Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-12-07

in his annual report y called 10 your eayl II
/ renew the recommendation made ID Nv
last annual message that the c9nKress provide
special medal Of honor for the y0l1ntcetIsss
regulars, sailors and marines on duty sln ~
Philippines who voluntarily re,nninsd ~
service after their terms Of enllstmeue had
expired. 8}L 3 VI !. sa III
/ favor the recommendation OF the asscretsFy
Of War for tho detail OF officers from -
line of the army when vacancies occur In SttAS
ndjutant generals department. Inspector gen-s
erals department. quartermaster GGneraEe 49,
nnrtment subsistence department. Day depart
ment. ordnance department and slsnnl corps,
\ The army cannot be too highly commende4
for its faithful and effective service In actlvas
military opera lions in the field and the dlfnculs
work Of civil administration. s8 sss
POSTAL. SERVICE GROWS.
The continued and rapid growth Of the r0le
tel service is sure index OF the fErcat q and
increasing business activity Of the country. ltAs
sion Of rural free delivery. This has cons
almost wholly within the last year. Al the
beginning OF the fiscal year 1888 the num-.
Der of routes in operation was only ss1. snds
most Of these had been running less than twelve
months On the 18th of November. 1900, the
number had increased to 2,6li, reaching into
forty four states and territories and serving
a nopulatlon Of 1901 .524. Tho number of APP
pl.cutions now pending and awaiting action
nearly equals all those granted up to the pres Y
cnt time, and by the close OF the current fiscal
year about 1000 routes will have been estabSs
ilshcd providing for tho daily delivery Of malls
ut the scattered homes Of about $500 Of rural
population. .f5s ~ ~
This service ameliorates the isolation OF farm.
life. conduces to good roads and g1tckens AMI
extends the dissemination Of general informa-Sae
tion Experience thus far has tended to allays
the apprehension that 1t would 2l,es 50 expenss
sive us to forbid its general adoption or make
II a serious burden Its actual application has
SHOWN that it Increases postal receipts and can
be accompanied by reductions In other branches
of the service, SO, that the augmented rev
enues >aud the accomplished savings together
materially reduce the net cost. The evidences
which Point to these conclusions are presented
in detail in the annual report Of the post
u,cstc, general. which, with ita recommends
tions Is recommended to the consideration Of
the congress. The full development of this spe-a
cial service however, requires such a large ont
lay OF money that it Should be undertaken only
after a careful study and thorough understand
ing of all that it involves.
Very efficient service has been rendered ~
the navy In connection with the stnsurrectlon
in the Philippines and the recent DISTURBANCE
In China. 4 very satisfactory settlement shass
been made of the long pending lueStinn Of tho
manufacture Of armor plate. A reasonable
price has been secured and the necessity for AZ
government nrnlor plant avoided.
NEW VESSELS FOL: NAyT.s
approve Of the recommendations Of the$
Secretary OF tho Navy for new vessels ands
fu. additional officers and, men which the re-:
CURED increase OF the navy makes necessary
l commend to the favorable action OF the con-
sress the measure now pending for the erection
OF a statue to the memory OF The Iate Atmirai
David j. Porter. commend also the estah-a
lishuent Of a national naval reserve and OF tE0
grade of vice admiral. Frorisions should ,bs
made as recommended by the secretary, for
suitable rewards for special merit. Many OF
fcers who rendered the most distinguished SER
vice during the recent war with Spain have re-
cc.vci in return no recognition from the con-
gross. 0'r.5- 3s& sss$Ss3
TIC total area Of public lands IS Given -
the Secretary Of the Interior is approximately
1,O7l ISL. $50 acres. Of which s17,es5,ss0 acres
nre uEdisposed OF and l5i,74J,752 Ecres have
been reserved for various PURPOSES. 'lhe pub
lie lands disposed OF during the year :amonne
to 13.l53. SS1o6 acres including s.. @ifa acres
o: 1Ddan lands, e. acreasc Of 4.a71.454:sol over
the preceding year The total receipts ffon
the sale of lands during the fscsl year wefsE
$3.50 75S 10 increase Of ~ ,sG9 over ths
preceding year
Tho results obtained from our forest policy
have demonstrated Its wisdom ard the neces-
sity IN the interest Of tho public for its con-
tiuuance and increased appropriations y t n
congress for the carrying on OF the work. IN
June 80, 1900 there were tnltty.sevsn ae eeas
SiiSef ssctios II q tEe III Of March j.
embracing I'M area Of 4s425,5s9 acres. s.ssss
During the past syear the Olympic rcsetvs;s
in the stute of Washington. was f{duesM "a
90 acres. leaving Its present areY 81 l.9s5.s ~
acres The Prescott reserve IN Arizona was In.
creased from O240 acres to 23.6so acres and tne
Big Horn reserve. in wyoming, was lncrease1s
from 1l21.69o acrcs to J1soSoo acresssEsA new
reserve, the Santa Ynez. in California, en-. y
brocins an area Of $4,000 acres, was created
during this year. On Oct. 10. 1890. the Grow
Creek forest reserve In Wyoming, was created
with area of $500 acres.
At the end Of the fiscal year there were on
the pension roll e93.225 names. net Increase
Of 900 over tho fiscal year 1883. The number.
added to the rolls during the year was II, H3.V
The amount dsburscd for army pensions our
Ing the year was 1874, 700 597.24 aud for navy
pensions s3.76l, 5s241, total OF slSs i62 lS0.6S.
leaving an unexpended balance Of $S,'is, s25 to
DO covered into tho treasury. which shows an
Increase over the previous years expenditure
Of 1O7O7710. There were 6s4 names added %
the rolls during the year ly special nets passea
ut the first session OF the 6fty-sixth congress.
Tie net Of May, 1900. among other things
proyides for an extension Of income to Syidows
pensoned under said act to $3.50 per nHiinm. lneB
Secretary OF the Interior believes that Dy tnes
operations Of tlia net the number OF persona
pcnsoned under 1t Will increase ard the in-s
creased annual payment for pensions VIII be
between S300O.000 and $4,000 900. The Eovern-s
,nent Justly appreciates the services 81 It's SOL
d!crs and sailors by making pension payments
liberal beyond precedent for them. their Wids
and orphans. sS
There we're $3.50 letters pr tent granted, in-s
gliding reissues and designs. during the fiscal
year ended June 80. 1906 1850 trademarks S.:
patents which expired was 1855. The total
receipts for patents 81 1856, 2sS.3S. The ex.$
peudi.ures were s1,247 S27.5s. showing a surpluA:
Of s1l0i0O.T. Z 8 st&
The attention Of the congress IL called to tho
report OF the Secretary OF the Interior touch
ing the necessity for the further establishment
OF schools in the Territory OF Alaska and ia
vorablo action is invited thereon. SS5 n
HAWAII AND THE CENSUS. iii
The progress and population Of Hawaii 10
the next subject touched upon and then the
message takes up the department Of agriculture
as follows: Hi II 5.5 "a;
The Department of Agriculture has been ex-{
tending its work during the past year, reaching
farther for new varieties of seeds and plants:
cooperating more fully with the states aud
territories In research along Useful lines, max
ing progress in meteorological work relating to
lines Of wireless telegraphy and forecasts for
ocean-g0ing vessels; continuing inquiry as to
animal disease; looking into the extent and
character Of food aiulteratiOn; outlining plans
for the care, preservation and intelligent har-
yesting of our woodlands; studying soils that
producers may cultivate with better knowledge
of conditions, and helping to cothe desert
places with grasses suitable to our arid re-
eions. Our island possessions are being con-
sidered that their peoples may be helped to pro-
duce tho tropical products now SO extensively.
brought into the United States. Inquiry int
methods of improving our roads has been active
during tho year; help has been given to many
localities, and scientific investigation Of mate.
rial in the states and territories has been In
uAs~ hI~vr ttpfs