Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-12-06

"
dence and admiration of the country
The people are interested in the con-
tinued preparation and prestige of the
navy and win justify liberal appro-
priations for its maintenance and i'm
provement. The officers have shown
peculiar adaptation for the perform
ance of new and delicate duties which
our recent war has imposed.
1t cannot be doubted that Congress
will at once make necessary provision
for the armor-plate for the vessels now
under contract and building. Its at
tention is respectfully called to the re-
port of the Secretary of the Navy, in
which the subject is fully presented.
unite in his recommendation that the
Congress enact such special legislation
as may be necessary to enable the de-
partment to make contracts early in
the coming year for armor of the best
quality that can be obtained in this
country for the Maine, Ohio and Mis-
souri,, and that the provision of the
Act of March 3, 1899, limiting the price
of armor to $500 per ton be removed.
In the matter of naval construction,
Italy and Japan of the great powers.
laid down less tonnage in the year 1899
than this country. and Italy alone has
less tonnage under construction.
heartily concur in the recommends
tons for the increase of the navy, as
suggested by the Secretary.
THE PATENT OFFICE.
Our future progress and prosperity
depend upon our ability to equal IL
not surpass other nations in the en-
largement and advance of Science. in
dustry and commerce. To invention
we must turn as one of the most
powerful aids to the accomplishment
of such result. The attention of the
Congress is directed to the report of
the Commissioner of Patents, in which
will be found valuable suggestions and
recommendations.
THE PENSION ROLL.
On the S0th of June, 1899, the pen
sion roll of the United States number
ed 991,519. The amount disbursed for
army and navy pensions during the
year was s13S.355, 052S5, which was
81, 651 ,461.6 81 less than the sum of the
appropriations.
The Grand Army of the Republic,
at it's recent national encampment held
at Philadelphia, has brought to my at
tention and 10 that of the Congress the
wisdom and justice of a modification
of the third section of the Act of June,
q, 1880, which provides pensions for
the widows of officers and enlisted
men who served ninety days or more
during the war of the Rebellion, and
49, aHa. a1 AnA
that such widows are without other
means of support than their daily la
Dor and were 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 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 a pension I'M
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
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 we'll as during different per-
iods 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
Pensions recommends that, in 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 not be less than
$3.50 per annum, and he urges that the
Congress shall
so AMEND THE ACT
so as to permit the pension Office to
grant pensionable status to widows
under the terms Of the third section of
the Act of Jone q, 1890, whose income
aside from the proceeds of daily labor
is not in excess of $3.50 per annum.
believe that to be a simple act of JUS
The Dawes commission and its work
in connection with Indian affairs, the
work thus far accomplished toward or
ganizing the twelfth census, the Pacific
railroads and their relation to the gov
eminent, forest reservations, and the
work of the fish commission, are dis
posed of in brief paragraphs.
The Department of Agriculture and
its efforts to procure and disseminate
useful information in its line, and the
great achievements in the direction Of
furnishing farmers with new and
suitable varieties OF plants with the
view of broadening the field of agricul
ture, diversifying products and crops,
and suiting the output of the farm TO
the demands of domestic and foreign
markets, form an interesting chapter
of the Presidents message. The good
roads agitation and the need for re-
cognizing of Porto Rica's agricultural
wants are touched upon.