Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1870-12-14

places. The elevation ana puflnCatlOn Oh tut
civil service of the Government will be halleC
with approval by the whole people of the United
States.
THE INDIAN PoLICY.
Reform in the management of Indian affairs
| has received the special attention of the admin
istration from its Inauguration to the present
! day. The experiment of making missionary
work was tried with few agencies given tc
the Denomination of Friends and has been
found to work most adyantageously. AL
! agencies and superintendencies not SO disposed
of were given to officers of the army. The act
! Of Congress regulating the army renders army
officers ineligible for civil positions. Indian
| agencies being civil offices, I determined to
| give all the agencies to such religious denom-
nations as had heretofore established mission
aries among the Indians, and perhaps to some
other denominations who would undertake the
work on the same terms, .. Gas q mission
airy work. The societies selected are allowed
to name their own agents, subject to the ap-
proval of the Executive, and are expected to
watch over them and aid them as missionaries,
to Christianize and civilize the Indian, and to
train him in the acts of peace The Govern
ment watches over the official acts of these
agents, and requires of them as strict an ac-
countability as if they were appointed in any
other manner. I entertain the confident hope
that the policy now pursued will, in few
years, bring all Indians upon reservations,
where they will live in houses, have school
houses and churches will be pursuing peaceful
and self-sustaining avocatlons, and where they
may be visited by the law-abiding white man
with the same impunity that he now visits the
civilized white settlements. I call your special
attention to the report of the Commissioner of
Indian Affairs for full information on this sub
ject.
PUBLIC LANDS.
During the last fiscal year 3, 095, ,413 acres of
public lands we're disposed of. Of this guam
tity, 3,698,910 ac1es we're taken under the
homestead law, and 2,259,510 acres sold for
cash. The remainder was located with militia
ry warrants, college or Indian scrip, or applied
in satisfaction of grants to railroads or other
public uses. The entries under the home
stead law during the past year covered 99l ,545
acres more than those during the preceding
year. Surveys have been vigorously prosecut-
ed to the full extent of the means applicable
to the purpose. The quantity OF land in mar
ket will amply supply the present demand:
The claim of the settlers under the homestead
or pre-emption laws is not limited, however,
to lands subject to sale by private entry Any
unappropriated surveyed public land may, to a
limited amount, be acquired under the former
laws, if the party entitled to enter under them
will comply with the requirements they pre-
scribe in regard to the residence and cultiva-
ton. The actual settlers preference,
and right of purchase is even broad
er, and extends to lands which
NcI6 iIlSlINGyGu ttG bllC VI Lib
His right was formerly confined within much
narrower limits, and at one period Of our his
tory was conferred only by special statutes that
we're enacted from time to time to legallze
what was regarded as an unauthorized lntru-
sion upon the national domain. The opinion
that the public lands should be regarded chiefly
as a source of revenue Is no longer maintained.
The rapid settlement and successful cultiva-
ton of them is now Justly considered of more
importance to our well being than the fund
which the sale of them would produce. The
"emarhable growth and prosperity OF new
states and territories, attest the wisdom of the
legislation which invites the tlller of the soil
to secure permanent home on easy terms.
Each of all the pioneers who incurs the dam
gers and privations of frontier life, and thus
aids in laying the foundation of new common
wealths, renders Q signal service, and ID entl-
tied to its special favor and protection. Inc
laws secure that object, and largely promote
the general welfare. They should therefor
be cherished as prominent feature OF ou
land system. Good faith requires us to give
full effect to the existing grants. The time
honored and benehcent policy OF setting apart
certain sections of public lands for cducatronal
purposes In new statee should be continued,
when ample provision shall have been made
for the objects. I submit, as a question
worthy of serious consideration, whether the
residue of our national domain should not be
wholly disposed of under the provisions of the
to the swamp and overhowed lands granted to
the states in which they are situated, the ands
taken under the Agricultural College acts and
for internal improvement purposes under the
act of September, 1841, and the acts sup.
Elementary thereto, there had been conveyed
up to the close of the last fiscal year, by patent
or other equivalent evidence of title to states
or corporations, 27,S36,257 13-100 acres for
railways canals and wagon roads. 1t is esti-
mated that an additional quantity of "a, 735,
523 acres is still due under grants for Like
uses. The policy of thus aiding the states In
building works of internal improvement was
inaugurated moro than forty years since, IN
the grants to Indiana and Illinois, to aid those
| states in opening canals to connect the waters
| of the Wabash with those of Lake Erie and
the waters of Illinois with those of Lake
! Michigan. It was followed by modification Id
the grant to Illinois of alternate sections OF
public lands within the limits of the Illinois
! Central Railway. Fourteen states and sundry
corporations have received similar sub
sides in connection with railroads COM
/ pleted or in process of construction.
! AS reserved sections are rated at the
double minimum, the sale of them at the
! enhanced price has thus, in many instances
indemnifed the Treasury for the granted
lands The construction Of some of these
thoroughfares has undoubtedly given vigor
| GUS impetus to the development of our resour.
ces and the settlement of the more distant
portions of the country. 1t may, however
well be insisted that much of our legislation IL
this regard has been characterized by indls.
criminate and profuse iberality. The United
States should not loan their credit in aid OF
any enterprise undertaken by States or corpo.
rations, nor grant lands in any instance, unless
| the projected work is of acknowledged nation
al Importance. l am. strongly inclined to the
opinion that it is inexpedient and unnecessary
to bestow subsidies of either description, but
should Congress determine otherwise, l earn
estlv recommend that the rights of settlers ano
/ the public be more effectually secured ane
protected by appropriate legislation.
THE PATENT OFFICE.
During the year ending September 80, 1870
there were filed in the Patent Office 49, Al.
applications for patents, ,374 caveats, and l6t
applications for the extension of patents
13,621 patents, including reissues and designs
were issued, 40 extended, and 1 ,099 allowed
but not issued by reason of nonpayment o.
final fees. The receipts of the office during
the fiscal year were $13, $50 429 in excess of It'll
expenditures.
THE CENSUS.
The work of the Census Bureau has been en-
ergetically prosecuted. The preliminary re
port containing much information OF specla
value and interest will be ready for deliver
during the present session. The reinalnIn
volumes will be completed with all the dis
patch consistent with perfect accuracy IN al
ranging and classifying the returns. We shal
thus at no distant day be furnished with a.
authentic record of our condition and resources
1t will, doubt not, attest the growing, pros
perity of the country, although during the de
cade which has just closed it was so severel
tried by the great war waged to maintain its IL
tegrity and to secure and perpetuate our fire
institutions.
PENSIONS
During the last fiscal year. the sum paid t
pensioners, including the cost of disbursement
was 1927, $50, 81. IL, and / ,758 bounty land wal
rants were issued. At it's close, 198,6S6 name
were on the pension rolls The labors of tn
Pension office have been directed to the sever
scratiny of the evidence submitted in favor c
new claims, and to the discovery of tctitiou
claims which have been heretofore allowed
The appropriation for the employment of spe
cial agents for the investigation of frauds ha
been judiciously used, and the results of
have been of unquestionable benefit to tn
service.
EDUCATION AND AGRICULTURE.
The subjects of education and agriculture ar
of great interest to the success of our Repuh
lican institutions, and our happiness an