The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-12-06

49,. ~: NUMRER H.. !.
object of my earnest endeayors. Whatever
propensities, of the difficulties Of introducing
among them the habits Of civilized life and the
obstacles they have offered to the progress
OF settling In certain parts Of the country,
| the Indians are certainly entitled to our sym.
pathy and to conscientious respect on
o9r part for their claims upon our sense
/ OF justice. They were the original occupants
| Of the land we now possess. They have bee...
! driven from place to place. The purchase
money paid to them in some cases for what,
they called their own has still left them poor.
In many instances when they had settled
down upon land assigned to them by compact
and begun to support themselves BY their own
iabor, they were rudely jostled of and thrust
Into the wilderness again. Many, II not most
| all our Indian wars have had their origin In
broken promises and acts Of injustice oQ our
part, and the advance of Indians IN civilization
haa.,oe nas been &c slow because the treatment they
received did not permit 1t to be faster
and more general. We cannot expect
them to improve and follow our guidance un-
less We keep faith with them In respecting the
rights they possess, and unless instead Of de-
prtving them Of their opportunities, We lend
policy regarding the management Of Indian
affairs outlined IN the reports Of the Secretary
Of the Interior and OF the Commissioner OF In
dian affairs. The faithful performance Of our
promises ie the first condition Of good un-
der'tanding with the Indians. I cannot
that prompt and liberal provision Be
made for the conscientious fulfllment
OF all agreements entered into by the govern
mcnt with the Indian tribes. To withhold the
means necessary for the performance of
. sna promise 70 sst Is is % always false economy.
consequences. Especial care is recon-
mended to provide for the Indians settled
on their reservatiOns, cattle and agricultural
Implements to aid them in whatever efforts
they may make to support themselves, by
the rc-establishmcnt and maintenance Of
civilized influences. l see no reason why In-
dams who can give satisfactory proof Of hav-
ing BY their own labor supported their
families for number of years, and who are
willing to detach themselves from their
tribal M al. relations relation should not be admitted
the privileges of citizenship, and recommend
the passage Of law to that effect. 1t will be-
an act ofjustice as well as measure of encour-
aRement. Earnest efforts are being made to
purify the Indian service so that every dollar
appropriated by congress shall rebound to the
benefit Of the Indian benefited. The effort
Will have my firm support. With an improv-
ed service and every possible encouragement
held out to the Indians to better their condi-
tion and to elevate them in the scale oi civili-
zation, VIC may hope to do ut the same time
good work for them and ourselves.
PUBLIC TIMBER LANDS.
invite the attention of congress to the i'm
portance Of statements and suggestions by the
secretary of the interior, concerning the de-
Predations committed upon timber lands OF
the United States, and the necessity for the
preservation of the forests. It is
believed that the measures taken ln
pursuance Of existing law to arrest these
dcpredations will be entirely successful If con.
gress by an appropriation for that purpose
renders their continued enforcement possible.
The experience of other nations teaches us that
country cannot be stripped of it's forests with
impunity, and We shall expose ourselves to
the gravest consequences unless the wasteful
and improvident manner inwhich the forests In
the United States are destroyed be effcctually
checked. earnestly recommend that tho
means suggested by the Secretary Of the Inter
ior for the suppression OF deprcdations on the
public timber lands OF the United States for
the selling OF timber from the public
lands Of the United States. and for the
preservation Of forests be embodied in
laws; that considering the urgent necessity
Of enabling the people Of ccrta in States and
Territories to purchase timber from the pub
lie land in legal manner which at present
they cannot do, such law be passed without
unavoidable delay. would also call the at
tention Of congress to the statement made by
the Secretary Of the Interior concerning the
disposition that might be made of the desert
lands not irrigable, west OF the one hund-
redth meridian. These lands are practically
unstable under existing laws and the sugges-
ton is worthy of consideration that system of
lease would make them source Of profit to the
United States, while at the same time legaliz-
ing the business Of cattle raising which is at
present carried on upon them.
AGRICULTURAL PROGRESS.
The report Of the commissioner Of agricul-
ture contains the gratifying announcement of
the extraordinary success which has reward
ed the agricultural industry of the country
for the past year. With the fair prices which
pecially for the surplus which our people
have to export, We may confidently turn to
this, the most important Of all our resources,
for the revival Of the depressed industries of
the country. The reports show our agricul.
tural progress during the year, and contain
sts3ement mens M the work nd done by s dR,
Of agricultural industry upon which the
prosperity OF our people so largely depends.
Matters Of Information are included Of great
Interest to all who seek by experience to I'm.
prove their methods Of cultivation. The efforts
Of the department to increase the production
Of important articles Of consu .nption, will, it
is hoped, improve the demand Tor labor and
advance the business of the country,and event
ually save some Of the many millions that are
now annually paid to foreign nations for
sugar and other staple products which habitu-
abuse has made necessary in our every day life.
1x1T CENTENNIAL.
The board, on behalf ef the United statea :
executive departments Of the. International
Exposition Of 1876, has coneludedsiN labors,
The final report Of the board sNas transmitted
to congress at the last sessfon.sAs these
papers contain interesting and valuable inior-
nation, aud will constitute the only report
emanating from the government ON tho sub
ject Of the exhibition, will invite attention to
published for general information.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
Congress is empowered by the constitution
with the power Of exclusive legislation over
the District of Columbia, in which the seat of
government Of the nation is located. The in
terests of the District haying no direct repre-
pecial consideration and care at the hands
Of the general government The capital of
the United States belongs to the nation and 1t
Is natural that the American people should
take pride in the seat Of their national TO-
vernment and desire 1t to be an ornament to
the country. Much has been done to
render 1t hcalthful, convenient and At
tractive, but much more remains to bo
done which It's permanent Inhabitants
are not able and ought not to be ex-
pected to do. To impose upon them . large
proportion Of the cost required for public
improvements which are in great measure
planned and executed for the convenience OF
the government. and ofthe many thousands of
visitors from all parts Of the country who
temporarilY reside in the canital of the na-