Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1904-12-15

OF all the western pubic-land States. They
powerfully affect the use ana disposal of
the public lands. They ere VI special i'm
pOr,ance because they preserve the water
supply and the supply of timber for do
nestle purposes. and promote settlement
under the reclamation act. Indeed. they are
essential to the welfare of every one of the
great interests Of the West.
In connection with the work Of the forest
reserves | desire again to urge upon the
Congress the Importance OF authorizing the
President to set aside certain portions OF
these reserves or other public lands as game
refugees for the preservation of the bison,
the Wapiti, and other large beasts once so
abundant in our woods and mountains and
on our great plains, and now tending toward
extinction
Pensions.
The veterans of the Civil War have q
claim upon the Nation such no other
body of our citizens possess. The Pension
Bureau has never in its history been man
now the case.
Progress of the Indians.
The progress of the Indians toward civil
ization, though not rapid, Is perhaps all
that could be hoped for in view of the cir
cumstances Within the past year many
tribes have shown, in a degree greater than
ever before, an appreciation of the neces-
sity of work. This changed attitude is in
part due to the policy recently pursued of
reducing the amount of subsistence to the
Indians, and thus forcing them. through
sheer necessity, to work for a livelihood.
The policy. though severe. Is useful one,
but 1t IS to be exercised only with judg-
ment and with a full understanding of the
conditions which exist in each community
for which it is intended.
The Postal Service.
In the POstOffice Department the service
has increased in efficiency, and conditions
as to revenue and expenditure continue sat
isfactory The increase of revenue during
ha so .tlS 1871 In q
the total receipts amounting TO $143, 49,. 81.
"a. The expenditures were S152.362, 116. 20,
an increase Of about per cent over the
previous year. being thus SS,919, 40. SO In
excess of the current revenue. Included in
these expenditures was a total appropria-
ton OF S129o6, 631.35 for the continuation
and extension Of the rural free-Gelivery
service, which was an increase OF S4,9O2,-
237.35 over the amount expended for this
purpose In the preceding fiscal year. Large
as this expenditure has been the beneficent
results attained in extending the free dis
tribution Of mails to the residents of rural
districts have justified the wisdom Of the
outlay. Statistics brought down to the LIST
of October, 1904, show that on that date
there were 27.13S rural routes established.
serving approximately 100000 of people
in rural districts remote from postoffices,
and that there were pending at that time
1859 petitions for the establishment OF new
rural routes. Unquestionably some. part
Of the general increase in receipts Is due to
the increased postal facilities which the
rural service has afforded. The revenues
have also been aided greatly by amend
meuts in the classification of mail matter
and the curtailment Of abuses of the sec
ond-class mailing privilege
A National Quarantine Law.
It Is desirable to enact a proper National
quarantine law. 1t is most undesirable that
a State should on its own initiative enforce
quarantine regulations which are In effect
a restriction upon interstate and interna-
tional commerce. The question should prop
erly be assumed by the government alone.
The Currency Question.
The attention of the Congress should be
especially given to the currency question,
matter in the two Houses charged with
the duty, take up the matter Of our cur
rency and see whether 1t Is not possible
to secure an agreement in the business
world for lettering the system; the COM
mittees should consider the question of the
retirement of the greenbacks and the prob
lem Of securing In our currency such elias
ITCHY as is consistent with safety. Every
silver dollar should be made by law redeem
able in gold at the option Of the holder.
Oriental Markets.
The Importance of securing proper in
formation and data with a view to the en-
largement of our trade with Asia is undi-
minished. Our consular representatives in
China have strongly urged place for per-
manent display of American products in
some prominent trade center of that en-
pire, under government control and man
agement, as an effective means Of advanc-
ing our export trade therein. I call the
attention of the Congress to the desira-
bility of carrying out these suggestions.
Immigration and Naturalization,
In dealing with the questions Of immi-
grafton and naturalization it is indispensa-
Bile to keep certain facts ever before the
minds of those who share in enacting the
laws. First and foremost, let us remem-
Der that the question of being a good Amer
lean has nothing whatever to do with a
mans birthplace any more than it has to
do with his creed. In every generation
from the time this government was found
ed men Of foreign birth have stood In the
very foremost rank Of good citizenship,
and that not merely In one but In eyery
field Of American activity. There IS no
danger Of having too many immigrants of
the right kind: But the citizenship Of this
country should not be debased. 1t Is vital
that we should keep high the standard of
well-being among our wage-workers, and
therefore we should not admit masses of
men whose standards Of living and whose
personal customs and habits are such that