The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-12-04


measures taken to advance their civilization
and prosperity, and the progress already
achieved by them, will be found OF more than
ordinary interest. me general conduct OF
isfactory that the occurrence Of
two disturbances which resulted in
bloodshed and destruction of property IS
the outbreak on the White River Ute Reserva-
ton in Western Colorado has become so fa-
miliar by elaborate reports in the public
press that its remarkable incidents need not
be stated here in detail. 1t is expected that
the settlement of this difficulty viii lead to
such Arrangements as VIII prevent further
hostile contests between the Indians
Colorado The other disturbances Oc-
cured at the Mescalero Agency in
New Mexico. where Victoria. the head
of a small band of marauders, after commit
ting many atrocities, being vigorously chased
by military force, made his way across the
Mexican border and is now on foreign soil.
While these occurrences. in which cOmpara-
lively small number of Indians were engaged
are most deplor2ble, a vast majority of our IN
dian population have fully Justified the ex-
pectatiOns of those who believe that by hu-
name and peaceful influences the Indian can
be led to abandon the habits of savage life, and
to develop a capacity for useful and civilized
occupations. What they have already accom-
plished Is shown in the pursuit of agricul-
tural and mechanical work, The re-
markable success which has attend
ed the experiment of employing as freight
ers class of Indians hitherto counted
among the widest and most intractable, and
the general and urgent desire expressed by
them for the education of their children. may
be taken as sufficient proof that they viii be
found capable of accomplishing much more
If they continue to be wisely and fairly
guided. The Indian policy slketched in the
report of the Secretary of the Interior, the
object of which is to make liberal provision
for the education Of Indian youth, 10 settle
the Indians upon farm-lots in Severalty, to
give them title in fee to their farms
inalienable for q certain number of years,
and when their wants are thus provided for
to dispose by sale of the lands on their reSer-
vatiOns not occupied and used by them, a fund
TO be formed out of the proceeds for the bene-
fit of the Indians, which will gradually relieve
the Government of the expenses now provided
for by annual appropriations, must commend
itself as Just and beneficial to the Indians,
and as also calculated to remove those oh.
structions which the existence of large reser-
vations presents to the settlement and devel-
opment of the country. L therefore earnestly
recommend the enactment of law enabling
the Government TO give Indians title in fee
inaienable for twenty-five years to the farm
lands assigned to them by allotment. l also
repeat the recommendation in my first annual
message that law be passed admitting In
dams who can give satisfactory proof OF .hay-
ing, by their own labor, supported their famt-
lies for a number of years, and who are will
ing TO detach themselves from their tribal re-
lations, to the benefit of the Homestead act,
and to grant them patents containing the same
provision of inalienability for certain period.
The experiment of sending number of
Indian children of both sexes to the Hampton
Normal and Agricultural Institute in Virginia,
to receive elementary English education and
practical instruction in farming and other
useful industries, has led to results so prOmis-
ing that it was thought expedient to tnrn over
the cavalry barracks at Carlisle in Pehnsyl
wanna. TO the Interior Department for the
establishment of an Indian school on alarger
scale. This school has now l5S pupils, selected
from various tribes, and is in full operation.
Arrangements are also made for the educa-
ton of a number of Indian boys and girls be-
longing to tribes on the Pacific slope in SINH
lar manner, at Forest Grove, in Oregon. These
institutions will commend themselves to the
liberality Of Congress and to the philanthropic
munitlcence 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 GER
tain lands in the Indian Territory ceded by
the Cherokees to the Government for the pur-
pose of settlement by other Indian tribes.
On the 18th of April issued q proclamation
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 ofthe Indian inhabitants of that Terrific
ry to the full extent of the Executive; but it
would be unwise to ignore the fact that
Territory so large and so fertile, with pOpu-
latiOn so sparse and so great wealth of un-
Issued resources, will be found more exposed
to the repetition of such attemps as hap
were most densely settled, and the westward
of our population looked still more
eagerly for fresh lands to occupy. Under
sl1cn circumstances the difficulty of MAIN
state will greatly increase, and the Indian
tribxs inhabiting ii would do well to prepare
for such contingency. l, therefore, fully
approve of the advice given to them by
The Secretary of the Interior on a recent oe-
,asion to divide among themselves, in sever
atty, as large quantity of their lands as they
3an cultivate, to acquire individual title in
Zee instead OF their present tribal ownership
IN common, and consider in what manner the
balance of their lands may he 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
sessions, and at the same time promote their
progress in civilization and prosperity than
by endeavOring TO perpetuate 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 fifth Congress, referred 10 aJoint
Committee of both Houses for inquiry and re- z
port. In my last annual message | expressed
hope that the decision of t1at question:
zen in prospect, would arrest further aglta-
ton Of this subject, such agitation being apt
to produce a disturbing effect upon The service
as well as the Indians themselves. Since then,
the Committee having reported, the question
nas been decidedin the negative by q vote in the
House of Representatives. For the reason
mere stated. and in view of the fact that fur
her uncertainty on this point will be cacu-
ated 10 obStT11ct other muCh-needed leglSl1- n
lion. to weaken the discipline Of the services i
md to unsettle salutary measures now in
progress fer the government and improve
nent of the Indians, / respectfully recon- Z
mend that the decision arrived at by Congress /
1t its last session be permitted to stand. I
TIMBER THEFTS.
The efforts made by the Department of the /
Interior to arrest the depredatiOns on the tim
Jer-lands of the United States have been con-
inued. and have met with considerable sue
'ess. A large number Of cases of treSpas5 I
nave been prosecuted in the courts OF the a,
United States. Others have been settled, the \
respassers Offering to make payment to the
Government for the value of the timber I
aiken by them. The proceeds of Z
hese prosecutions and settlements turned
ntO the Treasury far exceed in amount the !
;ums appropriated by Congress for this pur-
pose. A more important result, however,
consists in the fact that the destruction of our
public forests by depreciation, although such I
asses still occur, has been greatly reduced in
extent and II Is probable that if the present j
policy is vigorously pursued and sufficient |
provision to that end made by Congress such
least those on large scalc-ean
be entirely suppressed, except in the Terrific Z
ries, where timber for the daily requirements
Of the population cannot, under the present
state of the law, be otherwise obtained.
-ention of Congress to the recommends
ton made by the Secretary of the
Interior, that law be enacted enabling the
Government to sell timber from the public
ands without conveying the fee where such
ands are principally valuable for the timber
.hereon, such sales to be so regulated as to
conform 10 domestic wants and business re-
luirements, while at the same time guarding
against sweeping destruction of the forests.
The enactment of such a law appears to be-
come more pressing necessity every day.
THE AGRICULTURAL BUREAU.
My recommendations in former messages
are renewed in favor of charging the facili-
ties of the Department of Agriculture Agri-
culture is the leading interest and the per-
id &C.
abuI d nee of agricultural productions as
with our home consumption and
the largely increased and highly profitable
market abroad which we have enjoyed
in recent years that we are mainly
Indebted for our present prosperity as
a people We must look 10 It's con-
tinued maintenance for substantial resource.
There is no branch of industry in which labor, +
iirecta ed hE scentific knnH.Iedo,e -rieIds s,lnh