Morris tribune., 1884-12-03
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
Secretary Teller's Annual Re-
port--The Indians and Man
ual-Labor Schools.
The Homestead Question Discussed
Repeal of Presumption Laws
Recommended.
Needs of the Pension Bureau-The In.
debtedness of the Pacific
Railroads.

In submitting his third and last annual re-
port of the operations of the Department., the
Secretary of the Interior renews recommends
hons of former reports, so far as there may be
necessity therefor, and makes such suggestions
rs experience and observation have shown that
the public interest demands. In viewing the
Indian question, he maintains that judicious
treatment of the Indian question will prevent
the recurrence of hostilities between the red
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-
priations the work of educating the Indians
has been pushed vigorously. Five board
were erected during the year. making
the total number eighty-one boarding.
schools, seventysx day schools, and six schools
larry in sectarian schools. All the institutions
are doing good work, but they will not be able
to obtain their full efficiency until some system
is devised by which the educated Indians can put
to use the intelligence they have gained. instead
of allowing it to fall into disuse while they lapse
Into their former modes of life. Speaking OF
this defect the Secretary says:
1T 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 remunerative employment
for them. They lack capital to open and
cultivate farm, and If they have acquired q
character 1t is as necessary that some
employment should be secured for them as
it is to teach them to labor. An Indian ed
ucated at Government expense should not be al
lowed rations, but should receive encourage
ment to labor by donations of stock, imple-
ments Of agriculture, etc, ana then pc
knowledge that enables him to make his living
Give him an opportunity, and If he fails, let him
give way to those of his race who will work ana
live II, however, the Indian boy or girl prefer
to go out among the whites as laborer the
Government should encourage and aid them SO
to do A little money expended in that way will
save large amount that otherwise must be ex-
pended in their support. 1t ought to be the
urinary object of orr dealing with the Indian
70 make him dependent on himself, and not on On
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 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.
In reviewing the work of the General Land
Office the Secretary repeats much Of the data
given by the Land Commissioner 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 deplores the waste of the pub
lie domain and its absorption by syndicates,
and accepts the views of the Land commissioner
as follows:
1T is my opinion that the time has fully ar
rived when wastefulness in the disposal Of pub
lie lands shall cease, and the portion still re.
manning should be economical for the use or
actual settlers only. An act reservlng the pub
lie lands. except mineral lands and timber re-
serves tor entIy esciasvety uhoe1 aae dJ 1n,..s
so as to prevent the present easy evasion OF wise
restrictions and essential requirements, would
be measure meeting this end, and answering
q pronounced public demand.
The Secretary urges severe oVerhaullng OF
the laws in relation to the taxation on railroad
Il again call attention to the necessity for
some legislation to compel the railroad COM
panies having earned the land granted to them
Territories in which such lands lie may have the
benefits derived from taxing the lands within
their boundaries. By the failure OF the COM
fer. etc, and apply for, patents. "a large
amount of lands granted to and held
by railroad companies und ts me ss,nr an,e
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.com pensatlon pro-
Vided by law for the surveys already extended
over portion of the lands and the beneht OF
the enlarged appropriations intended to secure
further surveys along the line of the roads. Ex-
perience has shown that instead OF aiding the
Government and facilitating the survey and
sale of the public lands along the routes, and
the consequent settlement of the country the
provision has operated to retard such 1audable
results, ana also mas served To eIldDle
panies to obtain such valuable parcels 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 neighborhood, while refusing to
take the patents for the larger body of less val
liable lands upon which such burden would fall
in the hands of the comr anies themselves.
1T is 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 suggested but enable this depart
menu to reach nality 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 comph-
Gated questions connected with the administra-
ton of this momentous 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 the 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. 1862, and July
q 1854, the number of acres on which the cost OF
surveying has been paid to Nov. II, 1884, the
estimated cost Of the survey of the remainder
kf the grants, and the number of acres patented
to the companies named up to June 80. 1884:
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