Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-12-07

ustice upon our part, and the advance oil
he Indians in civilization has been SLOW,
because the treatment they received dld not
hermit it to be faster and more general. we
,annOt expect them to improve anu lOllo"
mr. guidance unless We keep faith with
hem IN respecting the rights they possess,
and unless instead of depriving them OF
their opportunities We lend them helping
hand. | cordially approve the policy re-
parding the management oil Indian AFFAIRS
outlined in the reports OF the Secretary Oh
the Interior and OF the Commissioner Oh
Indian Affairs The faithful performance oil
our promises il the first condition OF
good understanding with the lndians.
/ cannot too urgently recommend to Con
grea. that prompt and liberal provision be
made for the conscientious fulhllment oil al
entered into by the govern,
ment with the Indian tribes. 10 withhold
the means necessary for the performance OF
a promise Is ALWAYS false economy, anu Is
ant to prove disastrous IN It's cOnse-
uueuces. Special care Is recommended 10
nroylIe for Indians settled ON their reserYa-
tons cattle and agricultural implements
To aid them in whatever Efforts they may
make to support themselves. anu by the es-
tablishment and maintenance oil schools 10
bring them under the control oil clvlll]eu ln-
huences see no reason why lnulah- VINO
can give satisfactory proof oil haVihs py
their own labor supported their ianiiieS ior
a number of years, and who are "iiling 10
detach Themselves from their tribal relations,
sbonld nnt he admitted to the benefits OF the
homestead act and the privileges OF citizen
ship; ant recommend the passage oil law
tn that effect. twill be an act OF Justice as
ucI ne "A mPans of ENCOURAGEMENT.
REFORM or THE INDIAN SERVICE.
Earnest etfrts are being made to purify
the Indian service 50 that every dollar ap-
propriated by Congress shall red0unu 10 tue
benefit of the Indians. as intended. ihose
etfJrts will have my firm support. win
An improved service and every possible en-
couragement held out to Indians 10 better
their condition and to elevate themselves IN
the scale of civilization, We may nope 10 &c
complish at tho same time u good work Tor
themselves and Tor ~.
GOVERNMENT TIMER LANDS
invite the attention OF Congress to the
Importance of the statements and sugges-
tiuns made by the Secretary OF the Interior
concerning the depredatlOns committed upon
timber lands of the United States, anu the
necessity Tor the preservation oi forests. IL
is believed that the measures taken in pur-
suance of the existing law to arrest these
depredations will be entirely successful, II
Congress by an appropriation ior that pnr-
pose renders their continued enforcement
nossible. The experience OF other
pat,ons teaches Us that a country
cannot be stripped of its forests with
immunity, and we shall expose ourselves to
tbe rrayest consequences unless the waste
fuI and improyIdent manner in which
L,rests in the United States are destroyed
no eui,ctually checked. | earnestly recon-
mend that the measures suggested by the
Secretary of the Interior for the suppression
of depredatiOns on the pubic tmoer
| Lands of the United States, for the
selling of timber from the pubic
lands and the preservation OF forests be eu-
bodied in a law, and that considering the
urgent necessity OF enabling the people oil
certain States and Territories to purchase
timber from the public lands In legal
manner, which at present they cannot 40
/ sueh law be passed, without unaSoldaOie
| delay.
| THE GREAT DESERT.
would also call the attention OF Con
| press to the statements made by tue Secre-
tarv of the Interior concerning the DISPOSE
| tion that might be made of the desert not
| irrigated west of the one hundreth meridian
| These lands are practically unstable, under
existing laws. and the suggestion Is worthy
| of consideration, that system oil leaseholu
tenure would make them i source OF proht
tn the United States, while at the same time
legalizlug the business OF cattle-ralsing'
which is at present carried on upon them.
THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF aGRI-
CULTURE
contains the gratifying announcement OF
| the extraordinary success which has reward
ed the agricultural industry OF the country
for the last year. With the fair prices
which obtain Tor the products OF the soil,
and especially for the surplus which our
people have to export, We may confidently
turn to this as the most important OF all 0uI
resources for the revival OF the depressed
industries OF the country. The report SHOWS
our agricultural progress during the veal
and contains a statement OF the work done
by this department Tor the advancement Oh
agricultural industry, upon which the pros
perity of our people so largely depends
Matters of information are included OF great
interest to all who seek by the experience Of
Others to improve their own methods OF eul
tiyation. The efforts of the department t.
increase the production of important ar
ticles of consumption, will, it Is hoped, i'm
proye the demand for labor ard advance thu
business of the country, and eventually re,
suit in saving some OF the many millions
that are now annually paid to foreign ma
tion4 for sugar and other staple products,
which habitual use has made necessary IL
our domestic everyday life.
THE CENTENNIAL LxPC~ITION.
The board on behalf Of the United State:
| 4 . hn Npra at I'M IA
exhibition of 1876 has concluded its labors
The final report of the board was trans
mitted to Congress by the President neal
the close OF the last session. As thest
papers are understood to contain interest
ing and valuable Information, and will con
stitute the only report emanatlng from thu
government on the subject Of the exhibition
invite attention to the matter, and recon-
mend that the report DO published iol
general information.
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
Congress is empowered by the c0nstitu
tion with authority OF exclusive Legislation
of the District OF Columbia, in which thu
seat of government OF the nation is located
The interests of the district having no direc
representation in Congress, are entitled Il
special cOnside ration and care at the hands
Of the general government. The capital
the United States belongs TO the nation. ant
it IS natural that the American people
should take pride in the seat OF thell
national government. and desire 1t to be Al
ornament to the country. Much has beer
done to render it healthful and cOnyenien
and attractive. but much remains to bt
done. which its permanent lnhabitapts arr
not able and are not expected to do. IL
impose upon them large proportion OF thu
cost required Tor public improvements
which are IN \ great measure planned and
executed for the convenience OF the govern
meot and ut the many thousands OF visItOr'
from all parts OF the country who tempo
rarily reside at the capital Oi the nation, /:
an evident injustice. Special attention l.
asked by the commissioners Oi the dis
triet in their report. which Is herewith trans
mItted, to the Importance OF permanen
adjustment by Congress OF tine financial re
lations between the United States and tn,
district, involving the regular annual con
tribution BY the United States OF is pro
portion of the expenses OF the district gov
eminent, and of the outlay Tor all needed
public improvements, and such measure o
relief from the burden OF taxation now I'm
posed on the people of the district as IN tbs
wisdom OF Congress nav be deemed Just
The report of the commissioners show:
|
ditan as satisfactory rs could be expected
in view of the heavy debt resting upon i
and its very limited means for necessary ex
penses. The debt of the district is aS fol
lows: Total funded debt. s. ,379, SOL SO
365 bonds guaranteed by the United States
Sl3, ~. $50, total bonded debt, So, l22.
9IIs6; to which should be addet
certain outstanding claims, As explain
ed in the report of the commissioners
81, Is2 ,20i 80. making the total debt OF the
district S23 $40, li6 Is. The commission
ers also ask attention to the importance o.
the improvement of the Potomac river and
the reclamation of the marshes bordering
upon the city OF Washington. and then
views upon this subject are concurred IN hy
the members of the board OF health, whose
report Is also herewith transmitted. Both
the commercial and sanitary interests OF
/ tho district will he greatly promoted,