The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1900-12-07

tais number authority should be given to
Id.se native troops N the Philippines up
10 1000 which the Taft commission be-
and suppressing guerillas, assassins, and
Ladrones than our own soldiers.
There are NIFTY eight or more military
coast defense Notifications
The number OF these posts Is being con-
stantly increased by the congress. More
building and equipment and they can only
be cared for by the regular army. The
posts now in existence and others to be
built provide for accommodations for, and
II fully garrisoned require, 5000 troops.
Many OF these posts are along our from
tier or at important strategic points, the
occupation OF which Is necessary.
The Postal Service.
The continued and rapid growth Of the
postal service is a sure index of the great
and increasing business activity of the
ment is the extension of rural free deliv-
cry This has come almost wholly within
the last year. At the beginning of the
fiscal year 1S99-1sO0 the number of routes
In operation was only 39l, and most of
these had been running less than twelve
months. On the 18th of November 1900,
the number had increased to 2,6l4, reach
ing into forty-four states and territories
and serving population Of 1901, 5A. The
number or applications now penang and
awaiting action nearly equals all those
the close of the current fiscal year about
1000 routes will have been established,
providing for the daily delivery of mails
at the scattered homes Of about three and
half millions of rural population.
This service ameliorates the isolation of
farm life, conduces to good roads, and
quickens and extends the diss emination
Of general information. Exper nee thus
far has tended to allay the APP rehension
that II would be SO expensive a. to forbid
Its general adoption or make II serious
burden. Its actual application has shown
that 1t increases postal receipts, and can
be accompanied by reductions in other
mented revenues and the accomplished
savings together materially reduce the
net cost.
Pensions and Patents.
At the end of the fiscal year there were
on the pension roll 93529 names, a net
increase of 200 over the fiscal year 1895
The number added to the rolls during the
year was 1884. The amount disbursed for
army pensions during the year was $134,-
7OO,5SI "A and for navy pensions s. 761. 533 Al,
total of 1888 462, 100 90, leaving an unex-
pended balence of s5,5l2,76S 20 to be COW
cred into the treasury, which shows ap In
crease over the previous years expendi-
ture of Sl07,07 20. There were 6S4 names
added to the rolls during the year by spe-
The act Of May 9. 1900, among other
things, provides for an extension of in
come to widows pensoned under said act
to $50 per annum. The secretary of the
interior believes that by the opera ions of
this act the number OF persons 2 .isioned
under 1t will increase and the increas I'd
annual payment for pensions viii, be be
tween 49, 900 and $4,0OO,OO0.
The government justly appreciates the
services of it's soldiers and sailors by max
ing pension payments liberal beyond pre-
cedent to them, their widows and orpha ms
There were 26,540 letters patent grant d,
fiscal year ended June 80 1900; 1850 trade
marks, 682 labels, and 80 prints registered
The number of patents which expired was
N,s5S,22s IS. The expenditures were :,
N,SN 81, showing surplus Of $l10, 400 n,
Naval Affairs.
Very efficient service has been rendered
by the navy in connection with the insurt
rection In the philippines and the recent
very satisfactory settlement has beer
made OF the long pending question Of the
manufacture Of armor plate. A reason
able price has been secured and the me-
cessity for a government armor plant
Public Lands. I'd
The total area of public lands as given
imately 1.O71,S5i ,662 acres. of which si7.-
1880 acres are undisposed of and 1884,
1919 acres have been reserved for vari-
Of during the yea amount to 10, As, ISL. SO
acresA including 62, 2309 acres of Indian
lands;.an increase of 4,271, I74SO over the
the sale Of public lands during the fiscal
year were A,S79, 75S. 10, an increase of ST.,
e,G@o 76 over the preceding year.
he results obtained from our forest
policy have demonstrated its wisdom and
the necessity in the interest of the public
Tor It's continuance and increased appro-
priatlons by the congress for the carving
on OF the work. On June 30, 1900, there
were 81 forest reserves, created by presi-
Dental proclamations under section "a
OF the act It Of March . 1891, embracing an
area OF 46, 425,529 acres.
During the past year the Olympic re.
serve, in the state Of Washington, was
reduced 2e 90 20 acres, leaving its present
serve In Arizona, was increased from TO-
24O acres to 423,6S0 acres, and the Big
Horn reserve SCI we, in Wyoming. was increased
from LILY $50 acres to 1,1S0,S00 acres
new reserve. the Santa Ynez, in Califor-
MIA, embracing an area of las 900 acres.
was created during this year. On Oc-
tober 10, 1900 the Crow Creek forest re-
serve, In Wyoming, was created, ~
The Recent Census.
The president states that matters In
connection with the 18th census are pro-
crossing favorably. He says the popula-
ton of Hawaii is 154,00l. an increase of
A,9S in four years. Regarding the United
States bulletins are being issued as rap
idly possible.
The department of agriculture has been
extending its work during the past year,
reaching farther for new varieties Of
seeds and plants; cooperating more fully
search along useful lines; making prog
ress in meteorological work relating to
lines of wireless biography and forecasts
for ocean going vessels; continuing in
quiry as to animal disease; looking into
the extent and character of food adul-
teration; outlining plans for. the care,
preservation and intelligent harvesting
or our woodlands; studying soils that
producers may cultivate with better
of conditions, and helping to
clothe desert places with grasses suitable
to our arid regions. Our island possessions
are being considered that their peoples
may be helped TO produce the tropical
products now so extensively brought into
the United States. Inquiry into methods
Of fmnroving' our roads has been active
during the year; help has been given TO
many localities. and scientific investiga-
ion or material In the states and terri
tories has been inaugurated. Irrigation
problems In our semi-arid regions are re-
'eiving careful and increased considera-
Ion.
An extensive exhibit at Paris of the
PRODUCTS of agriculture has made the peo-
lies OF many countries more familiar
With the varied products of our fields
md their comparative excellence
Various Matters
The president recommends an amend
nent to the allen labor law and the g.
lour law, and states that he has Instruct
d the Philippine commission to inau-
'uarate civil service examinations on the
stands. He says good word for the
proposed hall OF public records and thinks
here should be a separate building for
he archives OF the nation He closes