The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1881-12-10
winch Is prominent feature of savage life and
WHICH 'eno SO strontl y to perpetuate It there.
INDIAN SCHOOLS

INDIAN SCHOOLS.
advise liberal appropriation for the supper
"a hnuIai scnoois, oetanse of my confident belle
that such course Is G.. usistent with the wises
economy, even among the most cultured Indiar
urgent desire on the part of the Chiefs and Ode,
members for the education of their children II
Is unfortunate III view OF tnis fact, that during
the past year the means which have been at the
commanu OF the Interior Department for the pur-
pose OF Indian instruction, have proved to be
utterly inadequate. The success of the schools
which are III operation ~ Hampton, Carlisle and
Forest Grove should hot only encourage more
sututlOns. but should promote the establishment
CT others OF similar character. They are doubt
less much mole potent for good than the day
altogether separated from the surroundings of
savage life and brought into constant contact
with civilization.
There are many other phases of this subject
which are Of great interest but which can not be
municati0n. They are discussed ably In the re.
ports of the Secretary of the Interior and Com
Polygamy.
For many years the Executive in his annual
strint ent legi 'lation for the suppression OF
pPs olyg,smny In the Territories. and
Utah. The existing statute for the he
punishment OF this odious crime so revolving 20
has bee and So
Iated ever since It's enactment Indeed I'm spite
OF the eommendabe efforts the part OF the
that Territory. the law has in very rare instances
been enforced, and for cause. TO which refer
e % et ne ph h S ,he Seo
mon Church which ests upon pOlygamy as in
corner stone have recently been peopling IL
Western Territories. is well calculated to excite
the liveliest interest and apprehension. IL i'm
poses upon Congress and the Executive the dutv
OF using against this barbarous system ali the
power, which, under the Constitution and laws
they can WELD Tor its destruction. Reference has
N no xrhi oh he
United States officers have surmounted in their
efforts to punish violators of law. Prominent
among the obstacles the difficulty of procuring
legal evidence sufficient to warrant a conviction
even in case of most notorious offenders Your
Court of the United States. explaining its judg-
mcnt of reversal in the of Miles, who had |
s been convicted OF bigamy in Utah. The Court
refers To the fact that the secrecy attending the
celebration of marriages in that Territory make |
the proof of poly gamy very difficult and the pro
prlety Is suggested of modifying that law of evi
dence which now makes a wife incomp etenI to !
testify against the husband. This suggestion |
EapprOyed. | recommend also the passinp |
of act providing that i'm the Territories of the
United states the fact that woman married |
to "a person charged with bigamy shall not dis |
dualliy ner as witness upon his trial for that /
oiiense. L further recommend legislation by |
which any person solemnizing marriage in any |
OF the Territories shall be required, under strin-
gent penalties for regect refusal to file cert
ieate of such marriage in the supreme Court of
practicable measures for obviating the difficulties
which have hitherto attended the efforts to sup
press THIS EQUITY. Il assure you OF deter 4
mined purpose to cooperate with you in any
lawful and discreet measures which may be pro
posed tn that end.
Educational.
Although our system of government does not
contemplate tat the Nation should provide or
support system for the education of our people,
no measures calculated to promote that general
intelligence ana virtue, upon which the perpet-
uity of our institutions greatly depends, have |
ever been regarded with Indifference by Congress
the Executive. large portion of the public
domain has been from time to time devoted To the
promotion of education. There is now a special |
reason why. by setting apart the proceeds of it,
sale of public lands or some other course. the Gov
eminent should aid the work of education. Many |
who now exercise The right of suffrage are unable
to read the ballot which they cast. Upon many |
who had just emerged from q condition OF
slavery suddenly devolved the responsibilities OF
i'm impoverished by war, have been pleased TO learn
from the report of the Commissioner of Education
tnAt tnere mas oeen la.eiy commenuaoie lu-
instruction, but all that can be done by local
Legislation and private generosity. should be sup
afforded by the National Government / would
suggest that il any fund be dedicated to this pur-
pose il may be wisely distributed in the different
States according to the ratio of iliteracy, by |
this means those locations which are most In |
need of such assistance will reap its especial
benefit.
The report OF the Commissioner OF Agriculture |
exhibits results OF the experiments in which that
Department has been engaged during the past |
year, and makes important suggestions In refer |
ence 10 the agricultural development of the coun
the CONSEQUENT addition to the number of those |
engaging in the pursuit of husbandry, are giving
TO this Department a growing dignity and i'm
ing It's capa iy for greater usefulness deserve at
tention as ii more and more commends itself 10
the interest which II was created TO promote.
Pensions.
1t appears from the report OF the Commissioner
OF Pensions that since 1860 7S0, 063 original
sion claims have been filed; 45o9is of these have
been allowed and inscribed on the pension roll; |
~ $50 have been rejected and abandoned. beirg |
Is Plus per cent. of the whole number of claims
settled. There are now pending for settlement
IS, 575 orgi al pension claims, 221,O40 OF which
were filed prior 10 July l. 1oSO. These, when al
lowed, will involve the payment of arrears from
discharge case of invaids ana from the date OF
death or termination OF prior right In all other
Cases. From all the data obtainable. IL is esti-
now pending will be rejected or abandoned. This |
would show the probable rejection of 4.0i0 cases
and the probable admission of about 1900
claims. all of which involve the payment of ar |
rears If pension. With the force employed the
number of adjudicatlons remaining the same aud
Of claims CI93OOO) could be acted upon in ,
period of six years and taking January l, 1881 a.
a near period from which 10 estimate III each
case On the average amount of arrears. IL II | !
found that every case allowed would require Tor
the first payment upon it, the sum OF $3.50 |
probable admissions gives $3.50 0O00 900 the sum
required for the first payment. This represents
the sum which must be paid upon claims which
were fled before july l. 1850 and are now pend
i. and entitled to the benefits of the arrears act
From this amount $3.50. OOOOOO, may be deducted
from 80 600 goo To SIS o. 1000 where the
claimant diving there Is is no person who, under |
the law would be entitled to succeed to the pen
sion leaving 5000, 90 as the probable amount
to be paid In these estimates account has
been taken of the $500 cases filed |
since June So 1881, and now pending
which must receive attention current
business but which do not involve the payment |
of am arrears beyond the date of fling the claim
OF this number il is estimated that SO per cent
will be allowed As has been stated, with the
present force of the Pension Bureau, Go CLERKS, Ii
estimated that Ii will take six to dispose OF
the claims now pending. Ii Is stated by the Com |
missioner of Pensions that by an addition OF 25O |
claims increasing the adindieating forces rather |
than the mechanical, double the amount OF WORK
could be accomplished, so that these cases could !
be acted upon within three years, asi !e from the
considerations OF justice, when may be urged lor
a speedy sett enc It OF the claims now on the files
of the Pension Office. 1t is no less important OF
the scare of economy, inasmuch as fully one-thrd
of the clerical force of the office Is now wholly DC
cuuied In giving attention to correspondence
vim the thousands of claimants whose cases
have been on the files for the past eighteen
years. The fact that a sum 80 enormous
may be expended by the Government to meet the
ton to Congress and the executive 10 give cautious
consideration to any similar project in the future
The great tenn DtatiOn 70 the preseniation of fic-
fictitious claims, afforded by the fact that the
average sum Obtained upon each application Is
81 800 leads to the suggestion o. the proprety oil
making some special appropriation for the pre-
advise appropriations for such international
improvements as the wisdom of Congress may
deem 10 be of public Importance The necessity
of improying the naviga ion of the Mississippi |
river justified a special allusion to the subject |
suggest the adoption of some measure for the re-
moval of the distractions. which now impede the
navigation OF that great channel oil commerce
Public Service.
In my letter accepting the nomination for the