New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1881-12-21
WHOLE NUMBER 2O6

for their best interests to conform their
manner of life to the new order of things
By no greater inducement than the in
surance of permanent title to the soil can
they he led to engage in the occupation of
tilling it, The well-attested reports of
their increasing interest in husbandry
justify the hope and belief that the enact
ment of such statute as recommend
would be at once attended with gratifying
results. A resort to the allotment sys-
tenn would have direct and powerful
influence dissolying the tribal bond
which is prominent feature of savage
life, and which tends so strongly to per-
petnate it there.
advise q liberal appropriation for the sup
port of Indian schools because of my confident
wisest economy even among the most uncul-
tured Indian tribes. There is reported to be q
general and urgent desire on the part of the
chiefs and the Older members for the educa-
ton of their children. 1t is unfortunate, in
view of this fact, that during the past year the
means which have been at the command Of the
Interior Department, for the purpose of Indian
instruction, have proved to be utterly ii4ade-
quate. The success of the schools which are
in operation at Hampton, Carlisle, and Forest
Grove, should not only encourage more gen.
elous provision for the support Of these insti
buttons, but should prompt the stahlish:nei.
Of others Of similar character. They are
doubtless more potent for good than Ihe ',y
schools upon the reservation, as the pnPiI a..
savage life and brought into constant cOn.,..
with civilization. There are many other ph,:-
es of this subject which are of great interest
but which cannot be included within the lie
coming limits Of this communication. They
are discussed ably in the reports of the Seer.
tary of the Interior and of the Commissioner
of Indian Affairs.
For many years the Executive, in his annual
message to Congress, has called the necessity
for stringent legislation for
:. THE SUPPRESSION OF PoLYGAMY
IN the Territories, especially in Utah. The
existing statute for the punishment of this
0diOus crime, SO revolving to the moral and re-
ligious sense OF Christianity, has been persist.
it's enactment. Indeed, in spite of commend
able efforts on the part of the authorities who
represent the United States in that Territory,
forced, and for a cause to which reference will
presently be made, is practically dead letter.
The fact that adherents of the Mormon church.
which rests upon polygamy as its cornerstone.
Idaho, Arizona, and other of our Western
Territories is we'll calculated to excite
THE L1vELIEST INTEREST AND APPRE-
1t imposes upon Congress and the Executive
the duty of opposing to this barbarOus system
all the power which under the constitution an
law they can WELD for its destruction. Refer
ence has been already made to the Instructions
which the United States officers have encount-
cred in their efforts to punish the violations
OF the law: Prominent among the obstacles is
4clent to warrant a conviction, even in tbs
case of the most notorious offenders.
. Your attention is called to the opinion OF the
Supreme Court of the United States explain
ing its Judgment of reversal in the case of
Miles, who had been convicted of higamy in
Utah. The court refers to the fact that the
secrecy attending the celebration ofmarriages
in that Territory makes the suppression
OF polygamy very difficult, and the pro-
priety is suggested of modifying that law of
evidence which now makes wife incompetent
to testify against her husband. This sugges-
ton is approved. Recommend also the pass
age of an act providing that in the Territories
of these United States the fact that a woman
bigamy shall not disquafify her as a witness
upon his trial for that offense. further re-
commend legislation by which any person
tories shall be required, under stringent penal
ties for neglect or refusal, to file certificate
OF such marriage in the Supreme Court of the
Territory, unless Congress shall make or de-
wise other practicable measures for obviating
the difficulties which have hitherto attended
the efforts to suppress this iniquity. assure
you of my determined purpose to cooperate
with you in any lawful and discreet measures
which may be proposed to that end, although
our system of government does not contemp-
late that the nation should provide or support
measures calculated to provide that general
intelligence and virtue upon which the per-
Pe'uity of our institutions SO greatly depend,
Congress or the Executive. A large portion
of the public domain has been, from time to
time, devoted to the promotion of the cause of
education. There is now special reason why,
by setting apart the proceeds of the sales of
public lands, or by some other cause, the Gov
eminent should aid the work of education.
Many who now exercise the right of suffrage
Upon many who had just emerged from a con-
dition of slavery were suddenly devolved the
responsibilities of citizenship in that portion
Of the country most Impoverished by war !!
the Commissioner of Education that there has
been lately cOmmendable increase of interest
and effort for their instruction, but all that can
be done by local legislation and private gener-
Osity should be supplemented by such aid as
can be cOnstitutiOnally afforded by the nation
al Government. would suggest that if any
wisely distributed in the different States ac-
cOrdng to the ratio of illiteracy, as by this
means those locations which are most in need
of such assistance will reap the especial bene-
THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRI-
CULTURE
exhibits results of the experiments in which
that department has been engaged during the
past year, and makes important suggestions
in reference to the agricultural development
of the country. The steady increase of our
number of those engaged in the pursuit of
husbandry, are giving to this department
growing dignity and importance. The COM
m mi suggestions touching its capacity
more and more cOmmends itself to the inter-
est which it was created to promote.
1t appears from
that, since 1860 7s9, O63 original pension claims
were filed: 45O,94 Of these have been allowed
been rejected and abandoned, being Is per
cent. of the whole number of claims settled
There are now pending for settlement 266, 575
original pension claims, ,s S7oa Of which were
lowed, will involve the payment of arrears
from the date of the discharge in the case Of
an invalid, and from the dateOf death or term
inatiOn of prior right in all other cases.
From all the data obtainable it is estimated
that Is per cent. of the number of claims now
pending will be rejected or abandoned: This
cases and the probable admission of about
1888, 600 claims, all of which involve the payment
of arrears OF pensions. With the present
force employed, the number of adjudications
remaining the same, and no new business in
tervening, this number of claims Q93, OoO
could be acted upon in
PERIOD OF SIX YEARS,
and. taking Jan. l, 1884, as near period from
amount OF arrears 1t is found that every case
nj Lowed would require for the first payment
upon it the sum of $l,35O. Multiplying this
missions gives $3.50, OOO 900 as the sum required
for first payments. This represents the sum
which must be paid upon claims which were
ict before July l, 1880, and are now pending
and entitled to the benefits Of the arrears act.
From this amount (&25O, 600 OOO) may be deduct
Ell from ten to fifteen millions for cases when,
the claimant dying. there is no person who
under the law, would be entitled to succeed to
the pension, leaving $235 900 as the probable
amount to be paid. In these estimates no ac-
count has been taken Of the $500 cases nled
must receive attention, is current business,
but which do not involve payment of any ar
rears beyond the date Of fling the claim. OF
cent. will bic allowed, as has been stated. With
the present force of the pension bureau (675
cierNs), it Is estimated that 1t will take six
years to dispose Of the claims now pending.
It is stated by the Commissioner of Pensions
that If an addition OF $50 clerks increasing
the adjudicating force rather than the me-
chanical, double the amount of work could be
accomplished-s0 that these cases could he
acted upon in three years: Aside tom the
for speedy settlement OF the claims nov on,
the files OF the pension Office, it is no less Inn
sportant on the score Of economy. tnasmuch..
as fully one-third Of the clerical force of the
Office Is now wholly occupied In giving at
tentiOn to correspondence with Thousands Of