Bismarck daily tribune., 1903-12-07
equitable conditions. which will proba-

bly, be accepted by the principal COM
mercial nations. to abandon the levy Of
"liken' and other transit dues through
out the empire and to introduce other
desirable administrative reforms. Lar
| ger facilities are to be given to our citi-
zens who desire to carry on mining en-
4 terpriSes in China. We have secured
for our missionaries valuable privi-
lege. the recognition Of their right to
rent and lease in perpetuity such prop
erty as their religious societies may
need in all parts of the empire. And
what was an Indispensable condition
for the advance and development of
our commerce in Manchuria. China. by
treaty with us has opened TO foreign
commerce the cities of Mukden. the
capital of the province of Manchuria
and Antung. an important port on the
Yalu river. on the road to Korea The
full measure of development which our
commerce may rightfully expect can
hardly be looked for until the settle
ment of the present abnormal state of
things in the empire, but the founda
ton for such development has mt last
been laid
l call your attention to :he reduced
cost in maintaining the consular service
for the fiscal year ending June 80. 1903.
as shown in the annual report Of tn,
auditor for the state and other depart
ments. as compared with the year previ-
Gus. For the year under consideration
the excess of expenditures over receipts
on account of the consular service
amounted to $26, 125.12 as against $96,-
$3.50 for the year ending June 80.
1902. and $147,O4Ol6 for the year end
ing June 30. 1901. This is the best
showing in this respect for the consular
service for the past fourteen years and
the reduction in the cost of the service
to the government has been made in
spite of the fact that the expenditures
for the year in question were more than
$4,000 greater than for the previous
year.
Rural Free Delivery Service.
The rural free delivery service has
been steadily extended The attention
OF the congress is asked to the question
of the compensation of the letter car
riers and clerks engaged in the postal
service. especially on the new rural
free delivery routes. More routes have
been installed since the 1st of July
last than In any like period in the de-
partment's history. While a due re-
gard to economy must be kept in mind
in the establishment of new routes, yet
the extension of the rural free delivery
system must be continued for reasons
Of sound public policy. No govern
mental movement of recent years has
resulted in greater immediate benefit
to the people of the country districts.
Rural free delivery. taken in connec-
ton with the telephone the bicycle and
the trolley. accomplishes much toward
lesSenng the isolation of farm life and
making it brighter and more attractive.
In the immediate past the lack of just
such facilities as these has driven
many of the more active and restless
young men and women from the farms
to the cities. for they rebelled at lone
lness and lack of mental companion
ship. 1t is unhealthy and undesirable
for the cities to grow at the expense of
the country. and rural free delivery is
good because it is one of the causes
which check this unwholesome tenden-
cy toward the urban concentration of
our population at the expense of the
country districts. 1t is for the same
reason that we sympathize with and
approve of the policy of building good
roads. The movement for good roads
is one fraught with the greatest benefit
to the country districts
l trust that the congress will con
tinue to favor in all proper ways tn,
Louisiana Purchase exposition. Thi:
exposition commentaries the LouiSi
ana purchase, which was the first grea
step in the expansion which made us
continental nation. The expedition o
Lewis and Clark across the continen
followed thereon and marked the be
, ginning of the process of exploration
and colonization which thrust our ma
tional boundaries to the Pacific. TIL,
acquisition of the Oregon country. in
cluding the present states of Oregon
and Washington. was fact of i'm
menSe Importance in our history. firSl
, giving us our place on the Pacific sea
board and making ready the way fol
our ascendency in the commerce of the
greatest of the oceans The centennia
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 1909. and this event should receive
; recognition and support from the ma
J tional government.
Development of Alaska.
call your special attention to the
territory of Alaska The country is de
veloping rapidly. and it has an assured
future. The mineral wealth is great
and has as yet hardly been tapped. Thl
fisheries if wisely handled and kept un
der national control will be business
as permanent as any other and of tn,
utmost Importance to the people The
forests if properly guarded will form
another great source Of wealth. Por
lions Of Alaska are fitted for farming