The National tribune., 1909-05-13
answers TO
s CORRESPONDENTS.
A word IN Correspondents.

A Word to Correspondents.
please do NOT write on both sides of your
tier paper Sign your full name, tnot neceS
ttrily for publcation,) and write 1t ana al
eroper names very dictinctly- DO not aD
breviate your words. Give your postofhee ans
state. We get letters occasionally in whicl
either the name or postofice ADDRESS mas
been overlooked. Do not mix business ques
tions and correspondence Use separat'
sheets of paper. All letters will be giveI
prompt attention, either by mail or in THl
NATIONAL TRIBUNE.
A. T., Watertowr. N. Y: Pensioner:
who visit or live abroad are paid from
the office of Capt. John r. King, q. S
Pension Agent, Washington, d. Z.
C. T. c., Boston, Mass The soldier
colony site in Osceola County, Fla, Is
now being surveyed. and as soon as
possible after the work is completed
maps will be printed and copies sent to
all interested parties. 1t is expected
that everything will be ready for active
building operations early in the Fall.
P. NJ NJ. Hornick, Iowa The last
session of the 60th Congress passed an
act which provides for the enlargement
of the homestead in certain localities to
$50 acres, instead of $50. This was
done to encourage the settlement OF
the less desirable lands of the public
domain. There are millions of acres OF
unappropriated land classed as desert
and possible of tillage thru irrigation
A good deal of this, however, can be
utilized for grazing live stock. Nc
change was made in the methods OF
acquiring it. Occupants must live on
homestead five years to secure title
A soldier of the civil war can apply
his time of service to reduce this FIVE
year period. This right cannot be
transferred to another person. The Ma
tional Tribune has a book devoted to
the laws and vacant Government public
lands, which it sends to any address foI
25 cents in stamps.
T. c. NJ, Omaha, Neb.: The National
Tribune in a coming issue will discuss
the Panama Canal, and explain, as far
as common knowledge goes, why the
tide has a range of 20 feet at Panama
on the Pacific side and one foot at Co
lon on the Atlantic side.
"a. r.. Lemar, Colo: There will prob
ably be no general pension legislation
during the present special session OF
the 61st Congress There may be spe-
cial pension acts passed, but that de-
81 pends upon the activity of the member
of Congress who is interested in pen
s;oner.
A. V. s.. Fairmont, Nd: There was
no declaration in the Republican Ma
tional platform about paying soldiers
of the civil war 81 a day. The Penn
sylvania Legislature had civil wal
soldier pension bill before it at its re-
cent session. 1t passed the House. bul
was sidetracked in the Senate.
w. J. NJ, East Pittsburg, Pa: Under
a strict construction of the Constitution
the sons of American citizens born
abroad are not entitled to hold the
Il II, Int tod fnf foe
See Article 3, Section 1, Clause of the
Constitution. The broad constructions
ist argues that the residence of a Min
lister or Consul is technically United
States territory, being under the Flag
but it has never be en- judicially settled
George Brinton Mcclellan, Mayor OF
New York City, ysas born in Dresden
Saxony. At the hight of his popularity
he was thought to be Presidential tim
ber, but he failed to grow. Cen Geo
Gordon Meade, who commanded the
Union forces at Gettysburg, was borr
Of American parents at Cadiz, Spain. lr
the Presidential campaign when Gen
Grant was first nominated, Gen Meade:
name was among those mentioned al
an available candidate, but it never
went beyond the newspaper stage.
Private Pension: To learn what ha.
been done with your private pension
Dill Wrlte 10 tne IneHDeT III SOii5i %,
who represents your district. There
are thousands of these bills introduced
at every session of Congress, and bul
avery small percentage of them are
passed. 1t is a labor of days to find ou
what has been done with any particular
bill unless the name of the pensioner
the number of his bill, the date of it
introduction and the name of the mem
ber of Congress who offered it are al
given, and often ii is a search tina
takes the full attention of one man fol
a day or two. 1t is not possible for III
to find every one we are asked to 1oo}
up, and we have to do what you shoult
do 4o~saye time-ask your Congress
man. You do not even give us you
own initials. Correspondents will pleas
sign their full names and give post ofic'
addresses. We use initials in this col
umn, but we want to know who write
to us.
w. p. B., Creston, Iowa: Europeal
Governments require military seryic
from all citizens able to bear arms. Ma
tiyes of some of these countries, Italy
Russia and Turkey in particular, nov
and then evade this duty by coming t
the United States. snd become citizen
only to return and again live in thei
old homes in hopes of enjoying protec
ton as American citizens. Our Stat
Department has had much troublesom
correspondence with these and othe
countries I'm cases of so-called citizens
who have been required by their nativ
authorities after their return to do tn
duties exacted of others who have no
availed themselves of trick TO evad
responsibility. This class. and II in
cludes thousands of persons scattere
thfuout various European countries, 1
this way escapes its obligations to tn
United States as well as to their nativ
lands. Your Russian friend knows h
has eyaded his duty;Ia and therefore doe
not come under the cavfng provision
of existing treaties, and his going thr
the forms of naturalization cannot hel
him.
A B., n. NJ H., Kansas: There is
premium on some rare revenue stamp
of the war period, and in such case
the price depends upon condition. Writ
to the Scott Stamp and Coin Co., l
Z. 18th street. New York City, and te
them just what you have.
..Rel,eI, or "Confederate."
Hon. l.. Bradford Prince, ex-Govel
nor of New Mexico, made an eloquer