Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-12-11

acc ,mplish the financial ruin of a responsible bust
ne IS man. Those who otherwise might make law
f ii and just arrangements to relieve themselves
rom difficulties produced by the present strln
F. gency in money are prevented by thelr
| constant exposure 10 attack and d1sap-
| pointmentb by proceedings against them in bank
ruptcy: and. besides, the law is made use OF, In
| many cases, by obdurate creditors, to frlghten or
force-debtors into a compliance with their wishes
and into acts of injustice to other creditors ana
to themselves. ] recommend that so much OF said
| act as provides for involuntary bankruptcy on &C
count of the suspension of payment be repeated.
CLAIMS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT.
Your careful attention is invited TO the subject
of claims against the Government. and the faclll-
ties afforded by. existing laws FOR their prose
cution. Each of the Departments of State,
Treasury and War have demands for many mil
lions of dollars upon their files. and they are rap
idly accumulating. To these may be added those
now pending before Congress, the court OF
! Claims, and the Southern Claims Commission,
(, making in the aggregate an immense sum. Most
of these grew out of the rebellion, ara are n
tended 10 indemnify persons of both sides for
| their losses during the war, and not a few of them
| are fabricated and supported by false testimony.
Projects are on foot, 1t Is De-
| vide for new classes of claims, and
| to revive old ones, through the repeal or moditica-
ton of the statute OF limitation, by which they are
now barred. | presume these schemes II pro
posed, will be received with little favor by Con-
gress, and ! that persons having
claims against the United States, cog
UlZdDIC ny any !"
thereof, be required to present them
at an early day, and that legislation be
directed, as far as practicable, 10 the defeat OF I'M
| founded and unjust demands upon the Govern
| ment; and would suggest, as d means of prevent
ing fraud, that witnesses be called upon to appear
in person to testify before these tribunals having
said claims before them for adjudication.
Probably the largest saving TO the National
Treasury can be secured by timely legislation on
these subjects, of any of the economic measures
that will be proposed.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
You will be advised of the Operations OF the De
partment of Justice by the report of the Attorney
General, and | invite your attention 10 the amend
ments of existing laws suggested by him, with the
view of reducing the expenses of that depart
ment.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.
The policy naugurated toward the Indians at the
beginning Of the last administration has been
steadily pushed, and, ] believe, with beneficial re-
suits. II will be continued with only such m0dlf-
cation as time and experience may demonstrate as
Necessary. With the encroachments Of civilization
upon TIE Indian reservations and hunting grounds,
disturbances have taken place between the Indians
and whites during the past year, and probably will
continue to do so until each race
appreciates that the other has rights which
must be respected. The policy has been to
collect the Indians as rapidly as possible on reser
vations, and, a. far as practicable, within what is
known as the Indian Territory, and to teach them
the arts Of civilization and self'support. When
ever found off their reservations and en-
dangering the peace and safety OF the
wh1te Fin o t4fy 40 nave hn for Pee 2eeh otfan puhiSa pbs
LII IL tSiLiIdV u " ~ I'M SiE L NJ
Indian Territory, south of Kansas and west of
Arkansas, is sufficient in area and agricultural re-
sources to support all the Indians of the Rocky
mountains. In time. no doubt, all of them except
a few who may select to make their homes among
white people, viii be collected there. AS a pre-
paratory step for this ~consummation, l nm now
satisfied that a territorial form of government
should be given them, which will secure the treaty
rights of the original settlers and protect their
homesteads from alienation for q period OF twenty
years.
PATENT n~eIcE.
The operations of the Patent Office are growing
to such magnitude, and the accumulation OF ma
terIal is becoming so great, that the necessity for
more room is becoming obvious day by day. !
respectfully invite your attention to the reports OF
the Secretary of the Interior and Commissioner
Of Patents on this subject.
GENERAL LAND OFFICE.
The business of the General Land Office exhibits
a material increase in al its launches during the
last fiscal year; During that time there were dis
posed of out of the public lands, IL, 039,6 06 acres,
being an amount greater by /, 165, 63l acres than was
disposed of during the preceding year. Of
the amount nn'd fot dis ls o of Of, q4o $3.50 6sges a ,SGys
located with military land warrants; 3,193,-
6l2 acres were taken for homesteads; 653,-
446 acres were located with agricultural
college scrip; 6,S03, 536 acres were certified by rail
roads; 965.7 80 acres were granted to wagon roads;
23S,546 acres were approved to States as swamp
lands; 1851 acres were certified for agricultural
colleges, common schools, universities and semi
naries; 100 TO acres were approved to States for
internal Improvements, and 14,222 acres were
a. WAN ILtLIah zip liz Sd7i itNSiio
during the same time were S3,408,515.50, be
ing Sl90:4l550 in excess of the receipts for
acres of public land were surveyed, an increase of
the amount surveyed the previous year Of 1,037, 1913
acres, and added to the area previously surveyed,
aggregating 616,54 1875 acres which have been sur
veyed, leaving 1,21S,443,5 sos acres Of the public
lands still lnsurveyed. The increased and
steadily increasing facilities for reach
for the transportation of surplus pro-
ducts, enlarges the available field for desirable
homestead locations. thus stimulating settlement
and extending year by year, in a gradually lncrcas-
ing ratio, the area of occupation and cultivation.
The expressed desire of the representatives Of a
large colony of citizens of Russia to emierate to this
country. as is understood, with the consentO of their
Government, if certain concessions can be made
10 enable them to settle in a compact colony. is of
great interest as going TO show the light in which
our institutions are regarded by an industrious, in
telligent and wealthy people. DESTROYS of enjoying
civil and religious liberty, and the acquisition of so
large an immigration of citizens. of a superior
class, would, without doubt, be of such substan-
tial benefit TO the country, that [ invite YOU. atten-
ton to the suggestion of the Secretary of the In
terror in this behalf.
PENSIONS.
There was paid during the last fiscal year for
pensions, including the expenses OF disbursement,
S29, 1S5, $50. 81, being an amount less by 1884 $50. 9S
than was expended for the same purpose the pre-
ceding year. Although this statement of expen-
ditures would indicate a material reduction in
the amount compared with the preceding
year, it is believed that the changes in
the pension laws made at the last session of
Congress will absorb that amount the current year.
At the close of the last fiscal year there were on
the pension rolls @,S04 invalid military pensioners
and l12,0SS widows, orphans and dependent
widows of deceased soldiers, making a total of
that class OF I'll 1872; 1896 survivors of the war of
1872, and 5,053 widows of soldiers of thai
war pensioned under the act of Congress OF
February IA, 1871, making a total of that
class of 23,319; 1,430 invalid navy pension
ers, and ITO widows and orphans and dependent
relatives of deceased officers. sailors and marines
of the navy pensioners, making a total of 800;
total of pensioners of all classes 23S,411, show
ing a net increase during the last fiscal year of
b,2lS. The names of 1,645 pensioners were added
to the rolls and OPS names were dropped there
for the detection of frauds against
the Government In the matter of
pensions have been productive of satisfactory re-
suits, but legislation is needed to provide. if pos
slble, against the perpetrating of such frauds in
future.
The evidently increasing interest in the cause of
education Is a most encouraging feature in the
general progress of the country, and the Bureau of
Education Is in earnest in its efforts to give proper
direction to the applicants, and the increased
facilities which are being offered to aid the educa-
tors of the country in their great work.
THE CENSUS.
The ninth census has been completed, the report
thereof published and distributed and the working
force of the bureau disbanded. The Secretary Of
the Interior renews his recommendation for a cen
sns to be taken in 1875. to which subject the atten-
ton OF Congress is invited. The original sugges-
ton IN that behalf has met with the gen
eral approval of the country, and, even
If 1t be not deemed advisable at present to pro- |
vide for a regular quinquennial census. a census |
a L a n IN STN h rn,nrt 90 --t-@I ---JI l.