The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1904-10-13

park Is the Yellowstone, which was
set apart by act of Congress in 1872;
less widely known are two parks in
southern California, the General
Grant and the Sequoia, and the Mount
Rainier Park in the State Of Washing
ton. There are also many forest res
ervations in which, for esthetic or
economic reasons, the trees are pro-
tected from the ak Of the woodman.
Several beautiful regions, still under
private ownership, have been pro
posed as worthy of government reser-
walton, notably certain great groves
of redwood In California, the Mount
Washington range in the White Noun
tains Of New Hampshire, and splen-
did section Of the Appalachian Noun
tains. 1t is fitting that natures great
est and most beautiful gifts should
belong to the people as whole, and
the proposition to add the Yosemite
Valley to the Yosemite National Park
is In line with the general movement
for national control of the great tracts
of mountain, valley and forest.
Desertions in the navy are fncreas-
ing to such an extent as to give the
naval authorities the gravest concern.
No one is able to understand why
there should be such illegal withdraw
ais Of the men from the service. 1t is
all the more surprising when 1t Is con-
sidered that the payment and privi-
leges of the enlisted men have been
made as attractive as possible, and all
for the purpose Of creating content
ment among the bluejackets. One rea-
son given is that the punishment of
the culprits who are apprehended is
altogether inadequate and amounts to
an easier existence than that Of those
who do their duty. The situation is so
menacing that the authorities are de-
vising some means Of keeping the en-
listed force up to its required strength.
The government crop report for Sep
TENDER was encouraging for all i'm
portant crops except spring wheat A
shrinkage of 21.3 per cent in the aver
age condition of that cereal during
August was reported. This represents
an estimated loss of 100000 BUSH
els, and brings the total for winter
and spring growths down to $50, Co.,
coo bushels, which is about 1O0,OO0,0O0
bushels less than last years yield.
Corn, on the other hand, although its
condition fell of slightly in August.
promises harvest of 2,4SS, 72s. 800
bushels, which is nearly 25O,OOO,0OO
bushels more than last years large
crop. There is promise Of an abun-
dance of oats and minor cereals, and
of hay, potato and other food and
feeding crops.
Colorado has an official snow inspec-
tor, the only officer of the kind in the
country. His duty is to inspect the
snow in the Rocky Mountains, and re-
port its condition to the State Depart
ment of Irrigation. From his reports
the officers of the department estimate
the amount Of water that will be avail
able for irrigation purposes each year,
as the streams are fed by the melting
SHOWS. The inspector is a trained
mountaineer who spend five or six
months at his work every year, going
over trails known to no other white
man, and feeding on raisins when no
other food is available.
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The enlisted force of the navy is
coming more and more largely from
the great body of native-born Ameri-
can citizens. Last year the proportion
of natives had risen to more than 80
per cent. In 1880 it was about so per
cent. 1t is thought that the current
fiscal year will see an advance to 95
per cent The Army and Navy Journal
notes the suggestive fact that most of
the naval recruits nowadays come
from the inland States, a naval officer
mentioning with special commentator
the recruits obtained from the farms
Of Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Kansas.
When the mint at Philadelphia was
cleaned during the past summer the
sweepings boiled down" to two neat
chunks of gold and silver. The floors
had secreted nearly fifty thousand
dollars worth Of dust, and the chin
neys Of the nineteen furnaces had
stolen more than $4,000 Many peo-
pie have picked up money that they
have dropped on the floor, but very
few recover what has "gone up In
smoke"
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Chief Engineer Wallace has been
making estimates Of the cost Of the
Panama canal work he has done with
the result that he feels safe in assert
ing that the cost of the canal can be
reduced greatly below the French fig.
ures through the employment Of mod.
ern high-grade American machinery as
substitute for m3nual labor.
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Chicago photographers are angry a,
the lack of orders for pictures of The
candidates. Both parties are to blame
In recent Presidential campaigns 81,
100000 was expended with the Graf
in that city alone. This year the Re
publicans have spent less Ian $1,O0(
and the Democrats practically nothing
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