The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1881-11-30
RonOrt of the Secretary OF the Interior,

The annual report of Secretary Kirk wood re-
lates largely to the Indians. He ays, that
"when Tie Indian shall have learned to speak
and write our Language, to earn his own living
by his own labor, to obey the law ard aid III
making and administering it, the Indian
problem will DO solved, and not until then"
The secretary recommends the following meth
cd of solving tho Indian problem: "1'here are
now in the States and Territories west Of tho
Mississippi river 102 reservations, great and
small, on which arc located, in round numbers,
224, 900 Indians. The numbers on tho differ
ent reservations vary from a few hundred to
several thousand. There are attached to these
reservations gixty-cight agencies. each with its
staff of employees. There arc also established
near them tor the protection alike or the whites
and Indians thirty-seven military posts with
larger or smaller Garrisons. The transporta-
ton Of supplies to 30 many and 30 widely scat
tered agencies and military posts is very ex-
pensive, and our army is go small that the gar
risons at many of the posts are not sufficient
either to prevent outbreaks or to suppress them
promptly when they occur. 1t is my duty to
say, and J. say it with great plea sure, that the
military authorities have, when called upon by
this department, always responded with
promptness and efficiency; but it must DO ap-
parent to all who have had occasion to note
their operations, that they have been seriously
embarrassed in their efforts to concen-
trate speedily at particular points sufi-
The peculiar conditions attending the
transaction of public business for some months
have prevented me from giving this subject
the attention that in my opinion it deserves.
but l nm strongly inclined to believe that il
all tho Indians west Of tho Mississippi wero
gathered upon four or five res .rvations our In
dian affairs could be managed with greater
economy to the government ard greater benefit
to the Indians. In Wow Of the facts stated
as to existing reservations, l that
Congress DO asked to create q commission of
three or four eminent citizens, to visit during the
next year the reservations west OF the mississippi
river for the purpose of recommending to Con-
gross, if they shall deem it wise to do 50, the
concentration of the Indians on four or five
largo reservations, to be selected in different
parts of the West, on which the different tribes
shall be located; and if thi. shall, in the judg-
ment of tho commission, not be wise, then to
recommend the concentration Of existing
small agencies where th&t can properly
DO done, and the reduction Of tho area
of others to dimensions proportionato to
the number of Indians now located thereon"
In regard to the work of tho patent Office the
report says that Is, ITS patents were granted
during the last fiscal year, and the receipts Of
the patent Office we're $780, 95. Tho report of
tho commissioner of education is quoted rs
showing that the progress of education during
the wear has been substantial and satisfactory.
1t is specially noted that in tho Southern
States tho income derived from the Peabody
fund has had tho effect Of stimulating the
work of education in q marked degree. Secro-
tary Kirkwood also quotes, but without COM
ment, Commissioner Eaton's Recommendation
that the net proceeds of all sales of public
lands be devoted to educational purposes and
divided among the several States and Terri
tories in proportion 70 their ~i'litcrate popula-
tinn