The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1904-12-14

ioresf poHcy OF the government Is Just now
a subject OF vivid public interest through
out the West and to the people Of the
United States In general. The forest re-
serves themselves are OF extreme value to
the present as well as TO the future welfare
of all the western publlc-iand States. They
powerfully affect the use and disposal Of
the public lands, They are Of special i'm
portance because they preserve the water
supply and the supply OF timber for do
nestle purposes. and so promote settlement
under the 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 i 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 n
claim upon the Nation such as no other
body of our citizens possess. TIL Pension
Bureau has never in its history been man.
aged In a more satisfactory manner than is
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-
slty 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 a 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 II is intended.
The Postal Service.
In the Postofice Department the service
has Increased in efficiency, and conditions
as to revenue and expenditure continue sat
isfactory. The Increase OF revenue during
the year was SO, S6S, 1S1 10, or 60 per cent,
the total receipts amounting TO $143, 49,, 624.-
"a. The expenditures were 1852, 1872, 118. 20,
an increase OF about 8 per cent over the
previous year, being thus $S,979, 492. SO In
excess OF the current revenue. Included In
these expenditures was a total appropria-
ton of S12, 956, 637. 35 for the continuation
and extension of the rural free-delivery
service. which was an increase Of $4,S02,-
237.S5 over the amount expended for this
purpose In the preceding fiscal year. Large
as this expenditure has been the beDeicent
results attained In extending the free dis
triDution 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 81, l3S rural routes established,
serving approximately 100000 of people
In rOEul ulSIrlCLS remote from pOSlOHiCes,
and that there were pending at that time
8, $50 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
ments In the classification of mail matter.
and the enrichment of abuses or the sec
ond-class mailing privilege.
a National Quarantine Law.
II 10 JaSIrah In 70 annpt a prpnar National
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-
erly be assumed by the government alone.
The Currency Question.
The attention of the Congress should be
especially given TO the currency question,
and that the standing committees on the
matter in the two Houses charged with
the duty, take up the matter Of our cur
rcncy 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 a 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. l call the
attention OF the Congress to the desira-
billty OF carrying out these suggestions.
Immigration and Naturalization.
In dealing with the questions of immi-
grafton and naturalization ii Is indispensa-
Bile to keep certain facts ever before the
minds of those who share In enacting the
First and foremost, let us remem-
Der that the question Of being q good Amer
lean has nothing whatever to do with a
mans birthplace any more than it has to
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 every
danger OF Laving too many immigrants of
the right kind. Blu 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
they tend to lower the level of the Ameri-
can wage-worker: and above all we should
not admit any man of an unworthy type,
any man concerning whom we can say that
he will himself be a bad citizen, or that
his children and grandchildren will detract
from instead G. adding to the sum Of The
good citizenship Of the country. Similar
ly we should take the greatest care about
naturalization Fraudulent naturalization,
the naturalization Of Improper persons, is
a curse to our government; and 1t Is the
affair Of every honest voter, wherever born,
to see that no fraudulent voting Is allow
ed, that no fraud In connection with nat
uralization Is permitted. Not only are the
laws relating to naturalization now defec-
tive, but those relating to citizenship Of
the United states ought also to be made
the subject OF scientific inquiry with 4 view
to probable further legislation.
The Territory of Alaska.
Alaska, like all our Territorial a~cquisi-
lions, has proved resourceful beyond the
expectations OF those who made the pur-
chase. 1t has become the home of many
hardy, Industrious, and thrifty American
ciffzanc Towns of n parptanant cbarootar