Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-01-03
A Good Year in Uncle Sans Affairs.

| was also 4 year over winch uncle sam
in the management Of his own affairs
can look back with good deal of pride
and satisfaction. This has no refer
ence to the unprecedented material
prosperity of the country or the wave
Of reform and moral advance which
was felt in so many parts of the land.
but to the work and management of the
various departments of the federal gov
eminent at Washington. The Wash
ington correspondent of the Boston
Transcript, the reliable and interesting
Robert Lincoln O'Brien. who writes
over the name Of Lincoln has a good
article on this subject in recent issue
from which we CLEAN an instructive
summary.
a hasty glance back over the year
shows that every branch of the Federal
Government made some progress
towards better things. The Patent
| Office reveals that the inventive minds
Of the land We're never so numerous
and never so busy. as during the last
year. In round numbers. thirty thou
sand patents We're issued So many
new inventions We're never before
| turned out in a single year. No one of
| these inventions yet stands out con-
| spicuOusly, but hundreds of them We're
of large Importance to the industrial
world. The year did not bring to the
| Patent Office perfected flying ma
| chine, but it brought news of plenty of
inventors who promise that the time is
not far distant when they will come
| forward with q machine that will travel
| through the air. Inventions that are
useful in utilizing electricity formed the
largest single class during the year.
The scientists in the Agricultural de-
| partment marched steadily on during
| the year. They produced a new pine
apple and a new citrus fruit; they
| made additional discoveries in nitrogen
Taxation, developed new plans for fight
ing contamination in water, made new
and valuable discoveries in cotton
| breeding. brought out new ideas on the
| treatment of plant diseases, made pro-
grcss i'm nutrition investigation, con-
Quoted important Investigations with
| reference to food standards, and did a
great many other notable things AS
yet the department has not been able
to make mems lay in the winter when
eggs reach forty-six cents a dozen. but,
with the bOundless future before tn.
bright men in the department. one
would not like to predict that they will
not insure cheap fresh eggs ere many
more new years roll around.
The state department is able to look
back over the old year with feelings of
satisfaction. except that it mourns the
death of the great John Hay. who had
served so long as secretary and had ac-
quilted himself so WELL The year ends
with Secretary Root maintaining the
same high standard of diplomacy that
was fixed by Mr.. Hay. 1t was year
| marked by frankness in dealing with
the other countries. and while there
were the usual number of irritating
questions to be settled nothing occurred
to strain the friendship Of the United
States with any country on the globe
unless it can be said that President
Castro of Venezuela was at one time in
bad temper
During the year the War department
made progress in the study of imagi-
nary campaigns against magma
enemies. Plans of campaigns against
numeI Gus imaginary foreign foes We're
perfected by the general staff and
laid away in the archives of the
department with the hope that
they may never become use
full. The year also brought new ord
nance equipment for the army. and bet
ter methods for handling supplies. The
War department people do not refer
with pride to the number of assertions
from the army during the year, but on
the whole it was satisfactory year
with the land wing of Uncle Sans
fighting force.
The Navy department launched sew
eral new DattleShips and contracted for
three new ones. 1t is about ready to
say that it is prepared to meet any foe
that travels the seas.
The Treasury department steered a
straight and steady course during the
year. and Secretary Shaw. who will
soon retire to private life, looks back
over the twelve months with a feeling
that almost persuades him to pat him
self on his back. Wall street. of course,
gave him a few restless nights. but the
general prosperity of the country ran
on in such steady, even stream that
he found being in charge of the money
Ia ps a ,,oSitjye pIeoSyre The ont on of