Okolona messenger., 1904-06-01

S~Q " Every congress is more or less OF
Disappointment in that there lot Of things it
does that it had better have left undone and lot of
other things it does not do that ought to have been
done.
We don't know Just exactly what this congress
has done or what it has left undone We have been
taking The Congressional Record right along and
have tried to sort of keep track Of things but She fact
is that there has been too much hot air distributed
by various members OF congress for to keep track
Of it all.
We esteem our contemporary, The Congressional
Record very much, but If there is any way in which
it could induce it's contributors to boil down their
contributions to about One-fourth Of the space they
are in the habit Of occupying it would be great
relief to the reaeers Of The Record.
About the most important work this congress has
dOne and the people will commend them fer it, is
the closing up of the Panama canal deal. We are
certain now to have canal across the isthmus which
is thing the people of the United States have wan
ted for many years. Congress failed to make Okla
hOma q state as it should have done. There has
never been state admitted into the union that Was
as we'll prepared to come in as Oklahoma is today;
still suppose the people OF the territory will not
suffer much if they have to wait another year. They
seem to be doing tOlerably we'll as it is and maybe
the only fellows who really suffering are the
politicians who better chances to get offices in
state than in a territory.
Congress appropriated in round numbers 753 mil
lion dollars to pay the bills of the government during
the year 1904 and $50 million dollars to pay the
bills Of the year 1906
This government is tremendous business con
cern. The amount of money necessary to run it is
90 large that the ordinary mind has no conception Of
it's size
II all the bills Of the government were paid in sill
yer dollars it would require %, 197 wagons, each
loaded with ton OF silver dollars to haul enough
to pay the full amount.
It costs the government to pay it's bills 81 million
dnllaFn davs G2R mn mo
e1, $50 every minute and than $50 each second
John ROckfell0w is repUted to be not only the rich
est man in the world, but the richest man who has
ever lived. His fortune is estimated at 500 million
dollars. But If John were to undertake 90 pay all
the bills Of the government out Of his private purse
he would be bankrupt within eight months.
The government pays out for the agricultural de- |
partment something more than million dollars
per year, and good use is made Of the money; that
is OF most Of il. Hundreds Of livestock inspectors
sent out to the cattle ranges to see that diseased
cattle are not sent to market. At the various
packing houses there hundreds Of experts in the
employ OF the government, testing the dressed meats
to see II they we're sound. Dozens Of careful agents
are sent all over the world to find varieties Of
cereals which can be prOftabiy grown in the United
States. Other experts are out looking for some |
thing that will do up the pests that ruin tbe farm.
ers crops and trees. Thousands Of dollars are ex- |
pended in growing different kinds OF grains under
different conditions as to soil and climate and the
ing.
The agricultural department used to be OF mighty /
little account but Of late years is worth ell it COSTS
Il costs the government 172 million dollars per
annum to run tho pOstOhices and carry the mails;
this is about Is million dollars more than is taken
In from the sale Of stamps but who will kick about
q little deficit Of I3 milliOnsg
lt costs about 76 million dollars per annum to
pay the bills Of the regular army and about 81 mil
lion to run the navy.
we pay out Tor pensions every year from 40 mil
lion to 100 million dollars for pensions for disabled
exsodiers. lt costs the government nearly 10 mil.
lion dollars per year TO take care Of its Indians At
present the government is spending Il the neghbor
hood Of 10 million dollars per year On the rivers
and harbors Of the country; there have been years
when the river and harbor bin called for four times
that much. The great wonder to rs Is that the gov
eminent is able to gather il enough money to pay
is bills, and this year viii have surplus Of 20 or
% million dollars TO apple on debts.
lt is safe to say that there is 10 government On
the face Of the globe which takes il 60 much money
with 90 little burden to the people.
Says the Chicago Journals aIl there we're no
mothers there'd Be fewer divorcesv and It's more
nationally true that il there we're more mothers
ihered be fewer divorces.