The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-12-01


one hundred and Aity.eiRht pupils, &c.
lected from various tribes, aud Is In full
operation. Arrangements are also made
for the education Of q number OF Indian
boys and girls belonging to tribes on the
Pacific slope, In similar manner, at
Forest Grove, In Oregon. These institu.
tons will commend themselves TO the
liberAlity Of Congress, and to the phi.
lanthropic munifcenCe oil the American
people.
List spring, information was received
Of the organization OF an extensive move.
ment in the Western States, the object
OF which was the occupation by unau.
thoriEed persons Of certain lands In the
Indian Territory coded by the Cherokees
to the Government for the purpose Of
settlement by other Indian tribes.
On the Goth Of April, ! issued q proCla.
nation warning all persons against partici.
patton In such an attempt, and, by the CO.
operation ola military force, the Invasion
was promptly checked. It Is my purpose
10 protect the rights OF the Indian inhabi.
tants OF that Territory 10 the full extent Of
the Executive power. But II would be
unwise to ignore the fact that Territory
so large and so fertile, with a population
so sparse and with so great q wealth Of un.
used resources, will be found more ex.
posed to the repetition Of such attempts as
happened this year, when the surround
ing States are more densely settled, and
the westward movement OF our popula.
ton 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 inhabltng
1t would do well TO prepare for such con.
tingenCy. /, therefore, fully approve Of
the advice given to them by the Secretary
OF the Interior on q recent occasion, to
divide among themselves in SeVeralty as
large quantity Of their lands as they can
Cultivate, to acquire individual title in
fee, instead oil their present Il ibal owner.
ship 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 them.
selves the valIe OF their possessions, and
at the same time promote their progress
in 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.ffth Congress re-.
ferred to q 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 pros.
pect, would arrest further agitation Of
this subject, such agitation being apt to
produce disturbing effect upon the FER.
vice as well as the Indians themselves"
Since then, the committee having report
ed, the question has been decided in the
negative by vote in the House Of Repre-.
sentatives.
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, 10 weaken the
difcipline OF the service, and 10 unsettle
salutary measures now in progress for the
government and improvement OF the In.
dams, 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 10 arrest the depredations on
the timber lands OF the United States have
been continued, and have met with con-
siderable success. A largo number Of
cases OF trespaSs have been prosecuted In
the courts OF the United States; others
have been settled, the treSpassers offering
to make payment to the Government for
the value OF the timber taken by them.
The proceeds OF these prosecutions and
settlements turned into the Treasury far
exceed in amount the sums appropriated
by Congress for this purpose. A
more important result, however, consists
in the fact that the destruction Of our pub
lie forests by depreciation, although such
cases still occur, has been greatly reduced
in extent, and 1t is probable that il 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 suppress
ed, except in the Territories where timber
for the daily requirements OF the popula-
ton cannot, under the present state OF the
law, be otherwise obtained. / therefore
earnestly invite the attention OF Congress
to the recommendation made by the Sec
rotary OF the Interior, that law be enact
ed enabling the Government to sell tim
Der from the public lands without con-
veying the fee, where such lands are
principally valuable for the timber there
on, such sales to be so regulated as 10 con-
form to domestic wants and business
requirements, while at the same time
guarding against q sweeping destruction
of the forests. The enactment of such a
law appears to become more pressing
necessity every day.
AGRICULTURE.
My recommendations in former mes
sages are renewed in favor Of enlarging
the facilities OF the Department OF Agri-
culture. Agriculture is the leading inter-
est and the permanent industry Of our
people. II is to the abundance OF agri-
cultural production, as compared with our
market abroad which we have enjoyed in
recent years, that we are mainly indebted
for our present prosperity as a people.
We must look for its continued mainte-
nance to the same substantial resource.
There is no branch OF industry in which
labor, directed by scientific knowledge.
yields such increased production in com.
parison with unskilled labor, and no
branch OF public service to which the en-.
couragement OF liberal appropriations can
be more appropriately extended. The
cAilosIuA " lSAuSE buGu dlu IL uUL Wlhe
economy; but on the contrary, undoubt-
eddy results in losses Of immense sums an
nually that might be saved through well
directed efforts by the government to pro.
mote this vital interest.
The results already accomplished with
the very limited means heretofore placed
at the command OF the Department OF
Agriculture is an earnest Of what may be
expected with increased appropriations
for the several purposes indicated in the
report Of the Commissioner, with view
to placing the Department upon footing
which will enable it to prosecute more et.
fectively the objects for which it Is estab.
lished.
Appropriations are needed for more
complete laboratory, for the establishment
Of veterinary division, and division OF
forestry, and for an increase of force.
The requirements for these and other
purposes, indicated in the report Of the