Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1913-11-08

Secretary Lane of the Interior
Department has been driving it home
to Washington that the cause of the
complaints thai have been coming
from the people of the West in ire
mendous volume during the past
years must be alleviated. He takes
issue against the policy based on the
theory that the government-of- to day
must fight battles to extend over
future generations, and also exact
toll for the treasury before the in
terests of the living generation come
in for even scant consideration. The
Secretary is not patient with the
idea Entertained by branch of the
national government which has been
apparent to disagreeable extent in
the land office, where homesteaders
are nearly always treated as though
they were spectators in disguise,
and are frequently held up for years
before coming into the long restricted
possession of the little ground which
they have struggled to possess. The
Secretary is a practical man of the
West who knows the problems before
him, and there is growing conf
dence that he is getting away" with
his job.
THE SMITHS OF CONGRESS
Did you ever hear of the Smiths in
Congress? In the Senate there is
Smith of South Carolina, Smith Of
Maryland, Smith of Georgia, Smith of
Arizona, and Smith of Michigan.
cotton balls sticking out all over him
he is such an authority upon the
question. Smith of Maryland is a
lumberman, while Smith of Georgia
is the same old Choke" Smith who
was Secretary of the Interior under
Cleaveland. Smith from Arizona is
"Uncle Mark q typical product of
typically new state. Smith from
Michigan has two large front handles
to his name: William Alden. He has
been important in investigating the
Titanic disaster, the Mexican situa-
tion, and looking after the Affections
of the Republican party in the Senate.
In the house there are seven Smiths.
of which two are from Michigan.
THE BIcHLoRIDE ROUTE
Representative James R. Mann, of
Chicago, author of the white slave
legislation and the pure food and
drugs act, has let it be known that
he will again arise to the occasion to
stem the increasing number of self
inflicted fatalities that come by the
way of the use of bichloride of
mercury. Paris green, carbolic acid,
and other drugs have had their day,
and now the rage seems to be little
pinch of bichloride as a means of
escaping the troublesome affairs of
the times. Mr.. Mann has been in
consultation with Secretary Houston
and other officials of the Agricultural
Department with view to more
thoroughly restraining the sale of
bichloride in the hopes that there
may be useful conservation of hui
man lives.
THE SHIFTING OF TROOPS
The fact that the Secretary of War
has arranged for the transfer of
cavalry and infantry from the Next
can border to Fort Ethan Allen, Yer
mont: Fort Myer, Virginia: Fort
Leavenworth, Kansas; Fort Sheridan,
Illinois and other headquarters for
troops, does not signify that there is
pressing inclination to intervene in
Mexico The troops that are being
sent home TO their barracks are being
replaced by other forces. More than
a year ago there was plenty of excite
ment in official circles over the hold
ing of troops on the Mexican border.
but gradually it has come to be un-
derstood that they, like our ships of
the Mexican coast. are doing what
amounts to police duty.
THE GROWTH OF THE POSTOFFICE
The United States Postoffice was
established in 1859 and there were
originally seventy-five postoffices. III
the first full year of its existence
1890, these seventy-five postoffice:
produced gross revenue of ST., 935
and the expenditure of the Depart
ment amounted to $50, 140. 1t i:
found that by the year 1900 the mum
Der of offices had increased to 1,205
and hundred years ago. in 1913
there were ,, 70S postoffices with
gross revenue of sos, 154, and gross
expenditure of 1851, 0ll. The hrs
postage stamp issued in their presen
xraro ar. Tnlv and thor.