The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-16
Land Entries.


Land Entries.
Since July 1, 1906, III, 947 original
homestead and desert land entries have
been made, embracing 1881. 400 acres.
carrying out the avowed policy of the
president to prevent the monopoly of
our public lands and place family
on every $50 acres. 1t is estimated by
conservative engineers that the re-
clamation act will bring into cultiva-
tfon and occupancy quarter million
acres of land now desert and uninhabi-
table, to be fashioned into farms for
our people; and this vast area will be
brought into cultivation without entail
ing the loss of single dollar to the
national treasury. as the land reclaim
ed is assessed and the owner must re-
turn to the treasury the cost of re-
clamation.
Under this act the government has
constructed 1881 miles of canals, Sc
tunnels, and Gil miles of wagon roads
into heretofore inaccessible regions, the
expenditures in this work aggregating
nearly $1000,000 per month. AS re-
suit of the operations of the reclama-
ton service eight new towns have been
established, 100 miles of branch rail-
roads have been constructed, and a.
600 people have already taken up their
residence in the desert.
The work of the pension bureau has
been brought up-to-date. The labor
has increased, but the expense of adj
ministration during the last four years.
has decreased nearly 100000. The force
has been reduced from 1000 to ], 400,
and yet the number Of certificates is,
sued during the last IL months has
been greater than any previous IL
months since the bureau was establish
ed, nearly 100000 having been issued
during the past year. F4.t = 14EoI
The act of June 81, 1890. was the
first disability law in the history of
the world granting a pension to SOL
diers and sailors because OF their
need of help, without requiring proof
of disability incurred in service in the
line of duty, and the act of February
s, 1907, granting pensions to all SOL
diers and sailors who served in the
civil war and in the Mexican war, are
measures of justice and generosity I'M
exampled in the annals of CRATE
full people. The total number of pen
soners on the rolls is now slightly in
excess of $4,000, and the average
amount paid out in pensions in
month is nearly 10 million dollars,
and in 1907 $13S,155,412 were paid
to pensioners - s - 81. =
Postoffice Department.
During the past four years the
postoffice department has continued
its beneficent work in the interest of
all the people, until on the 1st of
operation on 39,037 routes from 49,
900 postoffices; complete rural SER
vice has been established in 1913
counties. saving $9,500,000 in the dis
continuance of postoffices; and in ev-
cry way carrying the blessings of the
free delivery system to our rural pop
ulation, and thus promoting the hap
piness and contentment Of the people.
1t is to be regretted that meas
ure to provide for the carrying of our
mails to the Orient and the South
American countries in American ships
should have failed, but its passage in
the near future is confidently expect
ed. The confession of Secretary Root
upon his return from the South Amer
| lean countries that During the past
summer 1 entered all the great ports
| of the southern continent and 1 saw
| only one ship besides the cruiser that
carried me flying the American flag"
| Further saying:
1.-The best way to travel between the
| United States and South America is
to go by way of Europe, crossing the
| Atlantic twice.
| "In the year ending June 80, 1905,
there entered the port of Rio de jan
| GIRO steamers and sailing vessels. 120
flying the flag of Austro- Hungary. 142
of Norway. 165 of Italy. 264 of Ar
gentina. 349 of France, 627 of Ger
many 1,785 of Great Britain, and
only steamers and sailing vessels
from the United States, of which
were in distress. Not one American
steamship runs to a South American
port beyond the Caribbean
Secretary Root concludes: This
woeful deficiency in the means to carry
on and enlarge our South American
trade is but part of the general de-
cline and feebleness of the American
merchant marine, which has reduced
us from carrying over 80 per cent of
our export trade in our own ships to
the carriage of 9 per cent of that trade
and dependence upon foreign shipown-
ers for the carriage of 81 per cent.
/ Merchant Marine
This humiliating condition should
, stimulate the American people to re-
; newed and determined effort to re-
; establish a merchant marine, until we
are able to carry American mails and
: American merchandise under the Amer
5 lean flag to every port of trade
The work of recognizing and pro-
| noting the efficiency of the army has
: gone steadily forward until we have
a military force not only sufficient TIC
1 maintain peace within our own borders
F.. but capable of resisting any possible
: force that could be sent against ms
|, The establishment of general staff n
o the army has made action by it NOR,
[, prompt and effective than ever before
n and has served to give to the policy O
n Improvement in the army a prominen
70 character.
The educational training of officer