The Yale expositor., 1903-12-11

OF expenditures over receipts on account
81 the consular service amounted Co S26-
l25.i2 as against tS6s12sO FOR the year
ending June ~. 1907 and siti. Ot0 ~ for the
year ending June % 1891. This u the
best showing Ia this respect for the con-
sular service for the past fourteen years,
and the reduction la the cost OF the serv-
Ice 20 the Government has been made IN
spite OF the fact that the expenditure for
the year In question were more than
10000 greater than for the previous year.
Rural Free-oeliVery Service.
The rural free-delivery service has been
steadily extended. The attention OF the
Congress n asked 20 the question OF the
compensation OF the letter carriers and
clerks engaged In the postal service. es-
pecially on the new rural rce-delivery
routes. More routes have been Installed
since the first OF July last than In any
like period In the departments history.
while n due regard To economy must he
kept ln mind In the establishment OF new
free-dclvery system must be continued.
for reasons OF sound public policy. No
governmental movement OF recent years
has resulted In greater immediate benefit
20 the people OF the country districts.
Rural free delivery. taken In connection
with the telephone. the bicycle. and the
trolley. accomplishes much toward les
SEEMING the Isolation OF farm life and max
ing u brighter ana more attractive In
the immediate past the lack OF just such
facilities a. these has driven many Of tho
more active and restless young men and
women from the farms To- tne cities. for
they Tebelled at loneliness and lack Of
mental companionship. "a " unhealthy
and undesirable FOR the cities TO grow NJ
the expense OF the country: and rural
free delivery II not only n good thing
In itself. but " good because u II one
81 the causes which check this unwhole-
some tendency towards the urban con-
centration of our population at the ex-
pense Of the country districts. 10 II for
the same reason that We sympaihize with
aud approve OF the policy 81 building
good roads. The movement for good
roads IL one fraught with the greatest
benert TO the country districts
In the Philippines and Porto Rico.
10 is declared. steady progress is being
made and the condition Of the island
ers already has been materially ad'
vanced
Receipts Of General Land Office.
On the subject OF the public lands
OF the country the message says:
The cash receipts OF the General Land
once for the last fiscal year were NJ
O2i.7ts IS. an Incresre OF r162.Si over
the preceding year. OF this sum. approx
imRtely. tiGi tgs will 20 TO the credit
Of the fund for the reclamation % arid
land. making the total OF this fund az
to the Soth Of June. 1903. approximately.
1871 $50
gratifying disposition has been
evinced by those having unlawful In
closures of public land 10 remove their
fences Nearly two million acres 80 In
closed have been thrown open on ne
mRnd In but comparatively few cases
has u been necessary to 40 into court
20 accomplish this purpose This work viii
be vigorously prosecuted until all unlaw-
ful Enclosures have been removed.
irrigation.
Tie work OF reclamation OF the arid
lands OF the West Is progressing steadily
and satisfactorily under the terms OF
the law setting aside the proceeds from
the disposal % public lands. The corps OF
engineers known as the Reclamation
Service. which Is conducting the surveys
and examinations. has been thoroughly
organized. especial pains being taken 20
secure under the ctNil-Fervlcc rules n
body OF skilled. experienced. and efficient
men. Surveys and examinations are
progressing throughout the arid states
and territories. plans Tor retaining works
being prepared and passed upon by
boards OF engineers before approval by
the Secretary OF the Interior. lu Arizona
and Nevada. In localities where such
work ~ pre-emnently needed. construc-
ton has already been begun. In other
PARTS OF the arid West various projects
IRE well advanced toward the drawing
up OF contracts. these being delayed In
part by necessities % reaching agree
ments or understanding a. regards rights
% way or acquisition % real estate Most
OF the works contemplated for construc-
ton are Il national Importance. involv-
OF stable. self-supporting communities ia
the midst Of vast tracts % vacant land.
The Nation as whole Is Of course the
gamer by the creation OF these homes.
adding as they do TO the wealth and sta
bility Ct the country. and furnishing
boo market for the products OF the East
anu South The reclamation law. while
perhaps not ideal appears at present 20
answer the larger needs for which u =
designed. Further legislation N not rec
commended until the necessities OF change
are more apparent.
Preservation OF Forests.
The President points out the neces-
sity OF taking steps for the preserva.
ton OF our forests. especially at the
headwatcrs OF streams. OF the cotton
weevil he says
The cotton growing States have re-
Gently been invaded by n wecvil that has
done much damage and threatens the
entire cotton industry. ! suggest To the
Congress the prompt enactment OF such
remedial legislation as its judgment may
approve.
lsthmian Canal.
The causes leading up TO the estab.
lishmont Of the new republic OF Pan.
anna. and It's recognition by the
United States are given in much de
tail. as follows:
By tho act OF June IS 1879. the Con-
grcss authorized the President 20 enter
into treaty with Colombia FOR the build
ing Of the canal across the Isthmus Of
Panama: u being provided Tint in the
event Of failure 20 secure such treaty
after the lapse OF reasonable time. re-
course should be had Co building canal
through Nicaragua. 70 has not been
necessary to consider this alternative. az
am enabled 20 lay before tho Senate
a treaty providing for the building OF the
canal across the Isthmus OF Panama.
This was the route which commended
Itself 90 the deliberate judgment OF the
, ngresa and We can now acquire by
treaty the right Co construct tho canal
over this route. The question now. there
fore g. not by which route the isthmlau
canal shall be built. for that question
has been definitely and irrcvocably de-