Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-12-01


bv annual appropriations, must COM
mend itself as Just and beneficial TO the
Indians, and as also calculated to re-
move those distractions which the ex-
istence Of large reservations presents 10
the settlement and development of the
country. | therefore earnestly recon-
mend the enactment OF law enabling
the government to give Indians title
in fee, inalienable for twenty-five years,
to the farms assigned them by allotment.
| also repeat the recommendation made
i'm nv first annual message, that a law
be passed admitting Indians who can
give satisfactory proof OF having, by
their own labor, supported their families
for q number of years, and who are
willing 10 detach themselves from their
tribal relations, 10 tine benefit OF the
homestead act and to grant them patents
containing the same provision OF in
alienability for certain period.
The experiment OF sending a number
of Indian children, of both sexes, to the
Hampton Normal and Agricultural In
stitute, in Virginia, To receive an ele-
mentary English education and prac-
teal instruction in farming and other
useful industries, has lei to results so
promising that it was though eXpedient
TO turn over the cavalry barracks at
Carlisle, in Pennsylvania, 10 the Int
rior Department for the establishment
of an Indian school on larger scale.
This school has now one hundred and
fiity-eight pupils, selected from various
tribes, and is in full operation. Ar
rangements are also made for the edu-
cation of number OF Indian boys and
girls belonging TO tribes on the Pacific
slope, in a similar manner, at Forest
Grove, in Oregon. These institutions
will commend themselves TO the liber-
atty of Congress, and to the philan-
thrOpic munificence OF the American
people.
Last spring information was received
of the organization of an extensive
movement in the Western States, the
object of which was the occupation by
unauthorized persons of certain lands
in the Indian Territory, ceeded by the
Cherokees to the government for the
purpose of settlement by other Indian
tribes.
On the 10Th OF April, issued a proc
lamation warning all persons against
participation in such an attempt, and,
by the cooperation of military force,
the invasion was promptly checked. 1t
is my purpose to protect the rights OF
the Indian inhabitants OF that Territory
TO the full extent of the Executive
power. But it would be unwise 10 ig-
more the fact that a Territory so large
and so fertile, with a population so sparse
and with 80 great wealth Of unused re-
sources, will be found more exposed to
the repetition of such attempts as hap
pened this year, when the surrounding
States are more densely settled, and the
westward movement OF our population
looks still more eagerly for fresh lands
to occupy. Under such circumstances
the difficulty OF maintaining the Indian
|. Territory in its present state will greatly
increase, and the Indian tribes inhabit-
ing it would do well to prepare for such
contingency. |, therefore, fully APP
prove OF the advice given to them by the
| Secretary of the Interior on recent &C.
casion, to divide among themselves in
severalty as large quantity OF their
! 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 of their lands may be disposed
! of by the Government for their benefit.
! BY adopting such policy they would
| more certainly secure for themselves
| the value Of their possessions, and at
| the same time promote their progress III
| civilization and prosperity, than by en-
| deavoring to perpetuate the present
state OF things in the Territory.
The question whether change in the
control of the Indian service should be
made, was in the FOrty-fifth Congress
referred to n 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 further aglta-
tation of this subject, such agta-
ton being apt to produce a disturbing
effect upon the service as well IA the
Indians themselves" Since then, the
committee having reported, the question
/ has been decided in the negative by a
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 OBJ
struct other much needed legislation, to
weaken the discipline of the service,
| and 10 unsettle salutary measures now
| in progress for the government and inn
! prOvement of the Indians, respectfully
recommend that the decision arrived at
by Congress at its last session be per-
| mittp1 TO stand
Depredations on Government Timber
Lands.
The efforts made by the Department
of the Interior TO arrest the depreda-
tons on the timber lands OF the United
States have been continued, and have
met with considerable success. A
large number OF cases Of trespass 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 pro-
ceeds of these prosecutions and settle
ments turned into the Treasury, far eX-
coed in amount the sums appropriated
by Congress for this purpose. a more
important result, however, consists IN
the fact that the destruction OF our
public forests by depreciation,
although such cases still occur, has
been greatly reduced in extent, and
it is probable that il the present
policy is vigorously pursued and sutii-
cient provision to that end is made by
Congress, such trespasses, at least those
on large scale, can be entirely sup
pressed, except in the Territories where
timber for the daily requirements OF the
population cannot, under the present
state Of the law, be otherwise obtained.
| therefore earnestly invite the atten-
ton of Congress to the recommendation
made 10y the Secretary Of the Interior,
that law be enacted enabling the gov
eminent to sell timber from the public
lands without conveying the fee, where
such lands are principally valuable for
the timber thereon, such sales 10 be 50
regulated as TO conform u domestic
wants and business requirements, while
at the same time guarding against a
sweeping destruction OF the forests. The
enactment OF such a law appears TO be-
come a more pressing necessity every