The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-12-12
s,end the legislation necessary for its appiIca.

|
The present mode of compensating United
States Marshals and District Attorneys should'
| in my opinion, be changed. They are allowed
| to charge against the Government certain fees
| for service, their incomes being measured by the
amount of such fees within . fixed limit to their
| annual aggregate. This is u direct inducement
Tor them to make their fees in criminal cases as
| large as possible in an effort to reach the
| maximum sum permitted. AS an entirely
| natural consequence interruptions Marshais
are found encouraging frivolous proseca..
| tons arrestng people on petty eharSes OF
crime and transporting them 20 DISTANT
places for examination and trial, for the
| purpose OF earning mileage and other fees,
ana Dstrict Attorneys uselessly attend criminal
| examinations far from their places of residence
for the express purpose Of swelling their 40
| counts against the Government. The actual eX-
| penses incurred in these transactions are always
charged against the Government Thus the
rights and freedom Of our citizens are outraged,
| and public expenditures Increased for the pur-
pose OF furnishing public officers pretexts for in-
| Creasing the measure of their compensation. /
| think Marshals and District Attorneys should be
| paid salaries adjusted by rule which will make
them commensurate with services fuirly rem
dered.
Furnishing MIsDEMEANoRs.
In connection with the subject, desire to sug-
| gest the ACCESSIBILITY, if it be found not obnOX-
| ous to constitutional objection, OF investing
United States Commissioners with the power to
| try and determine certain violations OF law
| within the grade of misdemeanors. Such trials
| might be made TO depend upon the option of the
| accused. The multiplication of small and tech
meal offenses, especially under the provisions
| OF our Internal Revenue law, renders some
change in our present system very desirable, in
| the interests OF humanity us well as economy.
| The District Cour,s are now crowded with
| petty prosecutions, involving punishment in
cass of conviction, OF only II slight fine whild
tue parties a cused are harassed 10y an en-
| forced attendance upon the courts held hun
drels of milos from their homes II poor alld
frieudless, they are obliged to main in JAIL
and months, perhaps, elapse before Il session
n / hnnIIV
| To trial surrounded by strangers, and
! with bat little opportunity for defense.
In the meantime frequently the Marshal has
charged against the government his fees for an
arrest, the sportatiOn of the accused and tho
expense Of the same and for sUlnnoning wit
nesses before Il commissioner, Grand Jury
and "a court the witnesses have been paid from
the public funds large foes and travelling eX-
pouses, and the Commissioner and District At
toney have also made their charges against tho
Government. This abuse in the administration
OF our criminal law should be rCmcdiod, and il
the plan above suggested is not practicable,
some other should be devised.
INTERNAL AFFAIRS.
The report of the Secretary Of the Interior,
containing IN account OF the operation Of this
important department and much interesting In
formation, VIII be submitted for your c0usdcra-
ton The most intricate ana difficult subject IN
charge Of this department is tho treatment Gn4
management OF
TIM INprNvs.
I am satisfied that some progress may b. noted
in their coni ton H. II r"sGlt Of prudent
administration # the present laws and
regulations Tor their control; but 1t is sub
United that there is lack OF fixed purpose of
/ policy on this subject which should be supplied,
IL is useless To dlate upon the wrongs of che Iu-
dians, and as useless to indulge in the henr5ess
heller chat because their wrongs are reveugDd
in their own atroCidus manner, therefore they
III ,uld be eXtelminated.
They are within the care Of our Government,
ma their rights are, or should be projected
from invasion by the most SOLEMN obligations.
laFlga llf4.l
the Government, and it should be borne in mind
that this guardianship involves on our part ef-
forts tor the Improvement OF their condition and
the enforcement of their rights.
There seems to be general concurrence in the
proposition tlIat the ultimate object Of their
treatment should be tlCir civilization and citi-
zau,lIp. Fitted by these TO keep pace in gne
march of progress with the advanced civilian
ton about them, they will readily assiinilate
With the mass OF our population, assuming the
raspons Utilities and receiving the protection in
Cident u this condition. The difficulty appears
to be in the selection of the means 10 be ut pres
ent employed coward the attainment of this re-
suit.
oar Indian population, exclusive OF those in
Alaska, i, reported us numbering 2i0JO1, nearly
all being located on lands set apart for their
and occupation, aEgrcGating over l3i, OJj,0DO OF
UCTes. IHCs lands are included in boundaries OF
seventeen reservations of different Dimensions,
scattered IN twcnty-uue States and Territories,
presenting great variations in climate and in the
kind and quality OF their soils Among
there exists the most marked differences
in natural traits and disposition, and
in tn in progress toward civilization.
White some are lazy. vicious, and stupid others
are Industrious peaceful and intel gent While
It portion of them are selt-sGpportns and in
dependent and have SO far advanced IN eiyiliIG-
tiOu that they make their own laws, administer
cd through officers of their own choice, and
educate their children in schools of their own
establishment and muint, ne, others stll
remain in Squalor ana dependence almost
I'm, VA. ,Ht4I
In dealing with tnis question the desires mani
tested hy the Indians should not he ignored.
H're again We find graGt diversity. Win
some the tribal relation is Chcra htd with the ut
most tenucitv, while It's hold ulou others is CON
ii leraulN relaxed The love of home Is strong
with ali, and yet there are those whose attach
llant 10 particular luCulityis 10y no means uu-
yielding. Tho ownership uf these lauds in sew
crafty - much desired by some, while by others
aud S,metimes again the most civilized, sgGn u
distribution would be bitterly opposed.
The variation of their wants growing out OF and
connected with the character Of tn II several To-
cutions should be regarded. Some are upon
reservations most fit for grazing, but without
t,oCkS or herds, and some ON ura lie land have
no agricultural implements, while some OF the
reservations are double tn0 size necessary 10
maintain the number of Indian, now upon t.em.
la few clseS, perhaps. tuoy should be
lJrgei Ada 10 ali tlis tua di.tefeuc3 IN the al
II mis- Lrutun Of tho agencies, whitG the Sumo
dlt:es are d-yplyei upon al tho disposition OF
the agents and .ho mHnGer Il upeir Z, meet with
the lnulSn5 have much TO do with til slr con
dtiuu ana welfare,
Tho agent auo perfanctionarily performs his
duty and sio btuliy neglocJs al opportunity 60
al vance tuciI moral ana physical uuprJ, enc uG
and fails 10 inspire them with ii desire for uarJ.r
things will accomplish nothing in the cir { ion
OF "a N giyiiiI ton, while he VINO feels t.lc bur-
d Of ~ la Jgrtaut trust and has an interest in
ms so X VIII, uy consistent examples ann vet
con d rate treatment, and wcl.-uIr-. :,d MD nld
tuco fragment. constantly lead those ind b Il
chaIg toward tue light of rhelr eufrauch m mt
g OIL r4.. rr.f