The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-11-01
WASHINGTON.
News Gathered About the Capital
city.


: of the superintendent of the none
order bureau of the poStoffice depart
ment for the fiscal year ended Jun
30, shows the total number of none,
orders of all kinds issued to be 9,273,
1888; aggregate value, S125, O47 ,288. to
tai number paid, 8,751,077; value
Sl2O, 4O7 ,468; amount of fees received
$1,272,060; increased value of domestic
orders issued over the preceding
year, 1885, $50, or BAG per cent; in
cent; the ratio of improper payment
to the total number of orders paid Wa,
as is to 273,341.
The following is synopsis of the
annual report of Indian Commissioner
Price: A decided advance has beer
made in the march of improvement
among the Indian tribes; particu.
larly in the industrial school
education; some tribes have been per
suaded to send their children to school
that heretofore resisted all efforts to
induce them so to do. One question
may now be considered settled beyond
controversy, and that is, that the In
dian must be taught to work for his
own support and to speak the English
language; or give place to people
who do. Among things needed to Sc
cure success and efficiency involving
the Indian problem are, first, appro-
priations to survey out the boundaries
of Indian reservations, so that both
Indians and white men may know
where they have rights and where
they have none. Second, a law for
the punishment of persons who Tur-
niSh arms or ammunition to Indians;
no such law now exists. Third, more
liberal appropriations for Indian po-
lice. Fourth, an appropriation to de-
fray the expense of detecting and
prosecuting persons who furnish in-
toxicating liquors to Indians; no
ardent spirits should be introduced
into the Indian country under any
pretenSeS whatever nor their sale per-
mitted within twenty miles Of In
dian reservations; but under exist
ing laws upon the subject it is noto-
rious fact that all beer and prepare
lions of alcoholic stimulants, disguised
as medicine, are sold at military posts
to soldiers and civilians, and although
post traders are not permitted to sell
it directly to Indians, yet it is an easy
matter for an Indian to obtain 1t from
soldiers and citizens to whom 1t Is.
sold. Punishments imposed by law
for this offence should be made more
severel penalty. Approving con-
tracts to collect from government
money due Indians is one that ought
not to exist; it has for years been the
practice to approve contracts by which
outside parties have taken from In
dians 100000 for service which ought
not to have cost the Indians one cent.
During the last four years agreements
have been entered into by Indians,
and different attorneys by which
these attorneys were to receive from
the Indians $75.52I for collecting from
the government money said to be due
the Indians. 1t is the duty of the
government to see that the wards of
the nation receive what is justly due
them free of cost, and equally the
duty of the government to see that no
unjust claim is paid. Congress should
confer both civil and criminal juris-
diction on several states or territories
over all Indian reservations within
their respective limits and make the
person and property of Indians amen
able to laws of the territory in which
he may reside, except in case where
such property is expressly exempted
by treaty of congress, and give them
all rights in courts enjoyed by other
persons. Allotments in several, to
the number of 146, have been made to
Indians during the year with the best
of results, and the commissioners will
adhere to the policy of alloting lands
where same can be legally done and
the condition of the Indians is such as
to warrant it. The attention of
congress is again invited for
the necessity of legislation to enable
Indians to make entries under the
homestead law without cost to them.
1t is necessary that lands within GER
tain reservations be subdivided, and
it is important in some cases that this
be done at once, although there is not
dollar available for this special pur-
pose. An amendment to the law in
reference to intruders, so as to punish
by imprisonment or fine, is absolutely
necessary, as an intruder without
property has very little fear of fine.
Notwithstanding his repeated eX-
pulsion from the Indian territory,
Payne and his party of Oklahoma col
onists have twice during the present
year made attempts at settlement in
that country, requiring the aid of
military, at great expense to the gov
eminent, to effect their removal. The
commissioner gives detailed account
of Payne'S operations, and asks that
the special attention of congress be
called to these aggressive movements
on Indian territory lands, as Illus
trating the urgent necessity for
speedy and effective legislation in re-
gard to trespassers.
Recommendations for legislation for
the protection of timber on Indian
lands are reviewed. During the year
there was paid Indians in cash as an
nuity and otherwise $745, 900, less than
$4,000 of this amount was for pay
ment of annuity proper, many of
which will expire in the near future
by limitation in various treaties. The
increase in accommodation for Indian
pupils, which the school appropria-
lions for the last fiscal year made pos
sible, has been followed by CORE
spending increase in allowance of
pupils, which, exclusive of five
or six tribes at boarding schools,
during the year just closed,
is 5143, an increase of 654
over last year. The attendance at
day schools has been 5414, an increase
of 745 over the preceding year. OF
5143 boarding pupils, 1896 attended
schools on the reservations, or in their
immediate vicinity. Boarding and
day schools on the reservations have
made creditable record. Eight new
boarding schools have been opened,
making the total number now in OPP
Grafton, exclusive of training
schools, ". An interesting
event in the year has been the
educational inroad in the Ute
tribe. The wild southern Utes al
lowed twenty-seven youths to be
taken to the Albuquerque boarding
school, although not one of the tribe
had ever before attended any school
of any description. The organized
system is meeting with favor
among experienced agents who have
large agencies and desire to place all
their Indians as speedily as possible
under some sort Of educational influ-
ence. The good results attendant
upon the maintenance of the training
schools at Carlisle, Hampton and For
est Grove are very manifest, and con-
gress is urged to increase the appro-
priations for these schools, as each
school has exceeded the number of
scholars for which the appropriation
was made. Training, industrial and
mechanical arts has been kept in the
fairgrounds. The success attained is