National Republican., 1875-12-08
to the South American States will far outweigh

would seem entirely proper; out j. suggest that
the law be so amended as to exclude from the
mails merchandise Of all descriptions, and limit
this transportation to articles enumerated, and
which may be classed as mail matter proper.
THE INDIANS AND THE BLACK HILLS.
The discovery of gold in the Black IHills, a por-
tion of the Sioux reservation, has had the effect
TO induce n hrge emigration Of miners to that
point. Thus far the effort to protect the treaty
rights of the Indians to that section has been sue
cessful but The next year VIII certainly witness
large increase of such emigration. The negotia-
tiOns for the REIMBURSEMENT OF the gold fields hay
ing failed, it will be necessary for Congress to
adopt some measures to relieve the embarrass-
ment growing out of the causes named.
The Secretary Of the Interior suggests that the
% OT e
treaty of 1865, but simply gratuity, may be is
sued or withheld, at his discretion.
The condition of the Indian Territory, to which
have referred in several of my former annual
messages, remains practically unchanged. The
Secretary of the Interior has taken measures to
obtain full report of the condition Of that terri
tory, and will make IT the subject Of special re-
port at an early day. 1t may then be necessary
10 make some further recommendation in regprd
to legislation for the government of that terri
tory.
PATENTS, LANDS AND PENSIONS.
The steady growth and increased business of the
Patent Office Indicates in some measure the pro-
grcss Of the industrial activity of the country.
Tho receipts Of the office are in excess of its ex-
penditures, and the office generally Is in pros
porous and satisfactory condition.
Inc report OF lDe NrcneTul lhnu OTIlcc SHOWS
that there were 2,i59,6Ol acres less disposed OF
during this than during the last year: more than
one half of this decrease was in lands disposed of
under the homestead and timber culture laws.
The cause of this decrease is supposed TO be found
in the grasshopper scourge, and the drouths
which prevailed SO extensively in some Of the
frontier States and Territories during that time
as to discourage and deter entries by actual
settlers The cash receipts were less by $3.50 22
than during the preceding year.
The entire surveyed domain Is $50 253 0q4 acres,
of which % ,53l acres were surveyed during the
past year, leaving ,Ie2 acres still unsur-
veyed.
The report of the Commissioner presents many
interesting suggestions in regard to the manage
ment and disposition of the public domain and the
modification of existing laws, the apparent i'm
pCriance of which should insure for them the care
ful consideration of Congress.
The number of pensioners still continues to de-
crease, the highest number having been reached
during the year ending June 80, 1873. During the
last year 1857 names were added to the rolls and
12,977 were dropped therefrom, showing net de-
crease of 40. But while the number of pension
ers has decreased, the annual amount due on the
pension rolls has increased 81, 1878. This is
caused by the greatly increased average rate OF
pensions, which, by the liberal Legislation of Con-
gress has increased from SoO25 in 1872 to slo3 sl
in 1875 to each invalid pensioner, an increase In
the average rate Of fifteen per cent. in the three
years During the year ending June 30, 1875. there
was paid on account of pensions, including the ex
penses of disbursement, so 1l6, being 500 $50
less than was paid the preceding year.
This reduction in amount OF expenditures was
produced by the decrease in the amount Of ar.
rearages due on allowed claims, and on pensions
the rate of which was increased by the Legislation
Of the preceding session of Congress. At the
close of the last fiscal year there were the PEN
sion rolls BASH persons, Of whom 2l0, ,363 were
army pensioners los AS being inyaids and loi ss5
widows and deDendent relatives: 3, 40 were navy
pensioners, Of whom i,6S were lnvalIds anu i,.,si
widows and dependent relatives; II, ,oSs were pen
sioners OF the war OF 1912, 1855 Of whom were
survivors, and 5,163 were widows.
1t is estimated that go SIS 900 will be required
for the payment Of pensions for the next fiscal
year, an amount s965,ooO less than the estimate
for the present year.
The geological explorations have been prose-
cuted with energy during the year. covering an
area Of about 0Oo square miles in the Territories
Of Colorado Utah and New Mexico, developing
the agricultural and mineral resources and fur.
nishlng interesting scientific and typographical
details of that region.
The method for the treatment Of the Indians
adopted at the beginning Of my first term has been
steadily pursued, and with satisfactory and en-
couraging results. 1t has been productive of evil
dent improvement in the condition of that race,
and will be continued, with only such modifica-
tions as further experience may indicate to be
necessary.
THE CENTENNIAL EXPOSITION.
The board heretofore appointed to take charge
of the articles and materials pertaining to the
the Post Office Departments, and the Department
of Agriculture, the Smithsonian Institution and
the commission of food fishes to be contributed
under the legislation of last session to the Inter-
national Exhibition to be held at Philadelphia
during the Centennial year 1915 has been dill
gent in the discharge of the duties which have de-
yOlyed upon IL, and the preparations so far made
with the means at command give assurance that
the governmental contribution will be made one
of the marked characteristics of the exhibition.
The board has observed eommendable economy in
the matter of the erection of building for the
estimated, will not exceed, say $4,000.
This amount has been Withdrawn, under the
law, from the appropriations Of ive of the prin-
cipal Departments, which leaves some Of those De-
partments without sufficient means to render their
respective practical exhibits complete and salts
factory. The exhibition being an International
S tributor it Il is my opinion that It's consrSution tom
SHOULD be OF character in quality and extent, TO
sustain the dignity and credit Of 50 distinguished
The advantages to the country Of q creditable
display are, in an international point Of view, Of
the first Importance while an Indifferent or In;
be humiliating to the patriotic feelings Of our
people themselves. commend the estimates of
tions to the favorable consideration of Congress
The Powers of Europe, almost without exeep-
tfon, many of the South American States, and
even the more distant Eastern Powers, have man.
ifested their friendly sentiments toward the Uni
ted States, and the interest Of the world In our
progress, by ia king steps TO Join with In cele
brating the Centennial ofthe nation and strong
given to this exhibition by such legislation and by
such appropriation as will insure its success It's
works of art and skill the commingIing Of citizens
OF foreign countries and our own, and the inter-
change of ideas and manufactures, will far exceed
any pecuniary outlay We may make.
transmit herewith the report of the Commls-
sioner OF Agrieulture together with the reports of
the Commissioners, the Board Of Audit and the
Board of Health of the District Of Columbia, to all
of which invite your attention.
The Bureau of Agriculture has accomplished
much in disseminating useful knowledge to the
agriculturist, and also in introducing new and
useful productions adapted to soil and climate
and il worthy Of the continued encouragement Of
the Government.
The report Of the Commissioner of Education.
which accompanies the report Of the Secretary OF
the Interior, shows a gratifying progress in edu-
catiOnal matters.
PoLYGANT IN Utah.
In nearly every annual message that l have
had the honor of transmitting to Congress have
called attention to the anomalous, not to
say scandalOus, condition OF affairs existing in the
legislation to correct it. That polygamy should
exist IN free, enlightened and Christian country
without the power to punish so fragrant crime
against deceney and morality, seems prepos-
ferrous. True, there is no law TO sustain this unnat
ural vice, but what is needed is a law to punish
IT as crime and at the same time to fix the status
Of the innocent children, the offspring Of this sys
tenn, and Of the possibly innocent plural wives.
But as an Institution, Polygamy should be ban
While this is being done, invite the attention
of Congress to another, though perhaps no less
an eyil-the importation Of Chinese women, but
few Of whom are brought to our shores to pursue
honorable or useful occupations. :
TIMBER, LANDS, MINES AND MINING.
Observations while visiting the Territories Of
Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado, during the past
autumn, convinced me that existing laws regu-
lating the disposition Of public lands, timber Sc
and probably the mining laws themselves, are
very defective, and should be carefully amended,
and at an early day. q
In territory where cultivation Of the soil can
only be followed by irrigation, and where irrl-
CATION is not practicable, the lands can only be
used as pastarage, and this only where stock can
erned by the same laws, as to entries, as lands
every acre Of which Is an Independent estate by
ITSELF Land must be held in larger quantities to
justify the expense of conducting water upon II to
make 1t fruitful or to utilize II as pasturage.
The timber In most of the Territories Is princi-
pally confined to the mountain regions, which are
held for entry in small quantities only, ald as
mineral lands. The timber Is tho property OF the
United States, for the disposal of which there Is
now no adequate law. The settler must become
q consumer Of this timber whether he lives upon
the plain or engages in working the mines. Hence
every man becomes either a trespasser himself or
knowingly patron Of trespassers.
My opportunities for observation were not sum
cient to justify me In recommending specific legs
lation on these subjects, but do recommend that
a joint committee of the two Houses Of Congress,
sufficiently large to be divided into sub-epmmit-
tees, be organized to visit all the mining States
and Territories during the coming summer, and
the next session such laws or amendments 70 laws
as 1t may deem necessary to secure the best inter
est OF the Government and the people OF these
Territories who are doing so much for their de-
velopment. ea L =
I am sure the citizens occupying the nrritory
described do not wish to be trespassers, nor will
they be II legal why's are provided for them 70 be-
cOme OWnera Of these actual necaesitfes of their