Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-12-18


~ what manner and TO what extent tho Indians
upon the reservations can be placed under the
protection OF our laws and subjected to their
Invested with the right Of citizenship. The
powers ana functions OF tho commissioners ii,
xesaId % these subjects should be clearly de-
the secretary OF the interior be give,, an the au-
thor1ty to deal definitely with the cues
g1t presented, deemed safe and consistent.
uney should also be charged wish tho duty Of
ascertain; ing the Indians who might properly be
iurn1sned With implements Of agriculture and
OF what kind: Ia what cases the support OF the
governments should be withdrawn: where the
present plan Of distributing Indian supplies
shouil be changed: where schools may be- es-.
taoilshed and where discontinued; the conduct
metnods and fitness OF agents In charge Of res
etVa1lons; the extent to which such reserva-
tions are occupied or intrnded upon BY every un-
authorised person, and generally all matters
relative to The welfare and management Of the
Indians. They should advise with the secretary
OF the interior concerning these letters Of detail
IN management, and be should be given power
to deal with them fully. II he Is NOT vested
WIEN such power, this plan contemplates the
Interested In the Indian question, who have
practical ideas on the subject Of their treatment
I me expense Of the Indian bnreal1 during the
heve much of this expenditure NAV be saved
under the plan proposed: that its economical
euects would be increased with its continuance;
that the safety of cur frontier settlers would
be subserved under Its operation, and that the
nation would be saved through it's results from
tho 1mputation OF inhunaniLy. injustice and
n'1smanagement. In order to carry out tho pol
Icy OF allotment. Of Indian lands in, severalty
ana when deemed axpedieDt, twill be necessary
TO nave surveys completed of the reservations
and hope that provision will be made for the
prosecution OF this work. In May Of the pres
en5 year a small portion Of :.
TILE CHRICAHUA APAcHEs, g.
on the White Mountain reservation In Arizona,
left the reservation and coz mitred number OF
a nntt Inr,, In,
that nelghborhood. Though prompt and 'ener-
HetIc action was taken By the miEsasy the rene
gades elnded capture and escaped into Mexico
The formation OF TITO country through which
these Indians passed-tbo speed Of their escape
and the manner in which they scattered and
concealed themselves among the mountains
at great disadvantage in their efforts to cap
ture them, though the expectation IL still enter
tslned that they will be ultimately taken and
punished for their crimes. The threatening and
disorderiy conduct Of the Cheyeunes OF tho
Indian Territory last summer caused consider
able alarm and nneasness Investigation proved
that their threatening attitude was due. in a
great measure. to the occupation of the land Of
the reservation by immense herds Of cattle,
which their owners claimed were rightrully
theirs. under certain leases made by the Indians
TO be unlawful, Notwithstanding these leases,
the intluders were ordered to remove with their
cattle from the lands Of the Indians by executive
proclamatlon; The enforcement Of this procla-
nation nad the effect Of restoring peace among
Inc Indians, and they are now quiet and we'll
behaved. BY al executive order issued on Feb.
~, 1889, by nv predecessor, portion Of the
tract OF country in the territory. known as the
old EinnebaZo and Crow Creek reservations
Was directed to BE- res tored to the public domain
and opened to settlement under the land laws Of
entered upon these lands: This action alarmed
the Sioux Indians who claimed the territory as
belonging to THEM reservation, under The treaty
OF 1865. This claim was determined, after
careful Investigation, to he well founded, and,
consequently, the executive order referred to
was, by proclamation OF April II, 1885, de-
persons upon the land were warned to leave
with. Np
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN
bad Its origin in sessions Of land by the states
to the general government. The first cession
was made by the State of New York, aud the
largest whose area exceeded all others, by the
ship OF which became thus vested in the general
government, extended from the western line Of
Penns wanna to the M1ssisgippi river. These
patriotic donations Of the states were incum-
bered with no condition except that they should
be held and used For the common benefit OF the
United States" By purchase with tho common
tund or all the people additions were made to
This domain until II extended to the northern
line Of Mexico, the Pacific ocean and the Polar
sea- The original trust, For the common ben
e1t OF the United S1atea," attached to all. the
execution Of that trust, the policy Of many
homes rnther than large estates was adopted by
the government That these might be easily
obtained and be the abode Of security and con-
sentMent. the laws for the acquisition were few,
easily understood and general in their character
But the pressure OF local interests, combined
with speculative spirit have In many in
stances, procured tie passage Of laws which
marred the harmony OF the general plan and
1ncumbered the system with multitude Of gen.
e1al and special enactments which rendered the
land laws complicated. subjected the titles to
certainty aud the purchasers often to oppression
and wrong. Laws that were intended for the
common benefit" have been perverted SO
that large quantities Of land are vesting
and character OF the laws this seems 1ncap-
ave OF correction by mere administration
II 1s not for the common benefit Of the United
states that q large area of the public lands
should ne acquired, directly or through fraud, in
the hands of single Individual The nation
strength Is in tho people; the nations prosper
1ty Is IN their prosperity: the nations Rlory1s
patulty is In the patriotism Of all her people;
hence as far as practicable the plan adopted for
The disposal OF public lands should have in view
chasers Of these lands for homes aud discouraged
the mass1ng Of large areas, exclusive of Alaska.
About three-t1fths of the national domain has
been sold or subjectedto contract or grant: Of
The remaining tWO-ffths considerable portion
Is either mountain or desert. A rapidly increas-
Ing population creates a growing demand for
homes, and the accumulation Of wealth inspires
an eager competition to obtain this public land
for speculative purposes. In the future this
collision OF interests will be moro marked than
In the past. and the execution Of the nations
cule. therefore commend to your attention the
recommendations contained In my report Of the
secretary OF the interior. with reference to the
repeal and modification Of certain Of
OUR LAND LAWS.
The nation has made princely grants and sub
aides to system OF railroad projected as great
national highways to connect the Pacific states
with the East. It hiss been charged that these
donations from the people have been diverted to
private gain and corrupt uses, and thus public
Indignation has been aroused and suspicion en-
It's generosity but 1t abhors POPULATION and
fraud and the favorable regard Of our people for
tho great corporations to which these grants
were made Can only be revived by restoration
OF confidence TO be secured by their constant,
unequlyOcal and early manifesteds integrity. "A
faithful application OF the undiminished pro-
ceeds OF the grants to the construction and per-
fectine Of their roads, an honest discharge of
their obligations and entire justice TO all the
people III the enjoyment Of their rights on the
highways OF travel is all the pubic asks and sit
things should be the common purpose OF tho
on1cers OF the government as we'll as Of the cor
porations. With this accomplishment prosperity
would he permanently secured to the roads, and
national pride would take the place OF national
comp! aint. ~
PENSIONS. :,
It appears from the report Of tho commits
gioner OF pensions that there were, on the first
day Of July, 1885. 345, 1875 persons borne upon
Inc pension rolls, who were classified as follows
Army 1nvalids. .::........ .......... .241, 456
Widows, piuor children and dependent !:
relatives OF deceased soldiers. 7s,s41
Navy lnva!ids. .:....... .:.............. 2,7d5
Navy widows, minor children and de-
pent'ents. :..:............ ........... 1926
Survivors Of the war Of 1872 " 235
And widows OF those who SCI we'd In that
war ............:,.... x.....,. =. 1912
About one man in ten OF all those who en-
listed in the late war or reported as receiving
pensions, exclusive of the dependents OF de-
ceased soldiers. On the first OF July, 1875, the
number OF pensioners was 23a, s21, ana the
increase within the ten years next thereafter
was no. sol While there is no expenditure Of
public funds which the people more chcorfully
approve than that made in recognition Of the
services OF our soldiers living and Dead the
sentiment underlying the subject. should not be