454 surgeons' reports — iowa — first district. 



there were G99 scliool-clistricts, 579 school-houses, aud 1,196 school-teachers, who were paid in the 

 aggregate $91, O.J 1.13. 



These numbers have all been increased since the beginning of the war. Taking the enumera- 

 tion as above, there is a school-house to every two and a half square miles of cultivated land ; and 

 a school house to every six and a half square miles, computing the whole area, which includes a 

 million and a half of acres that have never felt the touch of cultivation. A medical college of 

 growing usefulness and popularity ; several universities under the control of different religious 

 bodies, prosperous, crowded with students, and on the high road to permanency ; libraries in every 

 principal town: these, and other like tokens, illustrate the assertion that the people appreciate the 

 great advantages of education. 



If, indeed, it be true that the life and perpetuity of republican institutions depend on the intelli- 

 gence of the people, (and no one now dares controvert it,) then this people will be found at all 

 times ready to defend the principle of popular government, by their votes, by their influence, and, 

 as exhibitetl in the civil strife just now so gloriously ended, by the devotion of " their lives, their 

 fortunes, and their sacred honor." 



Modes of lift'. — Separated from debauchery and excess, such i)rolific sources of disease in 

 densely-crowded cities; removed from the temi)tations to grasp after sudden wealth ; <!ontented with 

 the blessedness of a competency which insures education and (uilture to the child, and p'enty 

 and j)eace, without extravagance, to the adult; satisfied with golden tields, luscious Iruits, food 

 convenient for them, aud the association with neighbors who love life only to rationally enjoy it, 

 the ])eople live quietly atal happily. Here no ''stinted or niggardly instance of nature's bounty" 

 can be found. Men generally own the land which they cultivate, and with ordinary industry and 

 care, or even with partial economy of time, aud small expenditure of mnscle, they can enjoy all the 

 comforts common to this iwirt of the tenii)erate zone. Beggars there are none; but even these, 

 l)lying their vocation lazily, could not fail to live luxuiiously. Jt is a land of plenty — of corn and 

 ■wine, of milk and honey ; and though these treasures do not spring up spontaneously, y(it they are 

 within the reach of all who make but inconsiderable efforts aud toil to secure them. 



So much as to the modes ot life can be inferred from the occupations of the peoi)Ie, considered 

 below, that it is not necessary to descend into the minute details that make up the sum of their 

 living. 



Occitp((iions.—V>y the United Statescensusof 1860, the district contained 124,.301 inhabitants; in 

 1803, the population, accoiding to State census, was 135,917; and General Wilson's "Iowa and its 

 Kesources " places it at 136,430. The piiucipal occupations, as returned in 1800, (and it is conceived 

 that the [)ro|)ortions have not been materially changed since that time,) are as follows: Farmers, 

 14,971 ; laborers, 5,2'27 ; blacksmiths, 584 ; carpenters, 1,717 ; wagon-makers, 199 ; plasterers, 138 ; 

 stonemasons, 208; stone cutters, 97 ; carriage-makers, 34 ; machinists, 87 ; engineers, 173; millers, 

 168; sawyers, 85; painters, 97; merchants, 599 ; clergymen, 171 ; shoemakers, 324; physicians, 245; 

 . lawyers, 172 ; and harness-makers, 125. It will be observed that those engaged in agricultural pur- 

 suits largely |)redoaiinate. It is not necessary to repeat the hackneyed expression as to the lot of 

 the agriculturist, his iutlependence, his love of country, his sterling worth in the Viiried fields of 

 human labor and i)rogress and sympathy. It is not improper, however, to recall the aphorism thai 

 "great inties are cancers on the body politic;" and to couple it with the declaration that when an 

 agricultural people have been the i)roprietor.s of the soil, and have been intelligent, they have nevei 

 been enslaved. It is imi)ossible for such a ])eoi)le to lose their liberties. Demagogues may mislead 

 by plausible argument or ]>retext for a time, but the sober second thought, the careful unimpas- 

 sioned reflection, will always insure a correct path of faith and duty. The iieople — those who till the 

 soil, work in mines and shops and factories — these are they upon whom this nation nuist depend tor 

 the material to fight, aiJd the money to pay the expenses. 



Vieirs as to pura<jraph 85. — Each amendment that has been made to the requirements of para- 

 gra])h 85 has been a decided improvement. The regulations of April 21, 1803, embraced fifty-one 

 sections, and gave too great latitude to the judgment of surgeons and boards of enrollment in the 

 physical examination of men. Circular No. 100, Novenibei' 9, 18(!;?, leduced the number of sections 

 enumerating disabilities to forty one, and left still less to the discretion of the examining board. 

 The llevised liegulatious of September, 1864, reduce the number still further to thirty -six sections, 



