Las Vegas optic., 1914-12-10

advancing spirit OF our time and
would meet the demand Of the west.
There were five of these measures,
one providing for a government railroad
system in Alaska; an Alaskan coal
leasing bill; a new reclamation act;
a bill providing for new method of
opening and developing coal, phos-
phate, oil, and potash fields and a
waterpower bill. All OF these measures
have passed the house Of representa-
tiyes, and the first three also passed
the senate and by your approval have
become law. feel that it is conser-
vatiye to say that by the passage Of
these bills the federal government
has given to the more remote states
greater assurances Of its interests in
their welfare than has been given for
lnany years +"
In an extended discussion of the
needs ana development of the west,
Secretary Lane adverts. with notable
frankness. to ombarrassments ghica
he has & tountered in dealing with
the problems presented in his depart
inert
III cannot DC unknown to vou," the
secretary says, "fliat there is through
out the country, more especially in
the western states which because of
their ambition are naturally impatient
of obstruction very real fear OF
what is called the bureaucracy of
Washington. This is said to be sys-
TEN Of organized machine, the spirit
of which is to oppose action or to
effect negative action. 1t is visuallzed
as either cynical or malevolent, alto
gether out of sympathy with those
who needs must come to the gov
ernment for some form Of help, and
so wound round and round with the
red tape of officialdom as to resem-
BILE barbedwire ENHANCEMENT which,
if not absolutely impregnable, is only
to be passed through after much suf-
fering and toll. 1t is matter of no
immediate concern now much basis
there is for this belief. The presence
of the belief makes it real problem,
and the destruction of the belief a ne.
cessity, if the government itself is
to remain an object of pride and it's
beneficient efforts understood and ap-
preciated."
Secretary Lane points out the ac-
complishments of the several bureaus
of the interior department during the
last year. Some of the typical and
important achievements he instances
follow:
General Land Office: Reduced the
delay in acting upon homestead final
proofs by so per cent; surveyed more
that 100000 acres of public lands
at a cost of less than. four cents an
acre, the lowest record OF cost for
such work ever made
Geological Survey: Completed de-
tailed geological surveys covering 12,-
900 square miles, including 100 square
miles in Alaska, the total area survey
ed geologically being as great as the
combined area Of Denmark, SwitSer
land and Greece; classified 47,O00,OOO
acres of public lands, an area larger
than the New England states; made
an annual census OF mineral produc-
tion through correspondence with
about 10000 mineral producers.
Bureau of Pensions: Returned to
the treasury $7,65S,572 of the amount
appropriated by congress; reduced the
total of expenditures for pensions from
$174,171 $50 in the preceding year to
SIP, AIT ,546, saved to pensioners about
million dollars formerly spent for
the execution of vouchers, by abolish
ing the voucher system Of paying pen
sions
Reclamation service: Stored enough
water in its various reservoirs TO make
lake 50 miles Iona is miles wide
and 10 feet deep; diverted 100000
acre-feet of water (stream equal in
volume to the Hudson river where the
Mohawk enters it) and irrigated 7OO,-
900 acres on 1884 farms, an area
equal to that of Rhode Island. These
provided homes and occupation for