The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1903-12-07

their religious societies may need in
all parts of the empire
Consular Service.
l call your attention to the reduc-
ed cost in maintaining the consular
service for the fiscal year ending
June 30. 1903. as shown in the an
nual report of the Auditor for the
State and other departments, as com
pared with the year previous. For
the year under consideration the ex-
cess of expenditures over receipts
on account of the consular service
amounted to $~26,125.12. as against
81 ,972.50 for the year ending June
80, 1902, and $147, O4O.16 for the year
ending June 80, 1901. This is the
best showing in this respect of the
consular service for the past four
teen years. and the reduction in the
cost of the service to the govern
ment has been made in spite of the
fact hat the expenditures for the
year in question were more than
$4,000 greater than for the previous
year.
The rural free delivery service has
been steadily extended. The atten-
ton of the congress is asked to the
question of the compensation of the
letter carriers and clerks engaged
in the postal service, especially on
the new rural free delivery routes.
More routes have been installed
since the first of July last than in
any like period in the departments
history While a due regard to econo-
my must be kept in mind in the es-
Enlistment of new routes. yet the
extension of the rural free delivery
system must be continued. for raa-
sons of sound public policy. No
governmental movement of recent
a has resulted in greater imme-
diate benefit to the people of the
country districts. Rural free daliv-
L IdhCA Ill COll1SClIOu Will the Iol-
ephone, the bicycle, and the trolley,
accomplishes much toward Iassening
the isolation of farm life and max
ing it brighter and more attractive.
In the immediate past the lack of
just such facilities as these has dri-
e many of the more active and
restless young men n ONE from
the farms to the cities; for they re-
beiled at loneliness and lack of men
tai companionship. 1t is unhealthy
and undesirable for the cities to
grow at the expense of the country;
and rural free delivery is not only
a good thing in itself, but it is
good because it is one of the causes
which check this unwholesome ten
dency towards the urban %concentra-
ton of u population at the ex- |
pense of the country districts.
Louisiana Purchase Exposition.
l trust that the congress will con-
tinue to favor in all proper ways the |
Purchase Exposition. 1t
commentaries the Louisiana purch- |
ase, which was the first great step in |
the expansion which has made us
a continental nation.
Development of Alaska.
I call your special attention to the
Territory of Alaska. The country is
developing rapidly and has an as
sured future. The mineral wealth is
great and has hardly yet beer tap
ped. The fisheries, if wisely handled
and kept under national control, will
be a business as permanent as any
other, and of the utmost Importance
to the people. The forests if prop
erly guarded will form another great
source of wealth. Portions of Alaska
are fitted for farming and stock rails
ing. although the methods must be
to the peculiar conditions of
the country. Alaska is situated in the
far north: but so are Norway and
Sweden and Finland: and Alaska
prosper and play it's part in the
new world. as these nations have
prospered and played their parts in
the old world. Proper land laws
should be enacted: and the survey
Of the public lands be Immediately
Coal land laws should be pro-
vided whereby the coal land entry
may make his location and Sc
patent under methods kindred
to those now prescribed for home
stead and mineral entrymen. Sal
h~atcheries, exclusively under
government control. should be estab-
lished. The cable should be extend
ed from Sitka westward. Wagon
roads and trails should be built. and
the building of railroads should be
promoted in all legitimate ways.
PHILIPPINES and Porto Rico, /