Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-12-08

goh, lol Tie educatlOn or Indian youths on the
Pacific coast. In addition to this thirty. six IN
d1aa boys and girls were selected from, tbe
, eastern Cherokees and placed in boarding
SCHOOLS IN North Carolina where they are to re-
, celve an elementary education and trailipg in
, industrial pursuits The interest shown by the
Indian parents even among the so-caled tribes
III the education af their children is very graft
tying and gives premise that the results accom-
Phshed by the efforts now making Will be of
lasting benefit. The expense of Indian educa-
uon nave so far been drawn from the pern,a-
nent civilization fund at the disposal of the de-
partment OF the interior, but the fund is now so
much reduced that the continuance of benefi-
clal work will in the future depend
on specahc appropriations by congress for the
purpose and venture to express the hone that
congress will not permit institutions SO frnitfnJ
OF good results to perish for want of means for
their support. On the contrary an increase of
the number of such schools appears to me ligh-
~ ADVISABLE The past year has been unI1sr1-
ally free from disturbances among the Indian
tribes. An agreement has been made with the
utes by which they surrender their large reser-
vation in Colorado in consideration of an aru1ity
to be paid to them and agree to settle in sever
atty on certain lands designated for that
purpose as farmers holding individual
title to their land IN fee simple, naleniabe for
a certain period. In this way O. costly Indian
war has been avoided which at one time seemed
imminent, and for the first time in the history
of the country an Indian nation has given nnits
tribal existence, to lie settled in severalty and to
hive as individuals under the common protection
of the laws of the country. The conduct of the
Indians throughout the country during the
past year with but few noteworthy exceptions
has been orderly and peaceful Inc guerilla
warfare carved On for two years by Victoria and
his band of Southern Apaches has virtually
come to end By the death of that chief and
most Of his followers on Mexican soil. The dis
frontier by Sitting Bull and his men
who had taken refuge in the Brit
ish domnions are also likely to cease
A large majority o. his followers have sur
rendered TO our military forces and the re-
malnder are apparently in progress of dsinteg-
ration. [ concur with the secretary of the in
| terror IN expressing the earnest hope that con-
gresS viii at this session take favorable action
On the bill providing for the allotment of lands
on the different resolutions in generally to the
Indians with patents comforting fee simple
title IN aleniable for certain period, and the
eventual disposition of the residue of the
| reservations for general settlement with the
consent of, and for the benefit of the Indians,
placing the latter under the equal protection of
tne laws of the country. This measure, to-
gether with vigorous prosecution of our edu-
catiOnal efforts, viii work the most important
and effective advance toward the solution of
the Indian problem In preparing for the gradual
merging of our Indian population in the Great
body Of American citizenship.
PUBLIC LANDS.
a large increase is reported in the disposal of
public lands for settlement during the past year
which marks the previous growth of our agri-
cultural industry and vigorous movem mt Of
population toward our unOccupied lands. AS
this movement proceeds the codifcation of our
land laws as well as proper legislation to regu-
late the disposition Of public lands become of
more pressing necessity, and therefore invite
the consideration of congress to the report and
the accompanying draft of O bill made by the
public lands commissioner, which was COM
mun1csted by me to congress at the
last session. Early action upon this
important subject is highly desirable
The attention Of congress is again asked TO the
wasteful depredations committed on our public
timber lands and the rapid and indiscriminate
destruction of our forests. The urgent necessity
for legislation to this end is now generally
recognized. In view of the lawless character of
the depredGtions committed, and the disastrous
consequences which will inevitably follow their
continuance, legislation has again and again
been recommended to arrest the evil and to
preserve for the people of western states
and territories the timber needed for domestic
and other essential uses.
GEOLOGICAL.
The report of the director Of the geological
survey ls a document of unusual interest The
consolidation Of the various geological and geo.
graphical surveys and exploring enterprises each
| Of which has heretofore operated upon an indie
pendent plan without concert, cannot fail to be
| of great benefit to all those industries OF the
country which depend upon tie development Of
our mineral resources The labors Of the
| scientific men of recognized merit Who COM
pote the geological survey during the first sea-
son Of their field operations appears to have been
! very comprehensive aad will soon he conmuni-
Gated to congress III "a number of volumes.
The director of the survey recommends that the
investig cations carried by his bureau which so far
have been confined to the so-calIed public lands,
states and terIities be extended over the entire
country and thatst necessary appropriation be
made for THIS purpose. This would be particu-
Iarly beneficial to the iron, coal and ether
mining interests Of the Mississippi valley and of
the eastern and southern states. The subject
is commended to the careful consideration Of
congress.
MORE ROOM WANTED.
Ihesecretary of the interior asks attention to
, the want of room in the public buildings of the
, capitol now existing and in progress of con-
struction for the accommodation OF the clerical
force employed and, of the public records. Ne
cessity has compelled the renting of private
buildings in different parts OF the city for the
, location of public offices for which large
, amount Of rents are annually paid, while the
separation Of Offices belonging to the department
, lmpedes the transaction Of current business.
The secretary suggests that the blocks sur
rounding Lafayette square on the east,
: north and west be purchased as
the sites for new edifices for the acconmoda-
ton of the government offices, leaving the
square itself intact, and that if such buildings
! were constructed upon harmonious plan of
architecture they would add much to the beauty
of the national capital and would, together
with the treasury and new state, navy and wal
department. building, form one of the most
imposing groups of edifces in the world.
| EDUCATION.
The commissioner of education reports con-
tinual increase of public interest in educational
affairs and that the public shoots generally
throughout the country well sustained. IN
dustrial training is attracting deserved attention
and colleges for instruction, theoretical and
practical, IN agriculture and the mechanic arts
including the government schools recently es-
labiished for the instruction of Indian youth,
are gaining steadily in public estimation. The
commissioner asks special attention to the dep
relations committed or the lands reserved for
the future Support of pablo instruction and to
the very great need of help from the nation
for schools in the territories and
, in the southern states. The recon-
mendat1on heretofore made is repeated
and urged that an educational fund be set apart