The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1903-12-11

ether desirable administrative reforms
Rural Free Delivery.
The rural free-deivery service has been
| steadily extended. The attention of the
| congress is asked to the question of the
compensation Of the letter carriers and
sierks engaged in the postal service. es-
| :outes- More routes have been Installed
| since the first of July last than In any
u I1t perioQ IN the departments history.
| While due regard to economy must be
kept in mind in the establishment of new
| routes. yet the extension of the rural
| tree-detivery system must be continued,
for reasons of sound public policy. No
| governmental movement of recent years
has resulted IN greater immediate benefit
| 70 the people of the country districts
| Rural free delivery. taken in connection
| with the telephone. the bicycle, and the
sening the isolation of farm life and
making 1t brighter and more attractive
International Expoxitions.
trust that the congress will continue
. favor in all proper ways the Louisiana
memorates the Louisiana purchase, which
| was the first great step in the expansion
which made us continental nation. The
| expedition of Lewis and Clark across the
continent followed thereon. and marked
me beginning of the process OF exploration
boundaries to the Pacific. The acquisition
81 the oregon country. including the pres
emit states of Oregon and Washington, was
fact of immense Importance in our his
| tory hrSt giving US our place on the Pa
IN; s1nc Seaooard and making ready the way
| greatest Of the oceans. The centennial of
our establishment upon the western coast
by the expedition of Lewis and Clark is
| to be celebrated at Portland. Ore. by an
exposition in the summer of 1905. and this
| event snoutd receive recognition and sup
port from the national government.
Our InsuIar POssessions.
I recommend that an appropriation be
made for building lighthouses in Hawaii.
| and taking possession of those already
bursed for whatever amounts 1t has al
ready expended for lighthouses. The
governor should be empowered to sus-
| him., without submitting the matter to
the legislature.
OF our insular possessions the Philip
pines and Porto Rico 1t is gratifying to
| say that their steady progress has been
such as to make it unnecessary to spend
| congress should ever keep in mind that
| a peculiar obligation rests upon US to
in eyefg way the fars Of
| should be knit closer to us by tariff ar
rangements.. 1t would. of course. be i'm
| the islands to the high pitch of Industrial
| prosperity and of governmental efficiency
to which they. will In the end by degrees
attain; and the caution and moderat on
| shown In developing. them have been
| among the main reasons why this devel-
~. scrupulous care has been taken in
| the choice Of governmental agents. and
the entire elimination of partisan politics
| from the public service. The condition
| of the islanders is in material things far
| better than ever before, while their gov
ornamental. Intellectual La: and !, moral a .d,
advance. No one people ever benefited
another people more than we have bene-
| fitted the Filipinos by taking possession
| of the islands.
The Public Lands.
A gratifying disposition has been
| 0yinCed by those having unlawful in
| closures of public land to remove their
Closed Closed have been thrown thrown open on demand.
| In but comparatively few cases has 1t
been necessary to go into court to- &C
vigorously prosecuted until all unlawful
| Enclosures have been removed.
Experience has shown that In the west
ern states themselves, as well as in the
rest of the country. there is widespread
| conviction that certain of the public land
laws and the resulting administrative
| The character and uses OF the remaining
public lands differ widely from those Of
peeay In 1eW when Sesgs laws were
passed. The rapidly increasing rate of
h Of the pan6e lands Is aos f9
| home building. There is a tendency to
| mass In large holdings public lands. es--
thereby to retard settlement. 1 renew
| and emphasize my recommendation of
| last year that so far as they are available
to whatever extent they may be re-
claimed under the national irrigation law,
| the remaining public lands should be held
rigidly for the home builder. The atten-
ton Of the congress is especially direct
ed to the, timber and stone law. the
| clause of thu homestead law. which in
their operation have in many respects
Gonfieted with wise public-land policy
where have made 1t evident that there Is
| a wide divergence Of opinions between
subjects: and that the opposing sides
have strong and convinced representa-
| tives of weight both within and without
the congress: the differences being not
| only to matters of opinion but as to
matters of fact In order that definite
| information may be available for the. use
| mission composed of w. A Richards.
commissioner of the general land office;
ture. and F. H. Newell. chief hydrogra
pher of the geological survey. to report
at the earliest practicable moment upon
the condition. operation and effect of the
present land laws and on the use.. con-
dition. disposal and settlement OF the
public lands. The commission will report
especially what changes in organization.
laws. regulations and practice affecting
largest practicable disposition of the pub
| lie lands to actual settlers who will build
permanent homes upon them, and to Sc.
cure in permanence the fullest and most
effective use of the resources Of the pub
| lie lands: and 1t will make such other
reports and recommendations as its
| study of these questions may suggest.
The commission is to report Immediate
| ly upon those points concerning which
Its judgment is clear: on any point upon
which it has doubt 1t will take the time
necessary to make investigation and
reach a final judgment.
The Army and Navy.
The effect of the laws providing a gen
eral staff for the army and for the more
effective use of the national guard has
been excellent. Great improvement has
been made in the efficiency of our army
In recent years. Such schools as those
erected at Fort Leavenworth and Fort
Riley and the institution of fall maneuver
work accomplish satisfactory results.
The coed effect of these maneuversr upon
the national guard IS marked, and ample
appropriation should be made to enable
the guardsmen of the several states to
shire In the benefit. The goYernment