The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1903-12-10
RESIDENTS ANNUAL
MESSAGE TO CONGRESS
congratulates the Country on Substantial Achieve
ments of Past Year-Capital and Labor-PostaI
and Land Frauds-The Panama Canal

T.
lngly congress appropriated five hundred
thousand dollars to be expended in the
employment OF special counsel and agents
10 conduct proceedings and prosecutions
under said laws in the courts as n mater
Of the utmost Importance and urgency
the extension Of the purposes OF this an
proprlation, so that It may be available
foI the due enforcement OF the laws OF
the United States in general and espe-
cially or the civil and criminal laws re-
laung TO postal crimes and offenses and
the subject Of naturalization. Recent In
Vestigations have shown a deplorable
state OF affairs I'm these three matters OF
vital concern. BY various frauds and by
fcfgeries and perjuries thousands Of
acres OF the public domain have been
dishonesty acquired. II is hardly neces-
sary TO urge the Importance OF recovering
tnese dishonest acquisitions, stolen from
the people, and OF promptly and duly
punlshing the offenders
iouChlng the subject Of the postal
FRAUDS, targeries and perjuries and by
shameless bribcries the laws relating to
the proper conduct Of the public service
OF the postotilce department. have been
uotoTlouSiy violated, and the consequent
prosecutions are IN course of hearing or
on me eve thereof For the reasons
thus indicated, and 50 that the govern
meht may be prepared to enforce prompt
~ and with greatest effect the due penal
Ties Tor such violations OF law. / urge
the necessity Of making such appro-
steps ave been taken by the state de-
partner: looking to the making Of
bribery an eXtraditable Offeuse with fcr-
eign powers. The need OF more effective
ueatles covering trSs crime is manifest
1t should he the policy Of the United
states says the president Ito leave no
place on earth when a corrupt man fee
ing from this country can find rest. There
can be no crime more serious than
bribery. Other oftenses violate one law
WINE corruption strikes at the founda-
ton Of all law"
The president deals nj some length with
the history OF the Alaskan boundary dis
pute and calls attention to the recent sue
cessful termination OF that dispute by the
decision Of the convention In London, a
decision which Is satisfactory in every
way
Speaking OF the claims OF foreign
powers against Venezuela and the sub
mission Of those claims. through the
friendly offices OF the United States to
the permanent court OF arbitration at The
Hague the president says: This
triumph OF the principle of international
arbitration is subject OF warm con-
graduation and offers q happy augury
for the peace Of the world"
Regarding our relations with China the
president says; The signing OF new
commercial treaty with China, which
took place at Shanghai on the Sth of
October, is cause Of satisfaction. This
act, the result OF long discussion and ne
gotiation, places our commercial relations
Win the great oriental empire on a more
satisfactory footing than even before"
The rural free delivery service has been
steadily extended The attention OF con-
gress Is asked 20 the question of the COM
pens7tion 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. (which n
due regard TO economy says the presi-
dent, must be kept in mind In the es-
tahlishment Of new routes, yet the extern
sion of the rural free delivery system
public policy" In this connection the
president also urges the Importance OF
the movement for good roads.
The Louisiana Purchase exposition and
the Lewis and Clark exposition are rec
ommerded to the favorable attention OF
congress.
The president calls the special attention
OF congress to the Territory OF Alaska
The country is developing rapidly, and IL
has an assured future. Proper land
laws should be enacted" says the presi-
dent. and the survey Of the public lands
Immediately begun. Wagon roads and
trails should be built, and the building OF
railroads promoted In all legitimate
ways"
An appropriation for the building of
lighthouses IN Hawaii is recommended.
The president says; III our insuiar
possessions the Philippines and Porto
Rico II Is gratifying to say that their
STEADY progress has been such as to make
IL unnecessary to spend much time In dis
cussing them. Yet congress should ever
keep in mind that a peculiar obligation
rests upon US 10 further in every way the
welfare OF these communities The
ftari ti s arrangemeats. No one people ever
benefited another people more than we
have benefited the Filipinos by taking
possession of the islands
The cash receipts Of the general land
Office for the last fiscal year were 81, 024.-
1866 an increase of S4,762 Sl6.F over
the proceeding year. or this sum, APP
proxinately, 81, 46i 1913 will go TO the cred,
Ii OF the fund for the reclamation of arid
lnnd, making the total of this fund, up TO
the Both Of June 1903, approximately
SIG. iOI S3R.
sion OF the public land laws the president
SAYS: There s a tendency TO mass in
large holdings public lands, especially
timber and grazing lands, and thereby TO
retard settlement. ! renew and emphasize
my recommendation Of last year that so
far as they are available for agriculture
In It's broadcast sense. and - whatever
extent they may be reclaimed under the
national irrigation law, the remaining
DuhlIc lands should be held rigidly for
the home builder The attention Of con-
gress is especially directed 20 the timber
and stone law, the desert land law, and
stead law, which IN their operation have
In many respects conilicted with wise
public land policy
The work OF reclamation OF the arid
lands of the West il progressing steadily
and satisfactorily under the terms OF the
law setting aside the proceeds from the
dismissal OF public lands. The study OF
the opportunities Of reclamation Of the
vast extent OF arid lands shows that
whether this reclamation Is done by In
dividuals, corporations or the state, the
sources az water supply must be etfec-
lively prntec ed and the reservoirs
qua rfed by the preservation Of the for
ests at the heodwaters OF the streams.
THE necessity for perpetrating our forest
resources. whether in public or private
hands is recognized now as never before
The demand for forest reserves has be-
come Inslstent In the West, because the
West mast use water, wood, and summer
range which only such reserves can sup
i'The Indian agents" says the presi-
dent, SHOULD not be dependent for their
appointment or tenure Of office upon con-
sidera lions OF partisan politics. the prac-
tice OF appointing, when possble,, ex-
army officers or bonded superintendent
TO the vacancies that occur Ii working
we'll"
On the subject CT pensions the president
saws: "No other class OF our citizens
deserves so well OF the nation as those TO
whom the nation owes its being. the
veterans of the Civil war. Special atten-
tIon ls asked 10 the excellent work Of the
pension bureau In expeditfng and dlspos-
ing OF pension claims, During the fiscal
year ending joy I. 1908, the bureau set
tied 25l aS2 claims. an average OF $50
claims fer each working day Of the year.
The number ~ settlements since July !,
Imi3 has been In excess OF last year g
average approaching 1000 claims for
each working day and II Is believed that
he work NJ the bureau will be current at
The close OF the present fiscal year.
The civil service next engaged the