Arizona weekly citizen., 1882-06-18
WEEKLY CITIZEN.
SFCRFTApY rrrrFR

SECRETARY TELLER.
 The appointment of Senator H. M. Teller, of Colorado, as Secretary of the
 Interior, was sharply criticised in some
 quarters. He was accused of being so complicated with certain railroads that
 his acceptance Of the position was indel-
 icate, etc.
 His administration so far has certainly
 had tendency to disarm criticism and
 give general satisfactlon-at least in
 that section of the country most inti-
 mstely affected by the department over
 which he presides. He has shown more
 practical capacity for the position than
 any of his predecessors; and necessarily so, because be Is acquainted with the
 subjects under his control He is show
 ing a sublime contempt for the red tape and forced construction which has here tOfore been placed upon many of the laws administered through his depart ment by thick-headed clerks ln such a manner as to work great injustice to lm- portant interests and to individuals and large communities. His decision upon the question Of timber on mineral land
 will stop a mass of useless, expensive
 and unjust litigation and will relieve an
 important interest from an immense
 amount of blackmailing. It will enable
 a number of clerks in Washington and supernumerary peripatetic officials either
 to devote their energies to other and more useful employment or quit the public service. It is such a decision as
 We might expect from an ofhcerfamihar as he IS with the utterly impracticable construction placed heretofore upon the the law and the great injustice and In- jury worked by its partial enforcement. The construction he places upon the law IS natural and reasonable and is hailed with joy throughout the mineral regions of the country.
 Mir. Teller's propositions upon the h. dian question show a thorough com prehension of the subject, which We were led to expect from his experience in the West. His position Is that of an executive, however, and he can only ad- minister, not make, the laws; but We are satisfied that he will make his construc- tions of the law as favorable as possible for the hardy settlers on the frontier. And his recommendations to Congress will also be in the interests of the i'm portant section of the country now be- ing kept back, its prosperity injured and its growth retarded by the mistaken h. dian policy which is the creature Of a corrupt and soulless Indian ring which professes every political faith, and re- Hgious creed to maintain its hold upon | the aborigine as business proposition. ] Within the law, Secretary Teller will ] remedy all the evils possible. His pro- i position to disarm the Apache smacks l Of the good sense and practical iud-- | ment which IS showing itself in all the 1 divisions of his department, and we hope soon to record the successful &C., 1 complshment of the plan, and in addi- ! ton to that let the pass system, which !. Is another of the cunning devices of the 1 Indian ring to increase its profits, be | abolished. These two things will go . far to put an end t0 the periodic . from which our Territory ! and other portions of the great West . have soseverely and We think ueedlessly l suffered That done and the means of ! murder will be taken from the hands Of . the civil and bloodthirsty sayages, and 1. largely the temptation. Then when of the reservation the Indians VIII be known to be so without warrant -r and the settlers can treat them . 
 The recent decision of the Secretary0t the Interior in relation to the survey and patent of lands claimed by the Northern Pacific railroad indicates that Le ls i1 !. nowise the creature of the railryai Of the country and is to gave them all the nights and privileges they are entitled t9 and no more. This is as 1t should be. The country has entered into certain con tracts and obligations, which It should carry out upon an equitable basis jzst ls the courts would require it to be ! done by individuals and should not at- tempt to eyade. On the otber hand the should be held t. the same rules which govern individuals in their dealings with the go' srnment. This the present Secretary appears disposed to 10.
 The administration of Secretary Tel CT so far is an admirable Illustration lf the advantages to be obtained from placing men in such positions who are practically acquainted with the qdes- ions, interests and duties of their de- 'artments. We have always claimed hat a western man should i'll that po- itiOn in the cabinet and also the posi- don Of postmaster general