The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1908-06-17

ulNef luuShtHls Hhfc peth ColtV't'N
on claims compromised yielding
$5leGSl
During the last five years IS
fraudulent land entries have be Il
! cancelled. restoring to the public de-
! main 1259.S40 acres From July l.
1902. to May 1, 1908, deeds for lGo
acres each have been granted to 275-
/ 333 homestead settlers on the public
domain, covering 44,o53.2S0 acres.
| The work of the pension bureau
has been brought Up To date. Tn
labor has increased but the expense
of administration during the last four
wears has decreased nearly 100000
The force has been reduced from p
600 to 1,401 ana Yet the number Of
certificates issued during the last
twelve months has been greater thar
any previous twelve months since
the bureau was established, nearly
400 GOO having been issued during
the past year.
During the past four years the post
office department has continued its
henefcent work in the interest of al
the people until on the list OF April,
1908. free rural delivery was in opera
ton on 3g037 rortes from 1898
postoffices; complete rural service
has been established in is3 counties.
saving S9.500.0o0 in the discontinu
ance of post06ices and in every way
carving the blessings of the free de-
livery system to our rural population,
and thus promoting the happiness and
contentment Of the people.
The work OF reorganizing and pro
noting the efficiency of the army has
gone steadily forward until We have
a military force net only sufficient toI
maintain peace within our own Dor
ders but capable Of resisting any
possible force that could be sent
against us. The establishment CT al
general staff of the army has male
action by it more prompt and e1ec
tive than ever before, and has served
to give to the policy OF Improvement
in the army a prominent character,
Our navy has been strengthened
until today we hold a second place
among the naval powers in the world
and our feet Of battle ships rides
trumphantly around the globe, re-
receiving the frinndly salrtaCions OF
the nations, conveying peace and
good will to all the people.
The department of justice has
yt.ttL .IaJFttr avI I
diligence seeking to prevent viola |
tons of federal law and to mete out
meritorious punishment to the guilty /
lis most important work during the /
past four years has been 20 defend +
the soundness of the positions taken /
bv it relating to prosecutions under /
the Sherman antitrust law and the I
Interstate commerce law by carrying |
thus inaugurated through |
the various courts and to final de-
termination BY the supreme court Of
the United States, that the constitu'
tionality of these acts might b {
and settled.
The effort Of the national govern
ment to invoke that provision OF the
federal constitution which empowers
TO regulate commerce with |
foreign nations and among the
states presented problems Of the
greatest perpleXity the solution OF
which has been attended with no lit
tie difficulty.
without rehearsing the legislation
enacted to correct the evils and the
work of enforcing these statutes, it is
gratifying to know that the abuses
complained OF are fast d sappearing
and carrier and shipper alike are CO.
operating in the enforcement Of the
law, and what at one time threatened
to be a protracted and acrimonious
struggle is fast assuming a peaceful
solution.
The interstate commerce commits
sion in its last annual report for 1907
says:
1t means much for the present and
more for the future that the princi-
pies of this law have gained greatly
in general understanding and accept
ance. BY railway managers almOsr
without exception the amended law
has been accepted in good faith ami
they exhibit for the most part a ST
cere and earnest disposition to con
form their methods to its require
ments. To a gratifying extent there
has been reajjusment of rates and
correction of abuses by the carriers
themselves. Methods and usages Of
one sort or another which operated
to individual advantage have been I
voluntarily changed, and it is not too
much to say that there is now a
freedom from forbidden discrimina-
tions which is actual and general to
a degree never before approached"
But. in the broader field of the 4
worlds drama, where the nations are
actors. our country has tagen con
spicuous and commanding part Hay
Iua become a world power our inau-
,uce rs worldwide and always eX
artpd in the interest Of peace and the
t,tterment of mankind When the
dispute between Germany aud France
regarding the right OF control in NO
rocco threatened to involve all i
Europe in war. the active Influence
Of the United States. both directly /.
and through its representative at the
...