Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-06-29

from these sources have been already
received TO the credit OF the reclama-
ton fund. Over 33, 000,0 900 acres of
public lands in ii states and terri
tories have been embraced in the
81 projects which have been devised
and are under examination. and on
eight Of those the work of actual con.
struction has begun.
POSTAL SERVICE.
The postal service has been ex-
tended and improved. Its revenues
have increased from $4,000, 900 in
1895 TO S95, 000, 900 in 1899, and Sfi4,-
000, 900 In 1904. In dealing with these
vast sums, a few cases Of %peculation,
trifing in amount and by subordinate
officers, have occurred there as they
occur in every business. Neither fear
nor favor. o. political or personal
influence has availed TO protect the
wrongdoers. Their acts have been de-
tected, investigated. laid bare; they
have been dismissed from their
places, prosecuted, criminally indict-
ed, many Of them tried. and many of
them convicted. The abuses in the
carriage of second-class mail matter
have been remedied. The rural free
delivery has been widely extended.
1t is wholly the creation of Republi-
can administration. The last Demo-
cratic postmaster general declared 1t
impracticable. The first administra-
ton of Mckinley proved the contrary.
At the beginning of the fiscal year
1899 there were about 200 routes in
operation. There are now more than
$4,000 routes, bringing a daily mail
service to more than 10000, 900 of our
people in rural communities, enlarg-
ing the circulation of the newspaper
and the magazine, increasing com.
munication, and relieving the isola-
ton of life on the farm.
AFFAIRS IN CUBA.
Four years ago we held the island
of Cuba by military occupation. The
opposition charged, and the people Of
Cuba believed that We did not intend
to keep the pledges of April 20, 1898,
that when the pacification of Cuba
was accomplished We should leave the
government and control of the island
to its people. The new policy toward
Cuba which should follow the fulfill
ment Of that pledge was uniformed.
During the four years it has been
worked out in detail and has receiv.
ed effect. 1t was communicated by
executive order to the military gov
ernor. 1t was embodied in the act OF
congress known as the Plat amend
ment. 1t was accepted by the Cuban
constitutional convention on the 18th
of October, 1901. 1t secured to Gu
ba her liberty and her independence,
but it required her to maintain them.
1t forbade her ever to use the free.
dom We had earned for her by so
great a sacrifice of blood and treas
ure, to give the island to any other pow
er; it required her to maintain a gov.
eminent adequate for the protection
of life and property and liberty, and
should she fail, it gave us the right to
intervene for the maintenance of such
a government. And it gave us the
right to naval stations upon her coast
for the protection and defense alike
of Cuba and the United States.
PEOPLE ARE PROSPEROUS.
On the goth of May, 1902, under a
constitution which embodied these
s%tipulations, the government and con
troll of Cuba were surrendered to the
president and congress elected by her
people, and the American army sailed
away. The new republic began Its
existence with an administration OF
Cubans completely organized in all
its branches and trained to effective
service by American officers. The
administration of President Palma has
been wise and efficient. Peace and
order have prevailed. The people OF
Cuba are prosperous and happy. HeI
finances have been honestly admins,
tered, and her credit is high. The
naval stations have been located and
bounded at Guantanamo and Bahia
Honda, and are in the possession OF
our navy. The Plat amendment is
tut SuCCt duCuoI VI SuUdu tlCuit
No such revolutions as have afflicted
Central and South America r posi-
BILE here, because it Is known to all
men that an attempt to overturn the
foundations OF that government will
be confronted by the overwhelming
power of the United States. The
treaty of reciprocity and act of con
gress of December 9Th, 1908, which
confirmed it, completed the expires
sion of our policy towards Cuba
which, with a fair view to the future
aims to bind us by ties of benefit and
protection, of mutual interest and gen
uine friendship, that island which
guards the Caribbean and the high
way to the isthmus, and must always
be, if hostile, an outpost of attack
and, If friendly, an outpost of defense
for the United States.
IN THE PHILIPPINES.
The last vestige of insurrection has
been swept away. With their work
accomplished, over $4,000 American
troops have been brought back across
the Pacific. Civil government has
been established throughout the arch
ipelago. Peace and order and jas
tice prevail. The Philippine commits
sion, guided at first by executive Oh
Ter and then by the wise Legislation
of congress in the Philippine govern
ment act of July /. 1902, have estab
lished and conducted a government
which has been a credit to their coun
try ard a blessing to the people o
the islands. The body of laws which
they have enacted upon careful ant
intelligent study of the needs of the
country challenges comnarisOn Will