New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-07

VORK OF THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
Secretary LamaI's report is a cautious and
conservative document. 1t bears out the state
mcnt made some time ago that all of the de-
partment reports would be devoid of sensa-
tional features. 1t was found necessary to
make such an apology in advance, because
through long years OF wilful misrepresentation
the rank and file of the Democratic party has
been made to believe that the Washington de-
partments were centres of political corruption.
Scrutiny of the books = for nine months has
failed torcvcal anything &c sustain those whole
sale charges Some of Mr.. Lamar's bureau
Extraordinarily Commissioners Sparks and
Blacl-have made loose assertions in their re-
ports, but the Secretary does not repeat them,
as would be the case were they of much import
ancc.
The greater part of the report is devoted to
review of the problems of Indian government.
Secretary Lamar sees, - did his predecessors,
the pressing need of permanent scheme OF In
dian management, and while he confeoscs pres
cnt inability to recommend plan adequate to
the probable emergencies of the future, he yet
proposes some measures which he deems ncccs-
sary for beginning One of thc,c-the plan
tons when out of proportion to the number of
Indians thcrcon-was first recommended 10y
Secretary KIrkwood The surplus portions of
these lands, he says, should be subject TO sale
a.. =. ...,l, rot the benefit oil the
Indians. OF what remains he recommends that
a part of each reservation be divided into sepa-
rate tracts of suitable size for farms. and allotted
to each individual rs his separate and for II Inn
tied time, inalenablc estate. This would be a
modification of the present tribal system, and
provide a way for its gradual abolition. TO at
once destroy the tribal authority and influence,
and thrust the Indian into competition with all
the interests cashing with his own, would no
doubt quickly dcmOralzc and destroy these
people. Hence the wisdom of adopting a
tentative policy, and that recommended by
Secretary Lamar is certainly n cautious one.
There are altogether 10000 Indians, whose
lands are valued at over 1872, 100000. 1t
osts the Government $6,OOO,0O0 per annum
to govern them, irrespective of the large army
expenditures. II ought to be practicable to get
much better results from that expenditure and
from the property held by the Indians. But
nothing can be accomplished without lcgsla-
ton by Congress, which has been slow to act
AS three-lfths of the public domain, ex-
Guiding Alaska, has passed out Of the owner
ship of the Government, and large proportion
of what remains is untitled for habtatiOn, the
necessity of carefully guarding the land
remaining is evident. More eflrctualy to
accomplish this, Secretary Lamar recommends
the repeal of the Desert Land and the Timber
Culture Acts, and al increase of the minimum
price for sales at private cash entry. Sub
o4ont;o1ltr oil thn Oopn that cnu1I hn 4
from those acts. he says, has been accom-
plshed, and their repeal has been Iecom-
mended before. If the Democrats in Congress
can only. be induced to act on this matter of
guarding the public domain it will be an
excellent thing 1t is noticeable that Secretary
Lamar, like other department. heads, asks for
increased appropriations for employees, and
dwells upon the inadequate salaries and
insufficient number of clerks. What COM
mentary on past Democratic ialsehoods