Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-02-17
O0oO~~oN"

NA1lONhY ksfAPI1AL.I
The federal census Of manufactures,
mines, quaTries, petroleum and natural
gas for the year 1909 has been begun
under the direction of the United
States census bureau. This census, to-
gether with that of population and ag-
riculture, comprises the principal in
quiries embodied in the thirteenth de-
cennial census. Eventually about
1900 special agents will be employed
in making the canvass, under the SUI
perYision of William NJ. Stewart, chief
statistician for manufactures. Direct
or Of the Census Durand is appointing
these agents from the eligible regis
tiers established as a result Of the eX-
animation, held Nov. 3, of candidates
for these positions. Extraordinary pre-
cautions have been taken by Director
Durand to assure the manufacturers
that all answers will be held confden-
tlal, this statement being prominently
displayed on the front page of the nu-
merous schedules. 1t is also declared
that no publication will be made in
the census reports disclosing the name
or operations Of individual establish
ments in any particular. The act of
Congress provides that the bureau of
the census shall permit only its sworn
employees to examine the individual
reports, and that any employee who
shall, without the authority of the di-
rector of the census, publish or COM
municate any information coming into
his possession shall be guilty of mis-
demeanor.
President Taft in referring to the
fact that the postal service of this
country is conducted at loss of ST.
100000, suggested increasing the post
al rates for magazines. The govern |
ment is paying the railroads more
than $50000,000 a year for carrying
the mails. The charges are excessive |
and could be reduced in all fairness
sufficiently to make up for the ST.,
100000 deficit. Uncle Sam is paying
about 100000 alone in yearly rent
ais for the mail cars, fully enough to
pay the cost of their original construc-
ton. Three-fourths of this expense |
could be saved if the government own
ed the mail cars. Why is it that the |
railroads can afford to carry matter
Ror the express companies for a mere
fraction of what the government is
charged for the mails?
The balance of trade of the United |
States, as shown by a comparison of |
import and export figures for the last |
three years, is leaning heavily toward |
the deficit side Of the scale. While |
the imports fer 1909, amounting to
1,475, 500, 205, exceeded those of the !
previous year by $685., 146 118, the ex-
ports for 1909 totalling in value ST.
727, 1888, 12S, were less than those of |
the preceding year by $25,452,319.
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A bill prepared by Secretary Balm |
ger has been introduced in the Senate |
The purpose of the measure is to give |
the department of the interior the au-
thority to sell mature, living and dead |
and down timber on Indian lands, the |
proceeds to be used for the benefit of |
the Indians. The government has |
such authority on the Minnesota res
ervations at present, and Secretary
Ballinger wants the law made gem
eral
The General Land Office published
statement showing that adverse reports
from it's agents have been received in
the last year on cases involving 100000 |
acres of public lands much of which is
coal lands, and that during eight years
past over $4,000 acres of coal lands
have been obtained by fraud and are
now worth S10,000000. This is thought
to imply some reflection on the preced-
ing administration.
President Taft has granted a pardon
to William Des Champs, a Flathead
Indian, of Montana, because of his
poor health. The man was found gull
ty of having introduced liquor on
the Indian reservation and was SEN
fenced to sixty days in Jail and to pay
a fine. He had taken the liquor with
him in obedience to the directions of
his physicians to alleviate his suffer
ings from tuberculosis.
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It is announced by the board of
directors of the anti-food trust league
of Washington that applications for
100000 membership cards have been
received The object of the organi-
cation is to secure lower prices for
food material.
Miss Helen Taft, daughter of the
President, is lending her aid to the
several thousand shirtwaist strikers
of Philadelphia.
Mrs. John Wilson, the step-mother Of
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson, is
dead at Traer, Iowa, at the age of 80
years.
The shooting and hunting of game
by rural mail carriers while they are
officially employed on the service OF
their routes, or the carrying of guns
for that purpose, is to be prohibited
in the future. An order to this effect
has been issued by the postofice de-
partment. Complaints were received
that delay in the delivery and collec,
ton of mail was caused at certain
| places by the practice of carriers hunt
ing and shooting game.
-:
Germany has been conducting a rap
i'd fire interchange with this country,
owing to the fact that the President