The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1904-12-09

the Union and the islands Of the sea late
ly come under our flag Cooperation is
had with the state experiment stations,
and with many other institutions and in
diViduals. The world is carefully search
ed for new varieties of grains, fruits,
grasses. vegetables. trees. and shrubs,
suitable to various localities in our cOun-
try; and marked benefit to our producers
has resulted.
Irrigation.
During the two and a half years that
have elapsed since the passage Of the
reclamation act rapid progress has been
made in the surveys and examinations OF
the opportunities for reclamation in the
thirteen states and three territories OF
the arid West. Construction has already
been begun on the largest and most i'm
portant of the irrigation works, and plans
are being completed for works which will
utilize the funds now available. The
reclamation act has been found to be re-
markably complete and effective, and so
broad in its provisions that a wide range
Of undertakings has been possible under
it. At the same time. economy is guar
antecd by the fact that the funds must
ultimately be returned to be used over
again.
Forests.
It is the cardinal principle of the for
est-reserve policy Of this Administration
that the reserves are for use, What
ever interferes with the use of their re-
sources is to be avoided by every possible
means. But these resources must be used
in such way as to make them perma-
ncnt
Although the wisdom of creating for
| est reserves is nearly everywhere heart
lily recognized, yet in a few localities
there has been misunderstanding and
complaint. The following statement is
therefore desirable:
The fOrest-reserve policy can be sue
! cessful only when it has the full support
Of the people of the West 1t can not
safely. and should not in any case. be i'm
| posed upon them against their will. But
neither can we accept the views of those
| whose only interest in the forest is tenn
pOrary: who are anxious to reap what
| they have not sown and then move away,
| leaving desolation behind them.
The making Of forest reserves within
| railroad and wagon-road Immigrant linn
years, be so managed as to prevent the
| issue, under the act Of June 4, 1897, OF
base for exchange or lieu selection (usu-
| ally called scrip. In all cases where
| forest reserves within areas covered by
| land grants appear to be essential to
| the prosperity OF settlers. miners. or 9th
ers, the government lands within such
| proposed forest reserves will dS in the
| recent past. be withdrawn from sale or
entry pending the completion Of such
negotiations with the owners of the land
grants as will prevent the creation Of So
called scrip.
Establishment of game reserves
wherein may be preserved specimens
of our wild animals which are now
rapidly tending toward extinction is
urged
Pensions.
The veterans of the civil war have q
| claim upon the nation such as no other
| body Of our citizens possess. The pen
sion bureau has never in its history beer
managed in a more satisfactory manner
| than is now the case.
| Indians.
The progress Of the Indians toward civ.
| ilization. though not rapid, is perhaps al
that could be hoped for in view of the
| circumstances. 1t is commonly declared
that the slow advance of the Indians il
due to the unsatisfactory character o.
the men appointed to take immediate
charge of them, and to some extent this
is true. While the standard Of the en-
ployes in the Indian service shows grea
| Of
and while actual corruption or fragrant
| dishonesty is now the rare exception, i
is nevertheless the fact that the salaries
paid Indian agents are not large enough
to attract the best men to that field O
work To achieve satisfactory result:
the official in charge of an Indian tribe
should possess the high qualification!
which are required in the manager of {
large business, but only in exceptiona
cases is i, possible to secure men Of sucl
type for these positions.
Postal Service.
In the Postoffice Department the serv
i've has increased in efficiency, and con
| ditions as to revenue and expenditur,
continue satisfactory The Increase o
revenue during the year was $9,35S, 1S1.10
or 60 per cent. the total receipts amount
ing to $143SS2, 624.34. The expenditure
were $751;, 1862 1870. an increase of abou
8 per cent over the previous year, beinI
thus $500 1926 in excess Of the cur
rent revenue. Included in these eXpendi
lures was a total appropriation of $12,
956,63735 for the continuation and exten
sion of the rural free delivery service
which was an increase Of $4,000, 2S7. g
over the amount expended for this pur
pose in the preceding fiscal year. Larg
as this expenditure has been the benefi
cent results attained in extending tn
free distribution of mails to the resident
of rural districts have justified the wis
dom of the outlay. Statistics brough
down to the 1st of October, 1904, shoy
that on that date there were 27,13S rura
routes established, serving approximate
10000, 900 of people in rural districts re
mote from pOstofflces and that Their
were pending at that time 1853 petition
for the establishment Of new rural routes
Unquestionably some part of the genera
increase in receipts is due to the In
creased postal facilities which the rura
service has afforded. The revenues hav
also been aided greatly by amendment
in the classification of mail matter, an
the curtailment of abuses Of the second
class mailing privilege. The average in
crease in the volume of mail matter TO
the period beginning with 1902 and end
ing June. 1905 (that portion for 1905 be
ing estima ted, is 40.47 per cent, as com
pared with 25.46 per cent for the perio
Immediately preceding, and 1892 for tn
four-year period Immediately preceding