Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-12-05
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE
INTERIOR

The report of Secretary Teller is an ex-
ceedingly important document. Its more i'm.
portant suggestions may be thus epitomi1ed ::
INDIAN QUESTION.
The Indian reservations to be reduced to
agricultural and timber needs of Indians, snd
the title vested in the tribe occupying.
The Indian to be disarmed
The Indian to be provided with husband
mans tools and given stock to start him, aud
be made to depend upon himself, for the In.
dian is capable of it.
The Indian race has inherent strength, and
will not die out if given the tools of civiliza-
scArce to longer subsist the red map, and be
must be made to earn his living.
Cease treating with the tribes, and recog.
nize Indians e. other men are recognized, and
hold them to like accountability.
Admit the Indian to citizenship whenever
he is fit for it.
Encourage the Indian schools and establish
more.
Pay up to the tribes all back dues. Give
them the money so long due under the con-
tract to furnish them with stock for farms.
Use the money SO long due for Indian edu-
cation to establish new schools.
Make trade, or manual labor schools, a
speciality.
The nation will expend less by these modes
than by direct appropriations to feed lazy H.
disns, as now.
By degrees teach the Indian his duty as a
husband, and that he must abandon polyg-
amy.
Establish Courts of Indian Offenses, ("
presided over by Indians. One has been set
up already, and promises we'll
Create a civilization fund for use at the
discretion CT the Department to employ
farmers, mechanics and others, to teach the
Indian the methods of selfsupport.
Make a fund to pay the fees of homestead
entries by Indians.
The Government to keep its contract long
since msde, and for which it received consid-
Grafton, to build houses tor Indians not hav-
ing them, snd to furnish each with yoke Of
oxen, COWS, seeds, etc.
Leave the Apache prisoners to the War
Department for the present.
Buy the lands Of the San Carlos reserva-
ton, on which coal and silver mines have been
discovered.
Keep faith with the Navsjoes, an indus.
trious trite, aud pay them the money due
them, or enough TO purchase seeds and sgri-
cultural implements for them.
Dispose of 100000 acres of the Crow
reservation, and leave the Crows sufficient
for agricultural needs.
Make immediate appropriation for support
of the II 600 Blackfeet Indians, before they
are driven to steal cattle to save themselves
from starvation, and to enable them to stock
their own ranges and become self-supporting.
Give Moses band the means to become
self-supporting, if it will move to the Colyille
reservation. The agreement recommended
= I,-,l i
boarding school for one hundred children, and
allow Moses 500 year for life.
There are 2,907 industrious, seni-civilized
Mission Indians in California. who have been
wronged and driven from their homes and
lands and reduced to wretcheduees. Give
them good land with title in fee, and aid
them to start anew with stock and tools of
the farm.
LAND OFFICE.
The nation mas disposed of, under all laws,
of public lsnds, 10, 430,03 acres. Total re-
ceipts. S11, 713, 1873 20. OF this sum, $685..
404 q was on account Of sales of Indian
lands. Increase Of receipts in 1883 over 1882,
50 3l9, 367 &c Increase OF claims recorded
in 1888 over 1882, 81, 54S.
Abandon and repeal the presumption law,
the homestead laws being sufficient.
As TO lspsed railroad land grants, the de-
partment is powerless to restore them TO the
public domain. The whole matter is one for
legislation. The Government cannot declare
a railroad grant forfeited-Consrtss must DO
it, if OF all, by legislation.
Under the Act of July 2, 1864, amending
the Act of July l, 1862, and the Act of July
81, 1876, relative to prepayment OF costs for
selection and survey of railroad lands, much
domain, by failure to pay and take patents,
is kept from taxation. Congress should, by
legislation, devise means to correct the mat
ter.
PENSIONS.
In 1888, So, 162 new pensioners were added
to the roll, and 796 dropped names restored.
During $780, 90 907 names were dropped.
Since 1861 we have paid for pensions, S621,-
073, 297 go. Payments should be made TO
pensioners monthly so they will have no need
TO shave their claims, as so many are low
forced TO Go.
PATENTS.
The statistics of the Patent Office are given
in full The work of the office steadily in
creases. The receipts for 1888 over 1882 were
Sl65. 600 The force is insufficient, and the
work Of TIE office greatly in arrears. The
salaries of examiners and their assistants
should be increased. Good examiners can,
with their abilities, get better wages in other
fore, keep them.
EDUCATION.
The work of the Bureau of Education has
largely Increased, and has shown capacity for
great good.
RAILROADS.
The railroads books and statements rela.
tive to the ) and % per centum of Let earn
ings have been examined. The system of
inn hoo haa iTnr1
The railroad accounts with the Govern
ment are: Principal outstanding. S64,
5l2 Interest due, 81, 1888 705 &c. Interest
paid by United States, $50, 222, 093 46. In.
terest paid by companies to credit of bond
and interest account by TRANSFORMATION, &c.
III. $50 20; by cash, $685., 1888 ST. Balance
of interest repaid by United States, S41, 7S9,.
514 80. The total debt of railroads 60 the
United States is 1923, $40 COS 46. and the
total credits, S21 469, 229 30. Balance due
United States in 1859. Sl02, 376, 80 04.
A detailed statement of the sinking fund
accounts is given.
The Treasurer of the United States holds
sinking funds of the Union Pacific Railroad
and Central Pacific Railroad, under Act of
1878. amounting to credits for the Central
Pacific Railroad, 81, 404 OILS Sc, and Union
Pacific Railroad, 81, $50, 697 50. There are
invested in the funded loan Of 1881 Is per
cent?. 1898 80; ditto of 1907 4 per
cent?, 1921, 800; currency, skies, $685.
COO Total-PrincipeI, S2,029, 900; pre-
MUM paid, 1903 629 IL. Total cost, g.
1888 500 l6. Uninvested, 81, 703, 1874 30, The
fund mss been failure for want of invest
ment. Il would be better TO have all the
amounts converted into the Treasury at
given rate Of interest, say per centum.
Also it would probably be best TO commute
the mode of payments by the railroads into
fixed amounts, and not dependent on tine
fluctuations Of net earnings. or the contin-
gencies of competition which may cause net
to disappear.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Liberal appropriations should be made for
publication Of reports Of the Western Geo.
logical Survey.
Government for Alaska should be bettered,
to secure education to the growing youth,
aud to keep in the Territory Governor,
Secretary, Judge and Marshal. But the
necessity for Leei 3lsture can be avoided for
a time by applying the laws of the United
States and of the Territory of Washington.
In Utah plural marriages have decreased
sioce the appointment of the Utah Commits
sion. Congress should require the submis-
sion to it of laws passed by the Utah Legisla-
ture under and as provided by the Act of
March, 1882 for filling the offices erected by
fba Act