Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1884-12-05
NATIONAL AFFAIRS.
The Indian Question as Viewed
by Secretary Teller.
Tho Comptroller OF tho Currency on the
-,.,., Operation OF tho Nationai-Bsnising
.,ia- system--vicws Ms to the Rcia-
NN a lions OF silver and Gold.
rnr INTERIOR pErAnrMENr.

WASHINGTON, Nov HS,-Ihe annual re-
port OF Secretary OF the Interior Teller
gives most prominence to the Indian Qucs-
tlon. and renews the opinions expressed in
his previous reports. Figures are given
showing large increase In the number of
Indians in the schools on reservations
and throughout the country.
The Secretary thinks the greatest
agency for the civilization of the. Indian is
the manual-abor schools, and says that II
is only necessary TO multiply their number
so as to include all the Indian children of
school age, to forever set at rest the ques-
iion as to "what shall be done with the In
dians." An honest compliance on the part
of the Government with the conditions Of
the treaties with the various tribes concern
ing schools will substantially provide all the
schools required.
The report renews the recommendation
that the Indians be disarmcd, rs their horses
and guns are the great hindrances TO their
civilization. The necessity for legislation
for the punishment of crimes on the reser-
yations is urged as 1t has been decided that
the United States Courts are without juris-
diction.
Secretary Teller doss not think the leas-
ing of their lands to stockmen by the Indi-
ans Is Illegal, but the Indians are not paid
what the land is worth, and he thinks tre
matter should be controlled by the Co.,
ernment with the consent of the Indians,
and fair rental charged Regarding the
depredations by the Indians upon the
stock of the whites, the report says
they can not be prevented so long as
the Government fails in its duty and per-
mits the Indians to starve. But the diff
Guilty is being obvated by the apparent
greater desire of the Indians during the
last year to abandon their savage life.
Among the Secretary's recommendations
concerning the Indians are: That their an
nuity be paid in stock or farming imple
ments instead of cash, and that the
temporary law appropriatng $1,000 aid to
Indians availing themselves of the Home
stead law be made permanent.
The report reviews ut length the fraud
perpetrated on the Government under the
presumption and timber culture laws, where
by valuable land is possessed for purposes
of speculation or to strip it of its timber,
and recommends the repeal of these
laws, as the Homestead act affords abund
ant opportunities for the possession of
land by actual settlers. Secretary Teller
concludes that if the pre-emption and
timber culture laws are not repealed more
liberal appropriations Should be made for
the detection and punishment of fraud on
the Government through the agency of those
laws. But even with liberal appropriations
for the detection of frauds twill be impos-
sible TO prevent unscrupulous persons in the
thinly-settled regions of country from appro-
priating public land by a mere technical
compliance with the laws while the spirit
is violated. There is but one remedy, and
that is in the repeal of the law no longer
necessary to enable the actual settler to Sc
cure title to the land he occupies on the
public domain. The public lands ought to
be reserved for actual settlers, and should
be conveyed only when the settler has
shown his good faith by q residence on the
land for the period provided for by the
Homestead law. No commutation of home
steads should be allowed.
The Secretary deplores the waste of the
public domain and its absorption by synd-
Gates and accepts the views of the Land
Commissioner as follows:
ut is my opinion that the time has fully ar
rived when wastefulness in the disposal of
public lands shall cease, and that the portion
still remaining should be economical for the
use of actual settlers only. An act reserving
timber reserves for entry exclusively under
the Homestead Laws, and amending the
Homestead Laws SO ms to prevent the present
easy evasion of wise restrictions and essential
requirements, would be measure meeting
this enc, and answering pronounced public
demand
The Secretary urges a severe overhauling
of the laws in relation to the taxation on
railroad lands. He calls attention to the
necessity for some legislation to compel the
railroad companies having earned the land
granted to them to take patent therefor,
so that the States or Territories in which
such lands lie may have the benefits derived
from taxing the lands within their boundar-
les.
Congress is again urged, as in previous
reports from the department. to legislate in
IN lancpd railrnnl grants sn In
open them for settlement, as the depart
ment has no power to declare for
feited grants not earned.
With regard to pensions the Secretary re-
peats the figures in Commissioner Dudley's
recent report and recommends that the
Limitation on the time of filing claims I'M
posed by the arrears of pension act of 1879
be repealed
In the Patent Office during the year ended
June 80, 1854, 3S,S22 applications for pat
ents, trade marks etc, were received, and
H2,672 caveats were filed; 24,61S patents
were granted The work of the Office is six
months behind, and more money and room
are asked for.
The report reviews at length the affairs
of the Pacific railroads and what has been
done in and out of Congress relative to the
payment to the United States of the
amounts due from the roads, On June 80,
1884, the net Indebtedness of the roads to
the Government was S1O2, 1884, ,794.0S The
Secretary suggests that under existing
:, law the debt is steadily increasing
eat the rate of over Sl,0O0,O00 per
annum The Secretary is of the opinion that
the best method of dealing with this indebt-
sedness would be to authorize the funding of
the debt on an extension of time and to re-
quire the payment Of fixed amounts at
stated periods.
Secretary Teller urges the appropriation
Of $4,000 for educational purposes in Al
aska and concurs in the recommendation of
the Commissioner of Education that National
aid be extended to public primary education
based OH the number of iliiterates in the
various States.
q. The Secretary expresses confidence In the
Ciyil-Service act and says that the expert
,ence of one and a half years has shown the
system to be a valuable one, and one that
should have the support OF both the Legis-
lative and Executive Departments of the
iGoyemment
The report reviews the progress of the
year in the Patent Department, the Tenth
Census, the Geological Survey, the Bureau
of Education, the Yellowstone National
Park, the Hot Springs, the Freedman's Hos
pital, the Columbia Institution for the Deaf
pnd Dumb, the Hospital for the Insane, the
Architectural Department of the Capital,
the new Pension building, and the recon
struction OF the Interior Department build
Ing, in all of which gratifying condition IL
shown 10 exist
f4 3ssas OUR MONEY.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 27.-The annual re
port of the Comptroller of the Currency
shows that during the fiscal year ended
November i, 191 National banks wer.
organized, with capital Of S16,O42, 200
r;fculating notes issued, SO, 23O. TIL,
West followed by the South leads in th'
number Of new organizations. Since the
rs, 1868, there have been organized
s3.26l National banks, of which 2,67]
are now In existence. Eleven Nationa
fI.anLa ran,aaantin, a. oes ano oa,,ital hay.