Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-12-01
Annual Report Of the Secretary Of
Interior.

| given 10 the press this evening. In submitting
this, his last annual report. Secretary Schurz
| gives review not only Of the operations of the
past year, but OF the four years OF his admins
tration. The larger part Of the report Of the
Secretary proper Is devoted to
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
In bis opening chapter upon this subject the
| Secretary gives an explanation OF the import
with regard to the reservation system. He % saws
| that although at first accepting as he found tt
| the reservation policy which had so long been
g s spd stnd1 or the aer ae
| convinced him that this was mistaken policy;
| that 1t would be vastly better for the Indians
wise expediency to respect their home attach.
ments, to leave them upon the lands they occu-
| pied provided such lands were capable of Yield.
| Ing them Sustenance By agriculture or pasto-
| raj pursuits, and to begin and follow IN the
| practice OF introducing among them the habits
and occupations Of civilized life on the grounds
they y inhaoited: In In We view OF the fact also. that
| ttons against the pressure Of white immigra-
| ton and settlement would In the course OF time
aeas policy has
ment OF the Indians upon lands in severalty
the disposal for their benefit OF their lands not
required for this purpose. and gradually to pre-
pare the way for their final Incorporation into
the body polite as independent and self-relytng
| men invested with all the rights which other
| inhabitants of the country possess.
Statistics are given, from which 1t appears
that since 1876 the agricultural labor by the To-
dians has been more than doubled In value.
AS illustration, the Secretary quotes from the
report OF the Commissioner OF indian Affairs.
at less rates than those usually paid to con-
tractors earned and received s115 600 for freight
ing during the past year, While prior to 1876 no
frefghting at all was done by the Indians. This
system has introduced thousands of Indians
formerly idle and shiftless to habits of indus
try. inspired them with desire to earn money
and accustomed them to Its prudent use.
INDIAN EDUCATION
The secretary strongly favorS continuance
OF the new educational movement at the east,
In view OF the remarkable results already
achieved, and argues that the old system OF
schools at the agencies under the immediate
iDfiuenceo of the camps is OF little value. II is
just as necessary to teach Indian childten how
TO live as how to read and write. The circun-
stances surrounding the educated Indian when
now returning to bis tribe are radically changed.
An Indian wagon or harness maker returning
found no wagons or harness upon which to
practice his skill; but sent back there now,
when wagons and harness are in general and
plontaDie use. That skill will be in active and
He has, therefore, taken steps to increase the
usefulness Of the Industrial schools already
organized, and has in contemplation the estab-
llshment OF others; one, In some unOccupied
| buildings in the neighborhood OF washington,
| which he hopes soon to accomplish. The Sec
| retary considers the influence OF the
| INDIAN POLICE
| on the reservations as of the highest impor-
| tance, and urges that their pay be increased so
| as to give them equal standing with enlisted
scouts. The granting to the Indians OF a title
| to their
| LANDS IN sEvKRALTY.
| Secretary SchurZ regards as the most important
| step IN the solution OF the Indian problem.
| This includes also the extending of the laws
over Indian reservations, and he urgently re-
| peatS his former recommendations upon this
subject. With regard to railroads through In
dian reservations the Secretary says IL has been
| the policy OF his department to facilitate the
| building OF railroads through Indian reserva.
| tlons as much as laws and treaties permitted
at the same time in every instance protecting
the interests and tights OF the Indians. In the
| agricutuIists and herders, the proximity OF
railroads viii become important to facilitate
| the transportation, and thereby enhance the
| value OF their products. Under the head Of
GENERAL REMARKS.
The Secretary says that while the Iadaa
oftce has been the best abused branch OF the
| public service, no doubt the history OF Indian
| affairs under military as well as civil control
shows many instances of mistake, failure and
wrong doi1 g; but no fair. minded man can ex-
| anime that history or the present state OF
things without admitting that the government
has had to contend against enormous dinicul,
prolific trouble Was the ef
| Elements into the country Inhabited by the In
dams M and & the crowding out of the lat
pancy, In many cases guaranteed by treaties
| The measures prosecuted under the present
| administ rstion, which have been mentioned
before; the enlargement OF the agricultural
activity of the Indians; the distribution of
| cattle among them to promote the industry OF
herding; the extensive Introduction OF the
mechanical industry; the institution OF the
Indian police, stimulating their respect for law
and authority; the increase OF their educational
Indians at Hampton and In North Carolina; and
the indian schools: at Carlisle and Forest
| Grove, may be said to have been very
effective in the right direction. When, In ad-
| dition to all this, the bill advocated by this
department. to allot lands among the Indians
| In severalty, and to confer upon them individ.
ual title In fee simple, inaliena6le for certain
| period, shall have been made a law, and that
law is applied among all the Indian tribes,
| and the rights Of the Indians are accordei
equal protection in the courts of the country
with those OF white men, then it may be said
that all essential measures win have been
taken to solve the Indian problem, and the time
may be coDfidentally looked for when the
indian population may be merged in the
great body OF American CITIZENSHIP
After careful review OF the subject, the Secre-
tary deems it proper In his last report, to state
his conviction that transfer OF the Indian
service from civil to military control could not
De made: Attempts by evil disposed persons to
invade the Indian Territory and to take posses
sion OF certain unoccupied lands there have so
Iar ,a neea successfully frustrated by the prompt
as peTsistently repeated. 1t Is reported that
another attempt Is in preparation now. The
mlltary forces or the United States In the terri
TORY are instructed to arrest the intruders and
10 TAKE proper measures to bring them to
justice as they have done heretofore.
TEe portions OF the report under the two fol.
loving heads are given in full On account OF
their local interest: -
NEW PUBLIC BUILDINGS
The Interior department has In the cnursa of
ume grown to be so large an institution that
lne fatent Office building Is altogether too
sLnall 70 accommodate more than One-haf OF its
recoros and 1ts clerical force. The inconve
nienceS suffered On account OF the insufficien,,y
OF room are constant source of Complaint
only l0ur or the eight bureaus of the Iilterinr
department. are accommodated In the building
namely, the Patent Office, the Land office tie
indian bureau, and the bureau OF Railroad AZ
counts And even these four are SO cramnad
| for room that the halls and corridors musf IA
used for the storing Of valuable RECORDS. some
or which are in daily uSe and that the Clerical
force is crowded together in sueh a
manner as not only to cause very se-
rlous discomfort but also to interfere
With the transactions of the public buu,
ness. -Four bureaus OF the Interior Department.
namely. the Pension Office, the Census Once
the Bureau OF Education, and the ONCE OF the
Geological Survey. are located in different
purpose: The Interior Department, inclusive
Of The Census Onice, pays this year $44 900 In
Ients. The scattering of the different bureaus
constituting this department in widely sepa-
lateo locations causes much delay and circunl-