The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-06-19

wears has decreased nearly 100000.
The force has been reduced from
1000 to 1,400, and yet the number of
certificates issued during the last
twelve months has been greater than
any previous twelve months since
the bureau was established, nearly
400 900 having bsen issued during the
past year.
The act of June 81, 1890, was the
first disability law in the history of
the world granting 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 FEB.
g., 1907, granting pensions to all
soldiers and sailors who served in
the civil war and in the Mexican war,
are measures of justice and generos-
ity unexampled in the annals of a
grateful people The total number of
pensioners on the rolls is now slight
ly in excess of 100000, and the aver
age amount paid out in pensions in
a month is nearly 13 million dollars,
and in 1907, $13S, 155,412 were paid to
pensioners.
During the past four years the
post-oftice department. has continued
its beneficent work in the interest OF
all the people until on the 1st OF
April. 1908, free rural delivery was
in operation on 39,037 routes from
16,S03 postoffices. Complete rural
service has been established in 1893
counties. saving So 1.sOO in the dis
continuance of postoffces and in
every way carrying the blessings of
the free delivery system to our rural
population and thus promotino the
happiness and contentment of the
people.
1t is to be regretted that measure
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 ex-
pected. The confession was made by
. Mr.. Root on his return from the
South American countries that dur
ing the past summer / entered all the
great ports of the southern continent,
and | saw only one ship besides the
cruiser that carried me flying the
American flag" ..
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 Am
erican flag to every port of trade.
The work of reorganiZing and pro-
noting the efficiency of the army has
gone steadily forward until we have
military force not only sufficient to
maintain peace within our own Dor
ders, but capable of resisting any pos
sible force that could be sent against
us. The establishment of general
staff Of the army has made action by
it more prompt and effective than
ever before and has served to give
to the policy of improvement in the
army prominent character.
The educational training of officers
Of the army after graduation gives to
our officers a higher, training in mill
tary science and the practical needs
OF actual war than the officers of any
other army By the division of the
artillery corps into the field and
coast artillery the army has been
separated into two branches-the
mobile army and that part needed
for the maintenance of the coast de-
lenses. Work upon the coast defens-
es has proceeded both upon the main
land and in the dependencies upon a
we'll devised scheme for their COM
pletion. The time is near at hand
when we can rest secure that both
our mainland coast and Our depend
encies will be proof against the sud-
den capture of any seaport in which
the nations flag is flying.
Most important progress has been
made in the development of the na-
tional militia as an aid to the regular
army of the United States. By we'll
directed legislation and by the activity
of the proper bureaus of the war de-
partment for the first time in the
history of the country adequate steps
are being taken to bring about an
approximation of armament, equip
ment and discipline of the militia to
those of the regular army. The i'm
portance of this development for ma
tional defense cannot be overestimat-
ed.
The medical department has rem
dered most valuable service in stamp
ing out yellow fever, without which
it would have been impossible to con-
struct the Panama canal The army
has aided the stricken people of San
Francisco, saving them from starva-
ton and death due to the earthquake
and fire with which that city was
visited.
Another and most remarkable in
stance of the efficiency of the army
has been the work done by it during
the year of it's stay in Cuba as a force
for the maintenance of the tranquil
zation of that island Not a single
report of any abuse by officer or man
has reached the department. during
the entire time.
The management of our outlying
possessions under Republican admin
istration has been attended with re-
markable success. Under American
occupation and control the commerce
of the island of Porto Rico, which in
the most prosperous days of Spanish
rule aggregated but 90 million dol
lars, was, in 1907, Sc millions. The
production of sugar has advanced
from 100000 tons to 100000 tons,
valued at Is million dollars.
When we took possession of the
island there was but one school build
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