St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-08-31
WASHINGTON NEWS.
The Piegan Indians--PrOhibiting Rag
Imp0rtatiOns--Trad Mark
Dncjsions

WASHINGTON, D. c., Aug. 30.-In regard to the
reports of the distressed condition of the Piegan
Indians, Acting Indian Commissioner Stevens to-
day stated that the Indian officer was in no wise
to blame for the condition of affairs. At the last
session of congress the commissioner had re-
quested an appropriation Of SIS, 900 for the main
tenance of these Indians. This amount was, in
the opinion of the bureau, the smallest sum that
would suffice for the purpose, but the house cut
the estimate down to $4,000. The senate in
creased the appropriation to S50,000 and the
money, although used to the best advantage, is
not enough to feed the Indians during the year.
On August II Agent Allen made the following
report upon the subject, under date Of June 4,
1884:
81 wrote your Office reviewing the estimate for
supplies made by my predecessor John Young,
for the year ending June 80, 1885, and showed
that the amount of meat estimated for was only
! one fourth the quantity required, and flour only
He asked for 100000 pounds of beef,
gross, and only 100000 pounds have been pur
chased, less than one-ffth of the ratons, or less
than five ounces per day for each person. The
flour purchased for the current fiscal year gives
less than six ounces per day to each person. On
such allowance, having nothing else, how could
they avoid starving? I telegraphed you 1 have
supplies for present needs. II were to divide
100000 pounds of beef gross by fifty-three, the
number of weeks in the year, and issue only
that amount the needs would not be met, but
am issuing more than that and will continue to
do 90 while l have it on hand; for these Indians
shall not die of starvation while have anything
to give them. If the supply runs out the respon-
sibility may rest where it belongs. At present
there is great abundance of berries, and these
help to prevent starvation for the Indians gather
and eat them in great quantities; but berries will
| soon be gone and then there will be nothing but
| meat and flour. 1t should be borne IN mind that
| at no time since l assumed charge of this
agency has there been a single pound
of rice, beans, hominy, oatmeal, or anything Of
that kind to give the Indians. Do you wonder
| that it is reported they starving? In May
and June there were times when they stripped
trees and ate the inner bark to keep their souls
and bodies together, and all the time they were
| begging for food. / at one time issued over
1900 pounds of bacon that had not receipted
| for, and had been condemned by the board of
| survey. l would never have done SO had they
not been in starving condition. Just now they
are not suffering, but i'll very short time the
berries will be gone, and the supplies will run
| low, and the carpenter will again be kept busy
making burial boxes, unless something can be
done in the way of getting them additional food
RAGS.
The acting secretary of the treasury has is
sued the following circular: ''Notice is hereby
| given that the unloading of old rags, arriving
| at ports of the United States from foreign ports
on and after the 1st prox., is prohibited from
three months from that date
A cablegram received by the postoffice depart
ment announces the postponement until Febru-
airy next of the international postal congress,
which was to have assembled at Lisbon, October
i. The postponement was probably made on
account OF the existence Of cholera and quaran-
tines in southern Europe
The estimated decrease of the public debt DUR
ing August is 39,000000.
The acting commissioner of patents has rem
dered an exhaustive decision upon the subject Of
trade marks. He holds that a trade mark is dis
tinct from invention, from copyright matter
and from matter for print and label, and that
trade mark registration is distinct from regstra-
| ton for all the purposes named. The distinction
| between copyright matter, which goes to the
librarian Of congress, and design matter is point
| eddy set forth in the decision.