Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1881-12-17

by my predecessors In ONCE, and In further.
ance OF which several bills have been from
time TO time introduced in both houses Of
Gohgrcss.l Tho enactment OF a general law
permitting the allotment in severaty, TO such
Indians ut least rs desire il, of q reasonable
quantity OF land, secured to them by patent
and for their own protection made fnaliena-
Bile for twenty or twenty-five years, is de-
llmanded for their present welfare and their
| peImAnent advancenlent.e In return for such
/ considerate action on the part of heGoveIn-
ment there Is reason TO believe that the Indi-
| ans in large numbers would be persuaded to
| sever their tribal relations and to engage at
! once IN agricultural pursuits, and IL is now
Tor their best interests to conform their man.
ners OF life TO the new order of things. BY no
| greater inducement than the assurance of
| permanent title to the soil can they be led to
engage i'll the occupation of tilling it, The
| well attested reports of their increasing in
| terest in husbandry justify the hope and be.
| lief that the enactment OF such n statute as
! recommend would be at once attended with
gratifying results. resort TO the allotment
| system would have direct and powerful in
iincnce in dissolving the tribal bond which
Is q prominent feature of savage life,
ana which tends so strongly 20 per
petuate it there ! advise a liberal ap.
preparation for the support of Indian
schools, because of my confident belief that
such n course Is consistent with the wisest
| economy. Even among the most uncultured
indian tribe; there is reported TO be general
and urgent desire on the part of tho chiefs
and older members for the education Of their
children. IL is unfortunate, in view of this
TACT, that during the past year tho means
| which have been mt the command of the In
terror Department for the purpose of Indian
| instruction, have proved to he utterly made.
| quate. The success OF the schools which are
in operation at Hampton, Carlisle and Forest
| Grove should not only encourage more gem
| orous provision for the support o: those in
stitutions, but should prompt the establish
| ment OF Others OF Il similar character. They
are doubtless much moro potent for good
W pa5 al
tho pupils are 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 greatinterest, but which can not
| be included within the becoming limits of this
communication. They are discussed ably in
the reports oil the Secretary of the Interior
and of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.
| Ee POLYGANfY.
For many years the Executive, IN his annu-
| nj message to Congress, has urged the neces-
city of strigent legislation for the suppression
of polygamy in the Territories, especially
Utah. The existing statute for the punish.
ment of this odous crime, so revolving TO tho
moral and religious sense of the Community,
has been contemptuously violated ever since
its enactment. Indeed, in spite of com.
mendable efforts ON the part of the au-
thorities who represent the United States in
that territory, the law has i'm very rare in.
stances been enforced, and for Il cause to
| which reference will presently be made, is
l -
hercnts ofth Mormon Church, which rests
upon polygany rs its corners stone have re-
Gently been peopling in large numbers
Idaho, Arizona, and other of our Western
Territories, is well calculated to excite the
lNeliest interest and apprehension. 1t i'm.
poses upon Con grcss and the Executive the
1 duty of exercising against this barbarOus sys-
| TEN all the powers which, under the Constitu,
ton and the law, they can WELD for its de-
structiOn.
EDUCATION.
Although our system of Government does
not contemplate that the nation shOnld pro-
vide or support system for the education of
ourpcoplc, no measures calculated to promote
that general intelligence and virtue upon
which the porpctuity of, our institutions so
greatly depends, have ever been regarded
with indifference by Congress or the Execu-
tive. large portion OF the public domain
has been from time to time devoted to the
promotion OF education: There isnow spe-
clal reason why, by setting aparb the pro
ceeds of of Its sales of public lands, or by
some other course, the Government should
aid the work of education. Many who now
exercise the right of suffrage are unable to
read the ballot which they cast, and upon
many who had just emerged from condition
of slavery were suddenly deVolved the re.
sponsibilities OF citizenship. In that portion
OF the country most impOvcr shed by war /
have been pleased to learn from the report of
the Commissioner of Education that there has
been lately cOmmcndublc increase of inter
est and effort for their instruction, but all
and private generosity should be supple
mented by such nil as can be constitutional.
iy afforded by the National Government.
If any fund be dedica to this business it
may he wisely distributed in the different
states, according to the ratio of illitcracY, rs
by this means those locations which are mo It
in need of such assistance will reap its cs.
pccial benefit.
i AGRICULTURE.
The report of the Commissioner of Aglicul.
ture exhibits results ot-tne experiments in
whicn that department has been engaged
during the past year, and makes important
suggestions In reference to the agricultural
development of the country. The steady in
crease of our population and the consequent
addition to the number OF those engaged in
the pursuit of husbandry are giving to this
department growing dignity and import
ance. The Commissioners suggestions touch.
ing its capacity for grcateruseiulnCss deserve
attention, as it more and more commends it.
, self to the interest which it was created to
promote.
PENSIONS.
It appears from the report of the Commits.
SiOncr of Pensions that since 1860 7S9 .03 orig.
inal pension claims have been fled; 45O,9iI
of these have been allowed and inscribed on
the pension roll; Y ,5S9 have been rejected and
abandoned. being l3H per cent Of the whole
number OF the claims settled There NJ @ now
! pending for settlement 26j j75 original pension
claims, 227,0i0Of which were filed prior to July
/ |, 1881. These, when allowed viii involve the
, | payment of arrears fromthe date OF discharge
l
death or termination of Il prior right in al
other cases. From all the data obtainable, il
| is estimated that ID per cent of the number OF
claims now pending will be rejected or aban
. doncd. This would secure the probable re
9 lection of 5000 cases, and the probable ad
mission of about 800 claims, all of which in
{ volvethe paymentof arrears of pension. With
| the present force employed, the number of ad
/ publications remaining the same, and no new
A business intervening, the number of claim'
Q@0O0) could be acted upon in II periot
OF SIX years, ana taking january l,lSSi
t us u near period from which to estimate il
each case an average amount of arrears it is
found that every case allowed would require
Cor the first payment upon it the sum of Il $50
Multiplying this amount by the whole mum
Der of probable admissions gives $3.50, 900 OO
, rs the sum required for the first payments
: This represents the sum which must be pait
upon claims which were filed before July |
1850, and are now pending and entitled to thu
r. benefits of the Arrears act. From this amoun
+ $3.50 ,000,000) may be deducted from 100000 0
= to Sl5 O0O,OOO for cases where, the claimant
dying there Is no person who under the law
| would be cnttlCdto succeed to the pension
| leaving S230,0OO,OO0 rs the probable amour
| TO be paid. In these estimates no account hai
= been taken of the IS, 800 cases filet
since June 30, 1880, and now pending, which
= must receive attention in current business
y but which do not involve the payment of an,
: arrears beyond the date of filing the calm
y OF this number it is estimated that SO pc
y cent. will be allowed. As has been stated
! with the present force OF the Pension Bureau
:, | $50 clcrks-it is estimated that it will talk
. six years to dispose of the claims now pend
! ing. 1t isstaed by the Commissioners of Pen
y sions that by an addition of 80 clerks lin
Z creasing the adjudcating force rather thar
= the mechanically double the amount of worl
:, could be accomplished; so that these case
= could be acted upon within three years
n | Aside from the considerations OF Justice whicl
n may be urged for speedy settlement of tin
a claims now on the tiles of the Pension Office
Il IL Is no less important on the score of ccono
~ my, inasmuch rs fully onc-third of tn
a clerical force of the Office is now who'll,
y occupied in giving attention to CORE
. spondence with the thousands of claim
n | ants whose claims have been on tn