Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1884-12-03
HOME AFFAIRS.
Third and Last Annual Report Of Sec
rotary Teller, Of the Interior
Department.
Attention Called to the Relations Of the
Government with Its Subsi.
died Railroads.
What the Indian Bureau Is Doing IN
Behalf of the Wards of the
Nation.

In submitting his third and last annual re-
port Of the operations Of the department, the
s~ecretary OF tho Interior renews recommends
lions q Former reports, SO far as there may be
necessity therefor, and makes such suggestions
IS experience nd observation have shown that
the public interest demands. In viewing the
indian question, he maintains that .judtcious
treatment Of the Indian question will prevent
the recurrence OF hostilities between the req
and the white men. In support of this opinion,
he cites the fact that there have been no recent
outbreaks. In the face OF Inadequate appro-
prfatiens the work OF educating the Indians
has been pushed vigorously. Five board
Ing schools and twelve day schools
the total number eivhty-one boarding.
schools, seventy six day schools, and six schools
OF Industrial labor. These find a strong anvil
iary In sectarian schools. All the institutions
are doing go d work, but they will not be able
to obtain their full efficiency until some system
Is devised BY which the educated Indians can put
70 use the intelligence they have gained, instead
o. allowing it to fall into disuse while they lapse
INTO their former modes of life. Speaking Of
this defect, the Secretary says:
II has been the great object OF the department
In dealing with the Indian to make him self.
supporting. When an Indian youth has been
taught to labor he is self supporting, If an OPP
portunity Is presented to him to secure employ.
ment. One great difficulty met with is. that
when the young OF both sexes return to the
agency there Is no rcmunerattve employment
cultivate a farm. and If they have acquired a
trade, they lind no employment Of that
character. 1t is as necessary that some
1t Is to teach them to labor. An Indian ed
ucated at Government expense should not be al
lowed rations. but should receive encourage
mentt to labor by donations OF stock, imple-
ments OF agriculture, ETC., and then be
compelled to take care of himself. He has the
knowledge that enables him to make his living.
Give him an opportunity, and ii he fails, let him
give way to those of his race who will work and
live. II, however, the Indian boy or girl prefer
70 go out among the whites as q laborer, the
Government should encourage and aid them so
TODD. A little money expended in that way will
savea large amount that otherwise must be ex-
pended In their support. It ought to be the
primary object Of our dealing with the Indian
to make him dependent on himself, and not on
the Government: throw him on his own re-
sources, with such aid only as is occasionally
needed and as honesty and good faith on our
part demands. All educated Indians should be
citizens OF the United States, and l suggest that
those who shall complete the regular course at
the several manual-labor schools be given
citizenship without their mourning the risk of a
forfeiture OF their interest In either tribal lands
or tribal funds"
system depends more or less upon its
ability to teach the Indian the value Of a dollar,
80 That ne may save or invest the money paid
him by the Government. The Secretary is of
the opinion that the manual training school is
the best method of instruction, because earning
money induces an appreciation of 1T. The
amount now fue the Indians, after deducting al
APPROXIMATIONS for school purposes, is $l,033, TOO,
anu the Secretary urges that a portion OF the
amount be used in the erection OF schools. He
also urges conscientious compliance with all
treaties, because the Indians are helpless to PRO-
tect themselves. The disarming of Indians Is
suggested, because of the danger that attaches
IN the way of temptation to use weapons that
comes to an Indian when armed. Game has be-
come 40 near extinct that Indians can no longer
live bv chase, and their efforts In that line,
when the people are supported by the Govern
ment, become an excuse for idleness that is
Iernlclous to any system of industry that may
be undertaken. The Secretary asks for laws
regulating crime on the reservations, and COM
mends the infant system of court of Indian
%oftenses, !" in which the wise men of the tribe
without compensation act as q tribunal in the
suppression of wrong.
In reviewing the work of the General Land
Once the Secretary repeats much Of the data
given by the Land Commissioners in his report
recently published. He accents the Commits
sioner's opinion that the presumption and tim
Der culture laws should be repealed.
The Secretary depiores the waste Of the pub
lie domain and it's absorption by syndicates,
ana accepts the views OF the Land Commissioner
as follows:
1T is my opinion that the time has fully ar
rived when wastetulness in the disposal Of pub
lie lands shall cease, and the portion still re-
naming should be economical for the use Of
actual settlers only. An act reserving the pub
lie lands. except mineral lands and timber re-
se-yes, for entry exclusively under the home
stead laws, and amending the homestead laws
so as TO prevent the present easy evasion of wise
restrictions and essential requirements. would
be q measure meeting this end, and answering
d pronounced public demand"
Tn Secretary urges a severe oycrhauling of
the laws in relation to the taxation on railroad
lands. He says:
Il again call attention to the necessity for
some legislation to compel the railroad COM
pan1es having ca. ned the land granted 10 them
to ia Sc patent therefor, SO that the States or
Territories in which such lands lie may have the
benefits derived from taxi.g the lands within
their boundaries. BY the failure of the com
panies to pay the costs of surveying, trans
fer, ETC.. and apply for patents, a large
amount, of LANDS granted to and held
by railroad companies under the rnl-
Court are substantially relieved from State tax
alton and contribute nothing to the fair sup
port OF the burden and revenue Of the local
governments. and at the same time deny to the
General Government the due compen alton pro-
vfded by law for the surveys already extended
over a portion OF the lands and the benefit of
the enlarged appropriations intended to secure
further SURVEYS along the line OF the roads. Ex-
pcrience has shown that instead of aiding the
government and fsciltlting tie survey and
sale OF the public lands along the routes, and
the consequent settlement Of the country. the
provision has OF Grated to retard such laud lble
results, and also has served to enable the com
panies TO obtain such valuable arcels Of land
as they may find speedy profit in selling, thus
imposing the full burden of taxation upon their
grantees and other ~settlets who purchase lands
in the same neigbborhood, while refusing to
take the patents for the larger body of less val
uahle lands upon which such burden would fall
in the hands of the com anies themselves.
1t IL earnestly to be desired that some means
of adjustment OF these grants, as a whole. be
provided. or some method devised which shall
under cover Of legislative authority, not only
remedythe evil sue gested but enable this depart
ment to reach a finality as to the titles to be con-
veyed to these corporations at the earliest prac-
ticle moment, and thus relieve an anxious and
excited public feeling, already sufficiently
aroused, upon the various difficult and compli-
Gated questions connected with the administra-
ton of this momentons and important branch
OF public affairs. To this end, ] most urgently
recommend that the prompt and serious atten-
ton of Congress be invited to the foregoing
suggestions, and that the several companies be
compelled to take patents for tho lands earned,
and to pay for the surveys made In accordance
with the provisions Of the statutes heretofore
cited"
In support OF his position, the Secretary sub
mits the following statement Of the estimated
number OF acres of land granted to railroad
companies by the acts of July l. 1852, and July
2, 1864. the number of acres on which the cost OF