Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-12-02

families for a number of years. and who are
willing TO detatch themselves from their trib-
al relations. Ia the benefit of tie homestead
act and to grant them patents containing the
same provision of inalienabllity for certain
period.
The experiment of sending a number of In
dian children. of both sexes. to the Hampton
Normal and Agricultural Institute in Virgin
ia, to receive an elementary English educa-
ton and practical instruction in farming and
other useful industries. has led to results so
promising, that it was thought expedient to
turn over the cavalry barracks ut Carlisle, in
Pennsylvania, to the Interior Department for
the establishment of an Indian school on a
larger scale The school has now one hun
dred and fifty eight pupils, selected from va
rious tribes, and is in full operation. Ar
rangements are also made for the education
of number of Indian boys and girls belong
ing to tribes on the Pacific slope, in a SINH
lar manner. at Forest Grove. in Oregon
These institutions will commend themselves
to the liberaity ofCongress, and to the phil
anthropic munifcence of the American peo-
pie
Last spring. information was received of
the organization of an extensive move
ment in the Western States, the object
of which was the occupation by unan-
thorzed persons of certain lands in the Indi-
Government for the purpose of settlement by
other Indian tribes.
On the Goth of April, issued proclama-
ton warning all persons against participation
in such an attempt, and by the cooperation
of military force. the invasion was prompt
ly checked. 1t is my purpose to protect the
rights of the Indian Inhabitants of that Terri
tory TO the full extent of the Executive pow
er. But it would be unwise to ignore the
e IL. ..tl
q population sparse and with great a
wealth of unused resources, will be found
more exposed to the repetition of such at
tempts as happened this year, when the sur
rounding States are more densely settled, and
the westward movement of our population
looks still more eagerly for fresh lands to oc-
cupy. Under such circumstances the diff
cully of maintaining the Indian Territory in
its present state will greatly increase, and
the Indian tribes inhabiting it would do well
to prepare for such contingency | there
fore. fully approve of the advice given to them
by the Secretary of the Interior on a recent
OCCASION to divide among themselves in sew
crafty as large a quantity of lands as they can
cultivate, to acquire individual title in fee,
instead of their present tribal ownership in
common, and to consider in what manner the
balance oftheir lands may be disposed Of by
the Government for their benefit. BY adopt
ing such policy they would more certainly
secure for themselves the value of their pos
session, and at the same time promote their
progress in civilization and prosp. rity, than
by endeavoring to Ierpetuate 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 orty- fifth Congress referred to a
Joint committee of both Houses for inquiry
and report. In my last annual message | ex-
pressed the hope that the decision of that
question, then in prospect would arrest fur
ther agitation of this subject, such agitation
being apt to produce disturbing effect upon
the service as well the Indians themselves"
Since then, the committee having reported,
the question has been decided in the negative
by vote in the House of Representatives.
For the reasons 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 unsettle salutary meas
ures now in progress for the government and
improvement of the Indians, | respectfully
recommend that the decision arrived at by
Congress at its last session be permitted to
stand.
The efforts made by the Department 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 to make pay
ment to the Government for the value
of the timber taken by them. The
proceeds of these prosecutions and settle
ments turned into the Treasury, far exceed i'll
amount the sums appropriated by Congress
for this purpose. A more important result,
| however, consists in the fact that the destruc-
ton of our public forests by depreciation, al
though such cases still occur, has been great
ly reduced in extent, and it is probable that
if the present policy is vigorously pursued
and sufficient provision to that end is made
by Congress, such trespasses, at least those
on large scale, can be entirely suppressed,
except in the Territories where timber for the
daily requirements of the population cannot,
under the present state of the law, be other
wise obtained. / therefore earnestly invite
the attention of Congress to the recommends
ton made by the Secretary of the Interior,
that a law be enacted enabling the Govern
ment to sell timber from the public lands
without conveying the fee, where such lands
are principally valuable for the timber there
on, such sales to be regulated as to conform
to domestic wants and business requirements,
while at the same time guarding against a
actment of such law appears to become a
more pressing necessity every day.
My recommendations in former messages
are renewed in favor of charging the facil-
ties of the Department of Agriculture. Ag-
riculture is the leading interest and the per-
manent industry of our people. 1t is to the
abundance ofagricultural production, as COM
pared with our home consumption, and the
largely increased and highly profitable mar
kct abroad which we have enjoyed in recent
years, that we are mainly indebted for our
present prosperity as people. We must
look for its continued maintenance to the
same substantial resource. There is no
branch of industry in which labor, directed
by scientific knowledge. yields such increased
production in comparison with unskilled Ia
Dor, and no branch of the public service to
which the encouragement of liberal appropri-
atons 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