The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-12-10

that purpose. The number of Indian puplIs
ut the Normal School at Hampton, Virginia,
under the direction of Gen. Armstrong.
has been considerably increased and their
school establishedb by the Inferior Department.
in 1879, at Carlisle. PENNSYLVANIA. under the
direction Of Capt. Pratt, has been equally sue
dred pupils Of both sexes. represent
ing q great variety of the tribes east
OF the Rocky Mountains. The pupils
elementary English education, but are also
instructed in Homework, agriculture, and
useful mechanical pursuits A similar school
Oregon. for the education of Indian youth on
the Pacific coast. In addition to this, thirty six
Indian boys and grls were selected from the
schools in North Carolina. where they are to
receive an elementary English education and
training in industrial pursuits. The interest
~ even the
children. is very gratifying. and gives prom
Use that the results accomplished by the
efforts now making win be Of lasting benefit.
The expenses of Indian education have SO
far been drawn from the permanent civiliza.
ton fund at the disposal of the Department
OF the Interior; but the fund is now SO much
cial work will in the future depend on speci-
fic appropriations by Congress for the pur-
pose, and venture to express the hope that
Congress will not permit institutions so fruit
full of good results, to perish for want of
means for their support. On the contrary,
an increase of the number of such schools APP
pears to me highly advisable.
The past year has been unusually free
from disturbances among the Indian
tribes. An agreement has been made with the
Utes by which they surrender r. their large res,
annuity to be paid to them, and agree to set
tie in severalty on certain lands designated
for that purpose as farmers, holding individ-
ual title TO their land in fee simple, inalien-
able tor certain period. In this way costly
Indian war has been avoided, which at one
time seemed imminent, and for the first time
nation has given up its tribal existence to be
settled in severalty and to live as individuals
under the common protection of the laws of
the country. The conduct of the Indians
throughout the country during the past year
witt but few noteworthy exceptions, has been
orderly and peaceful. The guerilla warfare
band of Southern Apaches has virtually come
to an end, by the death of that chief and most
of his follow ers, on Mexican soil. The dis
turbances caused on our northern frontier by
Sitting Bull and his men, who had taken ref
uge in the British dOminiOns, are also likely to
cease. A large majority of his followers have
surrendered to our military forces, and the
remainder are apparently in progress OF dis
concur with the Secretary of the Interior
in expressing the earnest hope that Congress
the bill providing for the allotment of lands
on the different reservations in Severalty to
the Indians, with patents comforting fee sim
pie title inalienable for certain period, and
the eventual disposition of the residue OF the
reservations, for general settlement, with the
consent and for the benefit of the Indians
placing the latter under the equal protection
of the laws of the country. This measure, to-
gether with avigorOus prosecution OF our edu
cational efforts, will 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
year, which marks the prosperous growth of
our agriculturali industry and a vigorous move-
ment of population toward our unOccupied
lands. As this movement proceeds, the codi-
fcatiOn of our land laws, as well as proper
legislation to regulate the disposition of pub
lie lands, become of more pressing necessity,
and l therefore invite the consideration of
draft of a bill, made by the Public Lands Com.
mission, which were communicated by me to
Congress ut the last session. Early action
upon this important subject is highly desir
The attention of Congress is again asked to
the wasteful depredatiOns committed on our
public Understands, and the rapid and indis-
urgent necessity for legislation to this end is
now generally recognized: In view of the
lawless character of the depredations COM
which VIII inevitably follow their continu-
ance, legislation has again and again been
recommended to arrest the evil, and to pre-
serve for the people of our Western states and
Territories tie timber needed for domestic
and other essential uses.
The report of the Director of the Geological
Survey is q document of unusual interest.
and geographical surveys and exploring en-.
terprises, each of which has heretofore Oper.
ated upon an independent plan, without con-
upon the development of our mineral re-
sources. The labors of the scientific men, of
recognized merit, who compose the corps of
of their held operations and inquiries, ap-
pear to have been very comprehensive,
and will soon be communicated to
The director of the Survey recon-
mends that the investigations, carried on
by his bureau, which, 50 far, have been con-
Territories, be extended over the entire coun.
try, and that the necessary appropriation be
made for this purpose. This would be par
ticuiarly beneficial! to the iron, coal and other
mining interests of the Mississippi Valley and
of the Eastern and Southern States. The sub
ject Is commended to the careful considera
ton OF Congress.
to the want of room in the public buildings of
the capital, now existing and in progress of
construction, for the accommodation of the
clerical force employed, and of the public
records. Necessity has compelled the renting
of private buildings in different parts of the
city for the location of public offices. for
while the separation of offices belonging to
the same Department impedes the transac-
ton of current business. The secretary sug-
gests that the blocks surrounding Lafayette
Square, on the east, north and west. be pur-
chased as the sites for new ediflces, for the
accommodation of the Government Offices,
such buildings were constructed upon o
harmonious plan of architecture, they
would add much to the beauty of the
national capital, and would, together with
War Department building, form one of the
most imposing groups of public edifices in the