Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-12-08
Interior Department-Annual Report.

Scarcely fortnight's supply remains"
Interior Department-Annual Report.
H8 WARRINGTON, Nov. 70.
The report Of Hon. J. d. Cox, Secretary
OF the Interior, is dated October 81. Upon
the subject Of public lands, there is clear
statement Of the various classes of Mexi-
can grants now giving the Land Office SO
much trouble. The Patent office is repre-
scented as in excellent condition. On the
subject of Indian affairs the Secretary
says:
During the past year the department
has habitually pursued that policy which
was inaugurated by your direction The
results have proven most conclusiyely its
wisdom, and shown that even under cir
cumstances Of more than ordinary irrita-
ton, peaceful policy appeals with great
power even to the widest savage. The
!abors of the unpaid commission of citi-
zens who have been cooperating with the
Indian A gencies, have been very valuable
during the past year, they personally su-
perintending the purchase Of Indian goods,
work requiring more than month Of
their time in the early summer. A sub.
committee Of the body were present at
the payments of moneys to the civilized
nations in the Indian Territory, and aided
in the negotiation which has resulted in
the final settlement Of the Usage difficulty.
They attended the conferences in this city
with the Sioux, and have since visited
them, as well as the wild tribes in Wyo-
ming and Dakota Their work of inspec-
ton has been extended to Oregon and
Washing ton Territory They have shrunk
from no self-sacrifice, toll or danger, in en-
deayoring to make the policy you have
adopted toward the Indians an entire sue
cess. The healthful effect of their infiu
ence and advice Is cheerfully acknowledged
by the department and Indian Bureau,
and has inspired just confidence in the
honesty Of the Transactions which have
been concluded under their supervision.
"Friends, to whom agencies in the
Northern and Central Superintendencies
were originally assigned, have most faith
fully and industriously continued their be-
neficcnt work with success even greater
than could have been reasonably expected.
Since the passage of the act Of Congress
making it impracticablc to continue mill
tary officers in charge of Indian Agencies,
under your direction the field has been
subdivided and the various missionary as
sociations OF the country invited to occupy
the same relations to them as those which
the Friends have to the agencies under
their control. The objections which
would naturally arise to the cooperation
of religious bodies in governmental work,
have been obviated, 50 far as possible, by
inviting the assistance Of all missionary
associations which have taken part in the
work of civilizing the Indians A prefer
encc of any denomination or sect has thus
been avoided, and the labOrs already per-
formed are utilized to greater extent than
would otherwise be possible. Whenever
missionary school has been established, 1t
has been understood that you would APP
point an agent in sympathy with the mis-
sion, so that its influence for good might
be increased by the whole force Of the gov
ornamental patronage. If the Indians are
to be improved in condition, our policy
must be essentially changed, so that pro-
vision for the wants of the matured and
aged shall be treated merely as a temporary
expedient, while the training Of the
children in ways Of civilization shall be a
controlling and permanent feature of the
system. On this point will add that the
Commissioner Of Education is earnestly
endeavoring to procure such information
with regard to the proper and successful
modes of Indian government as may ena-
bleth bureau to cooperate most thor
oughly with the Indian Office.
"'Tbe estimated expenses of the Indian
service for the coming fiscal year, includ-
ing appropriations which may be necessary
to meet the interest on non-paying stock
held in trust, will be $5,070,000, against an
appropriation of SO, $780, 600 for the current
year, showing reduction of $1,0SO000
1.-THE preliminary report of the census
is now printing, and will appear during
the earlier days Of the next Congress.
This will necessarily be confined to gen.
eral statistics, and exhibiting the popula-
ton by aggregates and by classes of each
county in the United States, from 1890 to
1870 inclusive Somewhat over $500
counties will appear The tables of the
smaller civil subdivisions embrace over
10000 items The volumes containing ag-
ricultual, manufacturing, social, and mis-.
cellaneous statistics will be ready by April.
THE organization of the bureau has af-
forded an opportunity of applying the
principle of competitive examinations.
Those who desired clerical employment