Gilpin observer., 1899-12-07

year VIC httNt ItuuteQfOur forces IN t'uDa
s34 officers and 6.7Ss enlisted men: in Por-
snd a9 Rs0 Sers aS s eoses af
throaghoS tnieed ssaies his are ssHSHaa 80
officers and i5$ enlisted Ih M men. H. 10 " ~ =
The operations of the army are fully
and men the highest commendation for
their soidiery conduct in trying situa-
tions. They made willing sacrifices for
their country and the integrity and abli-
ty with which they have performed un-
possessions.
I'm the Organization of the volunteer
regiments gginn authorized by the act of March
been made for chaplains. This omission
was doubtless an inadvertence: recon-
mend the early authorization for the ap-
pointment of one chaplain for each of said
fssimehs reg These @ regiments are now in
immediate action be had.
POSTAL SERVICE.
"The domestic postal service continues
to grow with extraordinary rapidity. The
expenditure and the revenue will each
exceed SlOo.OOO 900 during the current year.
Fortunately, since the revival of prosper
Gus times. the revenues have grown much
faster than the expenditures, and there
IS every Indication that short period
will witness the obiteration of the annual
dehcit In this connection, the report of
the postmaster general embodies a state
ment or some evils which have grown
up outside the contemplation of the law
in the treatment of some classes of mail
matter which wrongfully exercise the
privilege Of the pound rate and shows
that .,. Il this matter had been properly
classified and had paid the rate which it
should have paid. instead of a postal
deficit for the last fiscal year of So 100 O0O
a surplus of sl7. 637 10 and another of S5,-
53S.s 1886. The reform thus suggested in
would not only put the postal service at
once upon a self-sust aiming basis. but
would would permit sr1 great and valuable improve
consideration of the Congress.
THE NAVY.
The navy, has maintained the spirit
and high efficiency which have always
characterized that service. and has lost
none of the gallantry in heroic action
which has sgnalized its brilliant and
in its early and late achievements. Its
habtual readiness for every emergency
mas won the confidence and admiration
ed in the continued preparation and pres
tige OF the navy. and will Justify liberal
Improvement. The officers have shown
peculiar adaptation for the performance
In the matter of naval construction
l Japan and and Italy of the great powers, laid
this country. and Italy alone has less
conn,,g tonnage J., under % construction. | heartily
secretary.
PENSIONS.
''On the 30th of June 1899 the nension
roll OF the United States numbered 99I
519. These include the pensioners of the
ARMY nn1nben ana dodaS navy in all our wars. The
year was 1881 The number dropped by
reason i @ of death. re.marriage. minors by
legal Limitation, failure to- claim within
three years and other causes. was AL
mnd ~ a,d 6he number of claims disallowed was
amount amount; disbursed for army and navy
o52.95, which was 81. .65i. .46i. 81 less than the
sum n OF the appropriation.
the interior, the commissioner of pensions
peeommends nractina no that. in order to make the
justice to the dependent Pr'l, widow dn9 to no DO
amount OF income allowed. independent
or the proceeds of her daily labor, should
urges that the Congress shall so ann nmenS nd
rrent ene ac1 as to permit the pension office to
the terms OF the third secion of The act
oh June ~ 1880, whose income aside from
ses ces pr9eseds f seed OF daily labor Is in ex
commend It, '"S
FOREST RESERVATIONS.
foras, Un June &c. 1898, there. were thirty
Sracana and culture reserve in AlaskaJ. en-
existing forest reserves. T the ,"9 prnbnne ot ane
snSh SsoSth BoRnts BSRE,fornia} mia and Black Hills
considerably enlarged. the aren nave ef oesn zen
Mount Rainier reserve in the state OF
and MddssinxSa sn has been
m1qn,ains THrizsaa1 arn tArrzo'naS the Black Mesa
latin lat & H3Montana); ella river New Mexico1
and and Fish lake tutah), the total estimated
maj" " when h Is o.Zo5,I5 acres. This
present fnt
thirty-six forest reservations. embracine
an an, estimated area of 1902. .ssS acres. This
within the boundaries OF the reserve.
Ihe lands actually reserved are how
In, and these have been set aside and
reserved for sale or settlement in order
mat they may be of the greatest use to
Protection of the national forests. in
aerior ,n ,ss Sy me me PPepartment OF the In
complished In the way OF preventing for
est tires and the protection OF the tim
by forests which will Eventually be re-
served and set apart for forest uses. I'm
crease the appropriations for the work
OF protecting the forests.
THE PHILIPPINES.
On the 10th of December. 1898. the
stateys seasy S5a @ sasn between the uned
vided. among other things. that Spain
should cede to the United States the
archipelago known AS the Philippine
Islands: that the United States should
pay to Spain the sum OF $40. 600 0OO and
civil rights and the political status OF
the native Inhabitants of the territories
thus ceded to the United States should be
determined by Congress- The treaty was
ratified by the Senate on Februnry O.
1899. and by the government of Spain on
March 18th following. The notifications
were exchanged on the llth of April and
the treaty publicly proclaimed. on the |
End Of March Congress voted the sum
contemplated by the treaty and the |
amount was paid over to the Spanish
government on the LIST of May. In this |
United States. The islands were ceded |
by the government OF Spain. which had |
been In undisputed possession of them /
for centuries. They were accepted not |
merely by our authorized commissioners |
In Paris, under the direction OF the ex- |