The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-12-06


difficulty of maintaining the Indian Terrific
~ IN It's present state will greatly increase
and the Indian tribes inhabitng it would do
well To prepare for such a contingency. |
therefore approve Of the advice given 10
them by the secretary OF the interior on re.
cent occasion To divide among themselves,
IN scvcralty, rs large quantity of their
lands rs they can cultivate, 10 acquire indi-
vidual title in fee, instead of their present
tribal ownership IN common, and consider
in what manner the balance of their lands
may be disposed of by the government for
their benefit BY adopting such "A policy
they would more certainly secure for them
selves the value OF their possessions, aud n
the same time promote their progress ia civ
IliAaton and prosperity than by endcaYorng
to pcrpctuaIe the present state Of things in
the territory.
The question whether change IN the con
troll of the Indian service should be made,
was, in the fOrty.iifth congress. referred to Il
| Joint committee Of both houses for inquiry
and report. In my last annual message |
expressed the hope that the decision Of that
question, then in prospect, would arrest FUR
thcr agitation of this subject, such agitation
beng apt to produce disturbing eiicCtupon
the service as well as the Indians themselves.
| Since then, the committee having reported
the question has been decided in the mega
tive by "a vote IN the hoaSe representatives.
| For the reason here stated and in view Of
! the fact that further uncertainty on this point
| Will be calculated to ObstruCt other much
| needed legislation, to weaken the discipline
| of the service and TO unscttle salutary meas
ures now in progress for the government
! and the Improvement of the Indians, | re-
specially recommcd that the decision ar
| rived at by congress at its last session be
| permitted TO stand.
TIMBER THEFTS,
The efforts made by the departm ent Of
| the interior to arrest the depredations on the
timber lands OF the United States have been
continued and have met with considerable
success a large number OF cases Of tres
pass have been prosecuted in the courts OF
the United States Others have been settled
the trespasserS Offering 10 make payment to
the government for the value of the timber
taken by them. The proceeds of these pros
ccuions and the settlements turned into the
treasury far exceed in amount the sums APP
proprlated by congress for this purpose.
more important result, however, consists in
the fact that the destruction of our public
forests by depredatson, although suCh cases
still occur, has been greatly reduced Ill eA-
tent and it Is probable that if the present
policy is vigorously pursued, and sufficient
DTONlSlDn W lnut tuI Ilh'lt ny COISICSS,
such trespasses-at least those on large
scale-can be entirely suppressed, except IN
territories where timber for the daily require
ments Of The population cannot, under the
present state of the law, be otherwise OBJ
tanned | therefore earnestly invite the attcn-
ton Of congress to the accommodation made
by the secretary Of the interior, that "a law
be enacted enabling the government to sell
timber from the public lands without con
veying the fee where such lands are prInci
pally valuable for the timber thereon, such
sales to be so regulated rs to conform to do
nestle wants and business requirements,
while at the same time guarding against
sweeping destruction Of the forests The
enactment of a law appears to become
more pressing necessity every day,
THE AGRICULTURAL BUREAU.
Ny recommendations in former messages
are renewed in favor of enlarging the iacil
ties of the department of agriculture. Agri-
culture is the leading interest and permanent
industry of our people. 1t is to the album
dance of agricultural produces ons, as com
pared with our home consumption and the
largely increased and highly profitable mar
ket abroad which We have enjoyed III re-
cent years that we are mainly indebted for
our present prosperity rs people. We
must look to It's continued maintenance for
substantial resource. here is no branch OF
industry III winch labor, directed by SCien
tifc knowledge, yields such increased pro-
ductiOn IN comparison with unskllled labor,
and no branch OF the public service To which
the encouragement of liberal appropriations
can be more appropriately extended. The
omission to render such aid Is not wise
economy, but on the contrary undoubtedly
results in losses OF immense sums annually
that might be saved through well-directed
efforts by the government to promote this !
vital interest. The results already accom-
pisheG with the very limited means hereto
fore placed at the command of the depart
ment of agriculture, is an earnest of what
may be expected with increased appropra
tisns for the several purposes indicated IN
the report of the commissioner, with q view
to placing the department upon footing
which will enable 1t To prosecute more ef-
tcCtvcy the objects for which 1t Is estab
lished. Appropriations are needed for
more complete laboratory, for the establish
ment OF u veterinary division and u division
of forestry and for an increase OF force
The requirements fer these and other pur-
poses indicated in the report of the commits
sioner under the head of Immediate Neces
stiles of the Department." will not involve
any expenditure of money that the country
cannot with proprety now undertake IN the
interests OF agriculture.
EDUCATIONAL.
1t is gratifying TO learn from the bureau
of education the extent to which educational
privileges throughout the United States
have been advanced during the year. No
more fundamental responsibility rests upon
congress than that of deviSlng appropriate
measures of financial aid to education, sup
Elemental to local action In the states and
4 H.. - =. nah
The wise torethought nj the founders Of our
government has not only furnished the basis
for the support OF the common.school sys-
TENS of the newer states, but LAID fOunda-
tons for the maintenance of their unlversi
ties, of colleges OF agriculture and mechanic
ant Measures in accordance with this TIA
ditional policy for the benefit OF all these