Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 December 1888 — Page 6

“THE AMERICAN DESERT”

A WONDERFUL TRANSPOSITION APPROACHING THE MIRACULOUS. The Great Northwest Now a Thriving Garden of Bountiful Husbandry—Palat'al Edifices and Populous Cities Supplant the Indian Tepee and Tillage—Graphic Descriptions with Apt'lllustrations. An exploring party sent out by the lien - eral Court of Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1636 reported that the interior of the country was “most desolate,” and that to extend settlement more than twenty miles from the coast would be useless, as the land was “rocky and like the desert. ” This scarecrow of the desert has always stood in the way of the westward movement of population. The adult reader of this will remember that his school geography put the limit of the agricultural area at the Mississippi River; all beyond was the “Great American Desert,” and the untraveled citizen of the East has not unlearned this lesson of his youth. Crossing the Mississippi and then the Missouri, the advance guard of civilization found, not the desert, but grassy meadow' lands and wide fields where nature in the remote past had, with its massive harrow of ice, pulverized the rock into soils perfect in chemical proportions for the growth of vegetation. Everywhere the plowshare moved through the soil like the keel through the water, and countless acres were added to the food-producing area of the republic. The discovery of these untilled fields, the gardens of the desert, settled the question of more and better meat and bread for the hungry millions of earth. New' appliances were needed upon land where the plow could

iuoxe for miles without meeting an obstacle, and so the gang plow was invented and substituted for the single one. Sowing grain by hand was too slow, and so the seeding machine was called into use. The sickle, the scythe and the cradle disappeared before the reaper and mower, and the latter in turn wont down before the self-binding harvester, and the steam thresher naturally followed, capable of doing the work of an army of men with flails. The cramped valleys of the East would never Lave developed the labor- c aving implements now in use upon the M csteyu prairies, where the intellects of the sons have beenquickened and broadened by the vnstne c s of their domain, where the soil is fertile to prodigal ty, and whe e the bracing air. good water and healthy food develop the highest types of physical life. It is the vigor born of frost that makes the nor;h temperate zone the only one of impoitance in the world. Between the tOtli and 50th parallels of not th latitude in the United States will be found the largest cities, the greatest wealth, the finest hca'th conditions, the most enterprising people and the widest diffusion of intelligence and comfort in the world. The center of this belt of power is Minnesota and Dakota, where not only the best wheat is grown but the best Hour is made. Under the oldgiinding process winter wheat was considered the best, but siuce the flour made of Dakota spring wheat has become a f ivorite among bakers all over the world there ha> been much speculation why this wheat, which is ready for the thresher in four months from the'planting, has its peculiar hard quality and makes flour of such strength and purity as to give the

baker 250 pounds of nutritious bread from a 196-pound barrel of flour, or 25 to 30 more loaves than he can get from an equal amount of the winter wheat product. The conclusion of scientific investigation is that the long and continuous sunlight in the pure air of the Northwest is the important factor in, not only perfecting the wheat but all the other cereal crops. The valley of the Red River ofthe North is the most productive grain-growing section of the country. Bayard Taylor called it the Nile of America. Seven counties on the Dakota side in 1887 produced 23.C00,-

THE OLD WAY OF CROSSING THE PLAINS. 000 bushels of wheat, 11,000,000 bushels of oats, and 2,000,000 bushels of barley. The entire wheat crop of the United States could be grown in Dakota and then leave enough land to produce all the other principal crops of the Union. A large part of Dakota is still unoccupied. It could contain the present population of the United States and not be as crowded as Belgium. Few persons realize the immense size Of the Territories along the norlhern •boundary of the Republic—Dakota, Montana, Idaho and Washington, each an empire in area and wonderful in variety of

resources of field, forest and mine. Any one of these four Territories is larger than all of New England, and far more richly endowed by nature. The continuous line of settlement to the Pacific is to be through these soon to be Northwestern States, the conditions being against constant growth along any other route across the continent. The altitude of the valleys and table lands in the highest section of this northern route, Montana, is on an average 2,200 feet lower than the plains of Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah, the Northern Pacific Railroad, in its long run from St. Panl to I’uge‘t Sound, nowhere reaching the height of Denver. There is a dip or depression in the Rocky Mountain sys-

THE NEW WAY OF CROSSING THE'. PLAINS IN FREE SLEEPING CABS. tem in Montana which admits the warm winds from the Pacific, even far into Dakota, giving all the region a much milder and more uniform climate and better agricultural and stock privileges than in the more elevated regions to the south, where the land is lifted into the dome of the continent. This accounts for the existence of more arable land than is found south, the Northern Pacific alone having more land capable of utilization along its route than all the other transcontinental lines combined. The presence of great navigable rivers—the Missouri, Yellowstone, Snake. Columbia, and numerous tributaries—is evidence of the fact. The development of the Northwest is going On at a rapid rate, a progress to be

accelerated the coming year by the certainty of statehood and self-government by these great Territories. Land is the basis of wealth, agriculture is the basis of civilization, and diversified industries the key that retains wealth in a community. Examine these Territories on this hypothesis. 1 bev have countless acres of limber, nvneral, gtazing and farming land. The land will produce all that is needed for the support of human and animal life. The forests comprise every variety of wood necessary for the wants of a ripe civilization. In the mountains, ciowued with forests and enlivened with cooling streams, are to be found nearly every precious and base metal known to man; all the metallic and mineral earths and elements used in medicine, chem stry, farming, or the ar.s, either exist as natural productions or can be produced. A sing'.e county in Northern Idaho, with four yeais of development, is producing a quarter of the entire lead output of the Union. In seeming compensation for roughness a few acres of mountain land in a rich district will give employment to a large population and produce more treasure than many thousand acres of farm laud. A trip through this northern region is one of surprising interterest; everywhere instruction for the intelligent observer, and opportunity for capital. In the Yellowstone Park nature seems to have taken a holiday and in a mad frolic made the wonder region of the world. Montana produces more mineral wealth than all the other Territories combined, making Helena the richest city per capita in the United States, an honor Spokane Falls will some day contest. A trip of 2,000 miles is nothing to do now. Times have changed since the days when the pioneer traveled with an

ox team: the sleeping-car and the d ning - car are great innovations upon the pilgrim outfit of a generation ago. Even the second-class cars running from St. Paul to the coast, and they are only second class in name, are models of comfort and convenience. Our illustration shows the interior of a Northern Pacific 1 free family sleeping-car, fitted up with bunks or berths like a Pullman, the car having in addition cooking and bathing facilities. The writer met two Judges from lowa in one of these cars en route to the coast, riding in these in preference to the regular coaches. Remembering when there was no railroad west of the Alleghenies, they m irveled at the traffic of the Twin Cities—St. Paul and Minne apolis—from whence more than 200 passenger trains come and go every dav. Fifty years ago they were mere Indian villages; to-day brick and mortar is being pile fl up in buildings so high and massive that they thought land must be scarce in Minnesota. The great mills of Minneapolis, which grind every day enough flour to feed one-fourth of the people of the Union, gave additional cause of woader nent to our judicial friends. The two cities but index the growth of the mighty tributary, region west to the ocean. New York, Buffalo, Chicago, Duluth, St. Paul, and

Minneapolis, a chain of cities along the northern zone of power, each with a thousand industries in hand, but none more important than the grain trade, with steam ■cars and boats, bustling wharves, vast warehouses, elevators, and mills, and swarming life in many score avenues of traffic, in the perplexity of which is seen the evolution of commerce from mere barter to the precision" of science. A new claimant is asking a place among the grain cities, in Tacoma, the city of Puget Sound, where European vessels come for the wheat of Washington Territory. This Pacific coast wheat. while not hard like that of Dakota, is larger grained, and often exceeds the legal bushel from 4 to 8 pounds, making it the heaviest wheat in the world, and its yield is marvelous, 50 bushels not being uncommon for whole farms. A peculiarity of Pacific grain-growing is the volunteering of crops, as h'gh as 30 bushels having been gathered from a field the third year without reseeding. There are more than .'IOO varieties of wheat known to man, but those grown in Noithwestern America lead the world in purity, quantity and quality of flour. The advance in civilization seems to have been in exact proportions with the improvement in bread food and its general use among the masses. The Bible mentions bread, but it was not the delicate and nutritious compound known to the American household. The countries left behind in the race of civilization have never gotten beyond the simple hand-mill of stones. The roller process of flourmaking in the Northwest differs as much from the old burr-mill as it differs from the Scriptural hand-mill still in use amo»?g Asian peoples.

Trying to Tell a Story.

Blinks was trying to tell his friend how a dog behaved when his master was about to mount a horse and ride away; “He put his foot in the stirrup to mount ” “The dog did?” “No, the man; and then it began to b-irk ” “The horse began to bark?” “No, the dog; and that made him shy ” “Made the man shy of the dog?” “Not at all; it made the horse shy, who raised his hoof ” “Who raised his hoof, the man or the dog?” “I said the horse. Then he tried to get into the saddle- ” “It’s preposterous to tell of a horse trying to get into his saddle. Perhaps you mean the dog ?” “I mean the man did.” “Say so, then. And did the saddle or the horse set up a bark?” “It was the dog, I tell you. The dog set up a ” “Saddle. Go on.” “What I commenced to tell you was how the dog ” “You told me that before. The man was about to mount the bark; what followed then ?” “Who ever heard of mounting a bark ?” “The saddle barked, then, did it?” “Won’t you listen? He threw the man ” “Dog threw the man?” “No, the horse; and then he broke and ran ” “Broke the saddle ?” “Confound you! If you interrupt me again I’ll break your head!” Blinks was then allowed to conclude his story, which wasn’t much of a tale after all.— Texas Siftings.

Paddy Murphy’s Breeches.

While traveling in the south of Ireland a tourist was regaled by a cardriver with the tale of how Paddy Murphy had his breeches let out. It was thus told: “Well, sor, Paddy Murphy, who lives in a cabin close by, wanted a pair of breeches. So he goes down to Peter McClogan, the tailor, who Jives in the valley below, and says, says he, ‘Peter, 11 want you to make me a pair; of breeches.’ “ ‘Stand by,’ says Peter, ‘and I will measure you.’ “So the breeches were made, and when sent home they were so small that Paddy could not get into them. Back he took them, and told Peter how vexed he was with them. “ ‘You’ve made my breeches too small,’ he says. ‘You must let them out.’ “ ‘Well,’ says Peter, ‘leave them w’ith me, and I will do that same for you.’ “So Pat left them to be let out. Time went by, and Peter did not send them back. So Paddy went down to the valley to see why he did not got them. As soon as he got to the house he saw the tailor digging up some potatoes, and he shouted out to him, ‘Peter, have you let my breeches out?’ “ ‘Faith and I have,’ says Peter; ‘l’ve let them out for a shilling a week ever since you left them!’ ”

In Funds.

Smitlr—So you’ve got a prettv little boy. Jones—Yes. S.—Named him yet? J.—Yes. Called him William. S.—-Pretty expensive business, isn't it, having babies ? J-—You just bet! Cost me for the whole thing, announcement, christening, etc., an even one hundred dollars. S. —Well, you are nothing out. J.—How’s that? S. —You’ve got your cne-hundred-dollar Bill still.— Boston Courier. The Battle of Austerlitz, between the French, under Napoleon, and the allied Russians and 'Austrians, under their Emperors, Alexander and Francis, was fought Dec. 2, 1805. The victory of the French led to thfl treaty oi Treeburg, signed Dec. 26, 1805. President Carnot, of France, has become an authority on masculine fashions.

VOTE FOR PRESIDENT

OFFICIAL FIGURES SHOW CLEVELAND’S PLURALITY IS 95,854. f , —. Complete Retu-ns from All the States Save Colora-to, Minnesota, and West Virginia —Grand Army Matters as Viewed by Veterans—Newsy Items. [Chicago special] The popular vote of all the States for President Nov. 6, 1888, as compiled by the Daily Tribune of this city, the figures in nearly every case being official, is given bej low. The results in Colorado, Minnesota, and West Virginia have not been officially declared, 'but tne nearest approximations possible have been made: 1 POPULAR VOTE OF JB3B FOR THE HIGHEST ELECTQBS ON EACH TICKET. I Har- 7cieve-1 , |StreeSTATE. ' riaon. land. ter. ; 1 Alabama 57119 117310. 583 Arkansas 60245 86714 615| 10671 California 124809 117729 51611 Colorado 51796 37610 2210 112 Connecticut 74584 74921 4’234, 240 Delaware 12973 16414 4001 Florida. 26657 39561 403 Georgia 40443 100472 1802 136 Illinois, 3; 0170 348258 21336 7410 Indiana 263331 261013 9881 2694 lowa 211598 179877 3550 91u5 Kansas 182904 102745 6779 37787 Kentucky 155134 18380)1 5225 622 Louisiana 30701 85032 127 39 Maine 73734 50482; 2960 1345 Maryland 99761 106172 5358' Massachusetts 183892 151590 8701' Michigan 236‘X10 213404; 209421 4542 Minnesota 13580/ 992081 14926] 13.2 Mis-issippi 30006 85471 218' Missouri 2332531 2619541 4540| 18589 Nebraska.... 1084251 80552] 9425 4226 Nevada...., 70881 5149 41 New Hampshire 457281 43144 1570 New Jersey 144344 151493 7905 New York 650338, 635965 30231 2068 North Carolina 134709 148336 2787 87 Ohio 416054 396455 24356 3496 Oregon 33293 29.524 1677 363 Pennsylvania 526U91 446633 20)47 3873 Rhode Island 219.>8 17530 1250 18 South Carolina 13740 65925 2 Tennessee 139815 157079 5669 48 Texas 88280 234883 ' 4416 23188 Vermont 45192 16788 1460 Virginia 150409 151979 1678 West Virginia 7810 u! 7925 500 150 Wisconsin 176553| 155232 14277 8552 II Total 54389J5|5531853 248521'140663 Plurality| 9,5854 | Scattering votes, 6,013,

ITS IMPORTANCE MINIMIZED. Opinions of Indiana Veterans on the Revolt in the Grand Army of the Republic. [lndianapolis (Ind.) telegram.] The so-called split in the Grand Army of the Republic, which originated here, continues an uppermost theme in veteran circles and with the local press. That the movement has been greatly exaggerated by the Eastern press, is admitted on all sides. The jEt’eninjz Aews (Independent) says that the organization of Democratic soldiers is so far of less importance than it has been made to appear, and charges that the reports regarding it are based upon information emanating from Adjutant General Koontz. Inquiries among Democrats who belong to the G. A. It., demonstrate that very few of them are in sympathy with the movement, and do not indorse the assertions of Gen. Koontz in saying that politics has been introduced in the order. Major Irvin Kobins, one of the ex-commandeis of George H. Thomas Post, who was probably more prominent in organizing Democratic soldiers during the campaign than any other man in the party, is not a member of the association formed by Adjt. Gen. Koontz, having declined to join it. There are many other Democratic ex-soldiers of prominence w’ho do not belong to the organization, among them Governor Gray, Col. Zollinger, Maj. Mitchell and others. Maj. Mitchell, who is a prominent Democrat and Prosecuting Attorn&y for Marion County, speaking of the matter, said: "Asa member of the G. A. R., I can say that during all the time I have belonged to George H. Thomas Post politics never at any time, in any shape, manner, or form, entered into the work of the post, any more than politics may be introduced into church organizations. It cannot be made any more of a political organization than the order of Masons, Odd Fellows, or Knights of Pythias.” Colonel I. N. Walker, Assistant Adjutant General of the G. A. R., Depqrtmcht of Indiana. sent the following pointed statement to the Associated Press: “I want to enter a protest against the statements and interviews published, especially in the Eastern press, about a defection among the comrades of the G. A. R. in this department. Nothing of the kind has occurred, and the membership was never more united and enthusiastic in their support of the order than now. The handful of disappointed office-seekers here that have succeeded in getting themselves advertised throughout the country have no standing, and never had, in the G. A. R., or out of it, for that matter. The whole business has been engineered by half a dozen chronics, and at no meeting have they been able to secure the attendance of fifty persons, and not to exceed half these have ever been members of the G. A. R. No Democrat of standing or influence in this community, who is a member of the G. A. R., can be found opposing the order. On the contrary, scores of comrades of that political faith have personally and by letter denounced the attempt of these small-fry politicians. The Department of Indiana is all right."

GRAND ARMY ORDERS. Various Appointments Made and Instructions Issued. [Kansas City (Mo.) telegram.] General Order No. 4 of the Grand Army of the Republic has been issued. W. F. R. Schnifller, of Prescott, A. T., is appointed a member of the National Council of Administration from Arizona. The order gives instructions to the Inspector Generals changing tnetime of closingtheir annual inspection from Dec. 31 to Juno 30. The report of the Pension Committee is given and commended, and the following named as the Pension Committee: George A. Merrill, Lawrence, Mass.; Jas. Tanner, Brooklyn, N. Y.; John 8. Countz, Toledo, Ohio; John W. Burst, Sycamore, Ill.; and Richard W. Blue, Pleasanton, Kan. The certificate of membership, which was ordered by the National Encampment, is now ready for issue, and has been copyrighted for the Grand Army of the Republic. TELEGRAPHIC TICKINGS. X At New York three Germans and a Frenchman committed suicide in one day. James Gardner’s roller mills, at Stroudsburg, Pa , were burned, at a loss of $32,000; insurance, SIO,OOO. The remains of Mrs. T. T. Pitman ("Margery Dean’), who died in were brought home to Newport for inter merit. It is believed that the Rev. W. L. Parker, rector of Christ Episcopal Church, of Oswego, N. Y., who disappeared recently, comihitted suicide by drowning.

INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.

REPORT ON PUBLIC LANDS. INDIANS AND PENSIONS. Secretary Vilas Presents the Work of Hi* Department for the Past Year—His Recommendations in Relation to Public Lands and Indians. Secretary Vilas begins his annual report on the work of the interior department by giving a detailed account of the doings of the public land office. The total number of acres patented during the year was 8.60.1,194. divided as fol.ows: Agricultural iands, 7,500,000 acres; mineral and coal lands, 15,988; railroad lands. 829.162; swamp lands, 96,515; internal improvement and educational grants to states, ‘)9,205; miscellaneous, 26/4)2. The final entries made during the year number 70,468, embracing 11,340,162.53 acres; original entries, 72,479, embracing 10,985,610.01 acres; railroad and state selections were filed covering 7,790,851.91. Thus, in addition to the final entries, specific claims have been newly asserted to 18,776,521.92 acres during the year. The receipts from the disposals of public lands were $12,701,072; frcm sales of Indian lands, #821,113; a total of $13,522,185. The report lays particular stress upon the necessity for some method of expediting the work of the land office. On June 30, 238,157 final entries were pending, and the number of new entries made during the year was 70,468 more than all the final entries disposed of during the same period. At the same time there were pending 350,953 original entries, of which 217,740 were homesteads, 25,429,867 acres of unadjusted railroad selections under swamp-land grants, and 1,850,000 state selections for educational and internal-improvement purposes. The report says: “The commissioner recommends an increase of the force of his office —a natural suggestion. But, although I venture it with diffidence because of the limited opportunity afforded me for study of the subject, it is my opinion that a thorough and radi cal organization of the land office should be the first step taken, accompanied by a provision of quarters suitable to the performance of the work. Neither an increase of the force nor a reorganization of the bureau can be made with much increase of efficiency while clerks, tract books, records, and voluminous papers are huddled and crowded in the unsatisfactory apartments now occupied by the land office.” Repeal of Pre-Emption Laws. The passage by Congress of the House bill repealing the laws providing for preemptions. timber-culture entries, public and private sales and the commutation of homestead entries by cash payments is recommended. Asa measure of administrative relief it would be of great value, while the homestead law furnishes all the oportunity for settlers to obtain agricultural lands which is necessary for five years at least. The repeal of the desert-land law is recommended. The total number of acres of land restored to the public domain during the year and opened to entry was 83,158,999, as followsin granted railroad limits restored, 2,108,417 acres; forfeitures of railroad grants under acts cf Congress, 28,253,347 acres; railroad indemnity lands restored, 21,323,600 acres; private laud claims, 759,553 acres; entries under pre-emption and homestead laws, etc., canceled, 29,729 acres; invalid State selections, 984,319 acres. In addition, the recovery and restoration of 65,029,538 acres has bien recommended, of which 56,654,983 acres are railroad grants. The report says. “The large estimate embraced under the head of bills now before Congress for railroad forfeitures can not, perhaps, be realized, because a considerable portion of these lands lie within the limits of grants in aid of railroads which have been constructed, and the principal ground for action is that the road was not built within the time originally limited. The forfeiture might have been declared ha<J Congress taken timely action. Such action not having been taken, it is a question of doubt whether it be nowcompetent in law for the grantor, although a sovereign proprietor, to decree that consequence after the condition has been actually performed without interruption on its part; and, if it be legally permissible, the question of the equity of such action appears likely, judging from the past, to throw a barrier in its way.” Indian Affairs.

The report says great progress has been made in the deliverance of the Indians from the ideas and habits of the past, and they now manifest less prejudice against the acceptance of the habits of civilized life, and more readily and willingly adapt ■ffKemselves to the measures designed for their improvement. This has been done by weakening the obstructive influence of chiefs and head men and by extending the jurisdiction of courts to Indian cases. A large portion of this gain is ascribed to the increased honesty of the Indian agents, and the Secretary recommends that the best possible ability should be secured in the person of these agents, and that an increased compensation should be paid. The extension of educational advantages is also urged so as to embrace all the Indian youth of the country of teachable age. “Let but the pres:nt generation of Indian youth be universally instructed according to their capacity and the Indian is settled, because there will b? no Indians when the generation of youth becomes the generation of manhood.” ‘ ‘The amount paid for pensions during the year was 178,775,861.92, an increase over the previous year of $5,308,280.22; the difference between the actual payments and the annual value having been occasioned by first payments involving arrears. Thus there were paid to 64,282 pensioners, receiving first payments during the year jhe sum of $22,299,605.46, and there remained in the hands of pension agents 6,574 cases of this kind unpaid on the 30th of June, upon which were due $2,465,722.59. The cost attending the disbursement of this money, embracing the pay of the officers and employes of the bureau, its agents, surgeons, special examiners, and others, was $3,262,524.67, making the total expenditure for all purposes by the bureau during the year $82,(138,385.59, being 21J per cent of the total gross income of the United States for that time, and nearly 31 per cent of the total expenditures :f the government for the fiscal year. This entire business was transacted without defalcation or financial irregularity involving the government, and there was some acceleration of the rapidity of payment.”