Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1908-06-19

Our imports Of raw material for use
| in domestic manufacture increased from
$50 million dollars in 1903 to All mil
| lions in 1907, while our exports in the
calendar year of 1907 were nearly
billion dollars, an increase of 80 per cent
/ over those of four years ago.
The mills and factories temporarily
closed by reason of financial disturb
| ances are rapidly resuming operations.
calling labor back to profitable employ
ment.
This record of material activity in
field and forest, factory and farm, mines
and mills during the last four years
| might be Indefinitely extended. but this
! is quite sufficient to show the develop
! ment and robust condition of our indus
, trial life.
The nine great executive departments
Of the government, through which the
head of the nation speaks, and acts.
have advanced with steady and reso-
Lutte steps within the sphere of their
activities, presenting a record of achieve
ments during the last four years of
intelligent and progressive administra-
ton uneXampled in the history of the
government.
Agricultural Department.
The agricultural department has con-
tinued it's work in promoting the inter-
est of the farmers by diversifying their
products; supplying new and valuable
seeds and plants especially adapted to
our climate and soil; graduating dis
eases which infest and destroy animal
and vegetable life; developing the beet
sugar industry from 40 millions to $50
million tons, valued at 40 million dol
lars; enforced the pure-food law, en-
HANGING the value of farm products, con-
serving the health of all our people;
distributed during the year 1907 nearly
mil I,1,II 1+s,
1000 scientists to gather information
for the benefit of agriculture; protected
our forest reserves from the raVages of
fire; converted the arid lands and waste
places into fertile fields and blossom
ing gardens extended our producing
area for grains westward into the dry
regions, so that nearly so million bush
els year are being grown in regions
which have heretofore been unproduc-
tive, and in every way possible conserv-
Ing the natural resources of the country
for ourselves and the generations to
come after us,
The department of commerce and la
Dor, organized in 1903, has been active
and potential in extending our commerce
and protecting our labor. It has dis
patched messengers to foreign coun-
tries, particularly to South America and
the Orient, to learn the needs and tastes
OF the people with a view to increasing
our trade. The exports, which in 1903
aggregated 1892 million dollars. will, it
is estimated, in 1908 aggregate about
1900 millions, showing an increase prac-
tically to every country. It's bureau of
statistics has established a system of
recording the internal commerce of the
country on the Great Lakes and at i'm
portant interior centers. It's bureau of
manufactures has brought about more
intimate relations between the manufac-
turers of the United States and buy
ers abroad and, by bringing purchasers
into closer touch with dealers, aided in
the extension of foreign markets for
our manufacturers.
1t has cO-Operated in the benefcent
work of arbitration to avert or termi-
nate strikes and promote the interests
Of our laboring people. Congress has
wisely cO-operated with and supple
mented the work of this department by
enacting law for the better protection
Of seamen and to prevent their being
induced to ship through false represen-
tations. 1t has provided for an inves-
tgaton into the conditions of working
women and children; it has amended and
strengthened the law to prevent the i'm
portatiOn of contract labor, and pro-
Vided a plan for the further exclusion
of that class of Asiatfc immigration
which enters into competition with
American workmen. 1t has enacted a
law limiting the hours of labor of en-
ployees engaged in railway train service
and of railway telegraphers.
Work of Congress.
The congress just closed re-enacted
the law passed by the fifty-ninth con-
gress to conform to the opinion of the
Supreme court, making common car
riers liable for accidents to their en-
ployeeS engaged in interstate commerce
[ a Ia w ha
lection of the life of railroad employees
In their hazardous employment. 1t has
provided compensation for laborerS and
mechanics who may be injured in the
service of the government, and making
a provision for their families in the
event Of their being killed in the course
Of their employment. 1t has enacted
g, model child-labor law for the District
of Columbia. 1t has directed a thor
ough investigation into the working con-
ditions of the employees of the tele-
graph and telephone companies doing
interstate business; and, in response to
the urgent appeal from both capital and
labor. congress, before it's adjournment |
appropriated $150,000 for an investiga-
ton into the cause of mine accidents. |
with view of promoting the safety of
workers III our mines.
The work of the department of the
interior has been prosecuted under the
present administration with intelligence !
and vigor. During the past year over
million acres of coal lands have been
restored to the public domain. During
the last five years fences unlawfulIy !
closing public lands have been removed
from 3,519,533 acres, and steps are now
being taken to remove from such in
closures 9,750,000 other acres
During the past five years S516.5O1 !
have been collected for timber trespasses
upon the public land, and other iudg-
ments have been collected on claims
compromised, yielding s5106S1
During the last five years 7S2 fraudu- |
lent land entries have been Cancelled. |
restoring to the public domain 1,259S4O |
acres. From July 1, 1902. to May 1, !
1908, deeds for $50 acres each have been
granted to 275,333 homestead settlers |
on the public domain, covering A, 053, 2S0 |
acres.
Since July 1, 1906, 171.047 original
homestead and desert-land entries have
been made, embracing 2S,371, 400 acres, |
carrying out the avowed policy of the |
president to prevent the monopoly of !
our public lands and place a family on /
every 100 acres. 1t is estimated by con- |
sentative engineers that the reclama- |
ton act will bring into cultivation and /
occupancy a quarter million acres of /
land now desert and uninhabitabIe. to |
be fashioned into farms for our people: /
and this vast area will be brought into /
cultivation without entailing the loss of /
a single dollar to the national treasury. |
as the land reclaimed is assessed and the |
owner must return to the treasury the |
cost of exclamation.