Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-12-01
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
ANNUAL REPORT OF sECRE.
TARY TELLER.

recommendations Respecting Indians
Figures About Pensions-What the
Patent Office is Doing-FederaI Aid
for Scholastic Utah Commission
ers. a
WASHINGTON, Nov. 30.-The report of the
commissioner OF Indian Affairs show that
there has been very considerable improve
ihent among the various Indian tribes with
but little dissatisfaction and but one ont
oreak' and that among the Apaches Of Ari-
zoha' III Is believed that it is quite possible
with wise and judicious treatment OF the
Indian question, to prevent the recurrence OF
hostilities between the Indian and his white
neighbors that have marked nearly every
year of our history.
In my former report l urged the necessity
OF putting at least one half of the children OF
school age in manual labor schools and KEEN
ing them there until they should be suffi-
clently instructed in the industrial arts to
support themselves. Ithas been demonstrated
during the last year that even more than that
proportion of the children can be put in
manual-labor schools, if suitable appropria-
tlOns are made for that purpose. Accommo-
datlon should be provided for at least 10 OO0
children in addition to those now in manual
labor schools, which would secure to about
one-half of the children of school age the ad-
Vantages OF at least partial education,
While under present appropriations only
about one-fOurth have any school ADVANTAGES
at all, three-fourths growing up in ignorance
and vice.
The total expense of the Indian service can
not be less than s., ,500,Q coo annually. and such
expense must increase instead of diminishing
II the indian Is not made to do something to-
wards supporting himself. During the wear
there has been paid to Indians. in cash. about
100000 as interest ON indebtedness to them
The practice of paying cash TO the Indians is
perniciOus one, for as a general rule the
money is seXpended for useless, if not injurious
articles and ought to be discontinued.
The Commissioner of Indian Affairs recon-
mends that fund be placed at the disposal
OF the department to pay the fees of home
stead entries by Indians. In this heartily
concur. 1 think when an Indian Will settle
on land, intending to make il his home, he
ought to be encouraged in so doing.
THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER
of the General Land Office shows that the dis
posal of public lands under all acts of Con-
gress aggregates $780, 032 so acres of which
amount 339, ,2S5.9l acres were Indian lands.
and 1898, S35.1l acres railroad sections under
various acts of Congress. The total cash
receipts in connection with the disposal Of the
public lands amounted to $u,7l3,-
SS3 40. of with amount S625. fO4 27 was
on account of the sale of Iadian
lands. The increase in receipts for the
year 1888 over that of the year 1882 was 49, 3l9,-
367 &c, and over that of 1881 So, ,S05O79 "a; pre-
emptiOn and private entries. 4465 665 40 acres:
timber culture entries, 3, llO, $50 23 acres; the
number Of homestead entries So, 565. embrac-
ing S,l7l,9l4.3S acres. Not included in the
lands disposed Of, and in addition thereto,
were AZ ,933 pre-emptiOn filings, 1899 soldiers
deelaratory statements, and 10 ,232 mscella-
neOus filings, these three items embracing in
the aggregate 100000 acres.
1t is earnestly to be desired that some means
of adjustment of these railroad. land grants
as whole, be provided, or some method de-
vised which shall, under cover of legislative
authority, not only remedy the evil suggest
ed, but enable this department to reach
finality as to the titles to be convened to these
corporations at the earliest practicable mo-
ment, and thus relieve an anxious and eX-
clted public feeling, already sufficiently
aroused upon the various difficult and COM
plicated questions connected with the admin
istration of this momentous and important
branch of public affairs.
THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF PEN
shows that at the close of the last fiscal year
there were 303, ,65S pensioners.
There were added to the pension roll dur
ing the year the names of 49, l63 new pension
ers and 1876 whose names had been previously
dropped from the pension roll were restored,
making the total number added to
ing an excess over the number added
the previous year of l0,645. During
the year 20,997 pensioners were dropped from
the rolls for various causes, leaving a net in
crease over the rolls Of 1851. The number of
persons dropped from the rolls included the
names of those who have been carried on the
rolls after death until final settlement and pay
ment of the amount due such pensioners
the close OF the year is SIO6 Is. and the aggre-
gate value of all pensions is $32.245, 192 43 an
increase over the value for the previous
year of S2,904,090 81. The total amount paid
out for pensions during the year was S60, ,064.-
009 %. The total number Of claims filed
for disabilities incurred while in the service
amounts to 496,72l, of which 245, ,2l0 have been
allowed; and by widows on account of deaths
chargeabIe to the service 3l2,029. of which
206, ,7l6 have been allowed. The total number of
claims filed since 1861 is $50, l37, of which num-
ber 5i0,93S have been allowed. During the
same period there has been paid for pensions,
with cost of disbursement, the sum Of $62I,-
O73, ,297 go. The Commissioner says:
THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF PAT
ENTS
shows increased activity in that bureau dur
ing the past fiscal year.
Number Of applications for patents re-
Number Of patents granted, including
reissues and designs ................. q. 1856
Receipts from all sources ..-...... ,095, ,SS4 20
Expenditures mot including print
ing Recommendations. 7o4,3ls As
SurDlus. 2ql bQG 9s