The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-12-04

maripes on duty 10 the Philippines who
voluntarily rejhained in the service after
their terms Of enlistment bad expired.
l favor the RECOMMENDATION Of the Sec
rotary OF War for the detail Of officers
from the line Of the Army when vacan-
cies occur in the AdjutantGenerals De-
partment nspector-Generals Depart
ment, Quartermaster's Department, Sub
sistence Department, Pay Department,
ORDNANCE Department, and Signal Corps.
The Army can not be too highly conr
mendcd for its faithful and effective
service in active military operations In
the field ard the difficult work OF civil
administration.
The continued and rapid growth Of the
postal service is sure index Of the
great and increasing business activity OF
the country Its most striking new de-
velopment is the extension OF rural free
delivery. This has come almost wholly
within the last year. AT the beginning
of the fiscal year 1s99-1900 the number
of routes in operation was only B91, and
most OF these had been running less than
twelve months. On the 18th of Novem-
Der, 1900, the humber had increased to
2.614, reaching into forty-four States and
Territories, and serving a population of
1901 ,524. The number of applications
now pending and awaiting action nearly
equals all those granted up TO the present
time, and by the close of the current
fiscal year about 1000 routes viii have
been established, providing for the daily
delivery of mails at the scattered homes
OF about three and a half millions of
rural population.
This service ameliorates the isolation
of farm life, conduces to good roads. and
quickens and extends the dissemination
of general information. Experience thus
far has tended to allay the apprehension
that it would be so expensive as TO for
bid its general adoption or make it
serious burden. Its actual application
has shown that it increases postal re-
ceipts, asd can be accompanied by re-
duetions in other branches of the service,
so that the augmented revenues and the
accomplished savings together material
ly reduce the net cost. The evidences
which point to these conclusions are pre-
scented in detail in the Annual Report of
the Postmaster-G General, which with its
recommendation is commended TO the
consideration of the Congress. The full
development of this special service, how
ever, requires such a large outlay OF
money that il should be undertaken only
after careful study and thorough UNI
derstanding of all that II involves.
Very efficient service has been rendered
by the Navy in connection with the in
surrection in the Philippines and the re-
cent disturbance in China.
a very satisfactory settlement has been
made of the long-pending question of the
manufacture of armor plate. A reasona-
BILE price has been secured and the neces-
sity for Government armor plant avoid
ed.
| approve Of the recommendations Of
the Secretary for new vessels and for
additional officers and men which the re.
quired increase of the Navy makes nee.
essary. l commend TO the favorable &c.
ton Of the Congress the measure now
pending for the erection of n statue TO
the memory Of the late Admiral David
ID. Porter. | commend also the estab-
lishment of a national naval reserve and
of the grade of yice-sdmiral Provision
should be made, as recommended by the
Secretary, for suitable rewards for spe-
eial merit. Many officers who rendered
the most distinguished service during the
recent war with Spain have received in
return no recognition from the Congress.
The total area of public lands as given
by the Secretary OF the Interior is APP
proximately 1,07l ,SS1 ,662 acres, of which
oil. $50 acres are undisposed Of aud
154. 745, 1872 acres have bsen reserved for
various purposes. The public lands dis
posed Of during the year amount to 49,
453, SSI.96 acres, including 62,423.09
acres Of Indian lands, an increase of
4,2T1,47lS0 over the preceding year.
The total receipts from the sale of public
lands during the fiscal year were $4,319,-
75S.10. an increase of $1,000 ,620.76 over
the preceding year.
The results obtained from our forest
policy have demonstrated its wisdom and
the necessity in the interest of the public
for fits continuance and increased appro-
priatons by the Congress for the carry
ing on of the work. On June 80, 1900.
there were thirty forest reserves,
created by Presidential proclamations
under section "a of the act of March 3,
1891, embracing an area of 46,425,5 800
acres.
During the past year the Olympic Re
serve, in the State Of Washington, was
reduced 265. 040 acres, leaving its present
area at !, 1923, $40 acres. The Prescott Re
serve, in Arizona, was increased from
lu,-1O uCTeE 10 d%o,ocV utItSt uhu thc
Big Horn Reserve, in Wyoming, was in
creased from 1,127,6S0 acres to 1,1s0,-
500 acres. A new reserve, the Santa
Ynez, in California, embracing an area
of 14i, 600 acres, was created during this
year. On October 10, 1900, the Grow
Greek Forest Reserve, in Wyoming, was
created, with an area of $500 acres.
At the end of the fiscal year there were
on the pension roll 993. 500 names, net
increase OF 2,010 over the fiscal year 1899.
The number added to the rolls during the
year was 1874 The amount disbursed
for army pensions during the year was
S134, 700, 597 p, and for navy pensions
So, 161, 1891, total of $13S, 49,, 1906,
leaving an unexpended balance of So
542, I6S25 to be covered into the Treas
ury, which shows an increase over the
previous years expenditure of $10T,-
OTTO There were 6S4 names added TO
the rolls during the year by special acts
passed at the first session of the Fifty
sixth Congress.
The act OF May 8, 1000, among other
things provides for an extension of in