
this great work to completion in the time
the twelfth census will emphasize our
remarkable advance in all that pertains
Under the authority of the act of con-
gress approved July Z, 1898 the commits
treasury, attorney general and secretary
of the interior has made an agreement of
settlement which had my approval, Of the
ni't f he iss7eof toid in he cn1
struction of the Central Pacific and West
cures to the yovernnent The DrincfnaI
$i1 762' '543 12 which has been covered into
the treasury and the remainder payable
within ten years, with interest at the rate
of three per cent per annum, payable
semi-annually, is secured by the deposit
bonds 5i Of the Pacific railway companies
The amounts paid and secured to be
paid to the government on account Of the
Pacific railway subsidy claims are5 Union
cash St, ,303. .O0000: Central and Western Pa
cific, cash 81, 798. .3l4. A.
Notes secured, $47, $50 172. .36.
Kansas Pacific dividends for deficiency,
due United States. cash SS21, ,S91. 70, making
a total of S124 421, 607.91.
The whole Indebtedness was about s130.
100000 more than half Of which consisted
of accrued interest, for which sum the
amount. less about S6.00OOOO within per-
iod of two years.
FOREST RESERVATIONS.
On June go, 1898. there were thirty for
est reservations Exclusive of the Afog-
max forest and fish culture reserve in
Alaska), embracing an estimated area OF
40.719.174 acres. During the past year two
of the existing forest reserves. the Ira
(South Dakota and Wyoming), have been
considerably enlarged; the area Of the
Washington mas been somewhat reduced
and six additional reserves have been es-
ta6lished namely the Rs9 s9R RTgaa RETaRcsGo
izona). Lake Tahoe (California), Gallatin,
(AIontana) ella river (New Mexico, and
Fish Lake CUtah), the total estimated
makes at the present time a total of thfr-
ty-sfx forestry reservations, embracing an
Estimated area of IS O2I. .S99 acres. This
estimated area is the aggregated acres
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 settlement IN order that they may be
Of the great use to the people.
Protection of the national forest, inaug-
urated by the department of the interior
IN 1897. mas been caused curing the past
year and much has been accomplished in
the way Of preventing forest fires and the
protection OF the tlTnDer- Inere are now
large tracts covered by forests which will
eventually be reserved and set apart for
forest uses. Until that can be done con-
for the work of protecting the forests.
TIE department Of agriculture Is