The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1870-12-15

plAn bv which naval vessels can be built
md repair. made with great saving upon
the prsssnt cost. 1t can hardly be wise
statssmanship in Government which
represents . country with over five ,
thousand miles Of coast line OH both
oceans, exclusive OF Alaska, and contain
Ing forty millions Of progressive people,
with relations Of every nature with al
most every foreign county, to rest with
such Inadequate means of enforcing any
foreign policy, either of protection or
redress. Separated by the oceans from
the nations of the Eastern Continent,
our navy is our only means of protection
to our citizens alb, cad, or for the enforce
ment Of any foreign policy,
respectfully call your attention to
one abuse of long standing, when l.
should like to see renedied ny TINS
Congress. 1t Is a reform in the civil
service of the country. would nave IL
"a he,oud the mere fixing of the tenure
orodfce clerks and employees who do
not require the advice and consent OF the
Senate to make their appointments COM
plete. l would have it govern, not the
tenure, but the manner Of making all
appointments. There ID no duty which
40 much embarrasses the Executive and
heads Of Departments as that ofappoint-
rnents, nor is there any such arduous
and thankless labor imposed on Senators
and Representatives as that of finding
rlaces for constituents. The present
system does not secure the best, and
often not even fitness for public
places. The elevation aud publication
of the civil service of the Government
will be hailed with approval by the
whole people of the United States.
Reform i'm the management of Indian
affairs has received the especia! atten-
ton OF the Admin ration, from lis
immigration TO the lres-nt day. The
experiment of making it a missionary
work was tried with few agencies given
to the denomination of Friends, and
has been found 10 work most advantage
"A
cies no, so disposed of were given 10
officers ofthe army. The act ofCongres-
regulating the army. renders army OIL
GERS ineligible for civil positions. In
dian agencies being civil offices, deter
mined to give all the agencies TO such
religious denominations as had hereto
fore established missionaries among the
Indians, and perhaps TO some other
denomination who would undertake the
work on the same terms as q missionary
work.
The societies selected are allowed to
name their own agents, subject to tie
approval ofthe Executive, and are expec-
ted to watch over them and aid them as
missionaries, to Christianize and civil
lize the Indian, and to teach him in the
arts Of peace. The Government watch
60 over the official acts OF these agents,
and requires Of them as strict.an accom-
liability as if they were appointed in any
other manner.
Ientertain the confident hope that
the policy now pursued, will. in a few
years, bring all Indians upon reserva
tons when they will live in houses
have school houses and churches, when
they will he pursuing peaceful and self
sustaining avocatio;I, and where they
may be visited by the law abiding
white man with the same impunity
he now visits the civilized white settle
meuts. call your special attention tc
the report Of the Commissioner OF Ind
ian Affairs for full information on thi,
subject.
During the last fiscal year, sos, Il.
acres of public lands were disposed OF.
Ofthis quantity, 1896, S02 900 acres Wert
taken under the homestead law, ant
2l6,951 500 acres sold for cash. Thu
remainder was located with military
warrants, College or Indian scrip o
applied in satisfaction of grants to rail
roads, and for other public uses.
The entries under the homestead Law
during the last year covered ool "a
acres more than thos during the prece
ding year. Surveys have been vigo
rously prosecuted to the full extent o
the means applicable to the purpose
The quantity of land in market vii
amply supply the present demand.
The claim o. the settler under the
homestead or the presumption laws, il
not, however, limited to land,
subject to sale at private entr.
and unappropriated surveyed publ
lind may, to a limited amount, be acqu
red under the former laws, if the part
entitled to enter under them will compl
with the requirements. They prescril
in regard to the residence and cul.iV'
ton. The actual settlers preference
and right of purchase is even broade
and extends to lands which were surre.
ed at the time of his settlement. ii
right was formerly confined with
much narrower limits, and at one peri'
of our history was conferred only |
special statutes. They were enable
from time to time to legalize what W
then regarded as an unauthorized intr
sion nnou the national domain. II