The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-07
THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
Abstract of the Information Contained
in Secretary Lamar's Report.
Recommendations as to Indians, National
Highways and PensiOns-0peratiOns of
the General Land Office.

ment from the 7th Of March to the 1st of No
vember of this year, Secretary Lamar devotes
considerable space to a presentation of the
operations of the Indian Bureau. He refers to
the agreement between the Secretaries of War
and the Interior, by which General Crook was to
have control of the Apaches, which the General
gave to public notice a few days ago, and says 1t
was not as productive of good as had been
anticipated, and a return to the old arrangement
was determined on in May. The Secretary
recommends that the rebellious Chiricahuas be
removed to some place where they can be more
securely guarded. After presenting the
conditions of the several tribes, their
wants and necessities, and the legal aspects of
the question of leases of Indian lands, the Secre-
tary recommends the allotment of a portion
of reservation lands in severalty to the
Indians, with no power to sell or lease within a
certain time, and of reducing the proportions OF
reservation which are out of all due proportion
20 the number of Indians thereon.
my recommendation" he says, ''that only a
portion of each reservation be divided into sepa-
rate tracts, as stated above, is based upon the con-
viction that we mus, lead the Indians into holding
lands in severalty by ripening their right of occu-
pancy under their communal system into a fee
simple by a gradual process, and not by the
sudden abolition of a system which is with them
a religion as well as a law of property.
81 am of the opinion that the service could
be greatly improved and much expensive mis-
management avoided by the appointment of a
commission, Of not exceeding six men,
three to be selected from the officers of the
army, whose duty it shall be, under the direc-
ton and Instructions of the Secretary of the
Interior, to visit each of the reservations and
investigate and report to him the condition,
peculiar circumstances, and needs of the In
dams residing thereon"
Upon the subject of the Oklahoma lands
Secretary Lamar says the commission authorized
to treat with the Seminoles. Creeks and Chero-
KEGS for the purpose of opening their lands to
settlement, should not be appointed until the
boomers and all other unlawful bodies of men
have been restrained.
'"That which gives security to life and property
is the spirit of the law. Nothing is more danger
Gus, more fatal to rights of property and per-
sonal safety and public order, than a spirit of
lawlessness. The manifestations of the latter
danger should be checked at all times, until the
rule of law becomes the daily rule of conduct for
our people. The outlaws and depredators, who
imagine they can override the law and violate
treaty obligations with the Indians, will discover
the impossibility of success when they find them
selves confronted by the law of the land,
strengthened blythe civil and military arm and
backed by the moral sentiment of a just people"
In reference to the management Of the land
grant and subsidized railroads., the Secretary
says:
ITO secure a good system of national highways
for the use of all the people was the primary OBJ
jeet of the government grants. subsidies, and
loans of credit to the several Western railways.
Direct D ecuniary profit to the government was
little contemplated; still less was it intended that
the system should be appropriated to the enrich
ing the few at the expense of the many.
In a free republic the rights of each citizen on
the public highway are equal. Discrimination
between individuals under like circumstances is
not equality-not within the intent of the national
grants. Neither should the interest of the stock
holders alone be considered regardless of the in
terests of the people. The field of future inves-
tigation might well include how the great fran
chises granted by the Nation are conducted with
reference to the convenience, wants and necessi-
ties of the people whose interests they were in
tended to promote"
AS to the much discussed pension payments,
Secretary Lamar observes:
Upon the presentation by the Commissioner
Of Pensions of his report for the past fiscal year,
and his estimates for the ensuing year, | was
startled by the magnitude of the sums required.
But a close examination of the details of the re-
port and estimates showed me that the amounts
asked for were really less by 2 1000, 900 to SIS, 000,-
600 than those appropriated in one guise and an
VthSA " eHc pcot ) q yCV Ilp puulClcuU
to meet the probable demands of the service. /
recognize that a strong effort is being made to
bring up this long retarded business to the cur
rent time, that great expedition has been given
to the settlement of claims. and that the esti-
mates seem reasonable and just, and therefore
l recommend that the amounts asked for be
granted.
From a statement in the report of the Com
missioner it appears that the amount of money
paid as pensions does not equal the amount of
interest paid upon the public debt incurred dur
ing the war. So long as the premium paid to
those who contributed the money exceeds that
paid to the defenders of the country, | think the
complaint of excessive pensions is not well
founded"
During the past fiscal year there were 81. 6SS
applications for patents, trade marks, etc., filed,
and "A, 357 issued or registered. the total receipts
being $l,074, 974 80. The Secretary recommends
an increase of force and pay in the Patent Office.
To obtain the information necessary to the
economic establishment of mining operations. a
geological survey of the United States has been
organized under authority OF law. Already it
IS shown that the survey has effected important
results by developing a knowledge of the re-
sources Of the country, on the basis of which
mining enterprises are established. The work
thus begun should be prosecuted with vigor, and
the survey should be speedily extended over the
entire country. The total value of the mineral
product of the country in 1884 was $413. 104. $40.
The work of the tenth census is still grinding
along, but the Secretary makes no recommends
tiOS ~ COutlIu0 IL Tic pFcSeuI dpprOprld-
ton is exhausted.
The F~reedmen's Hospital last year treated l, 794
patients, and the Government Hospital for the
Insane, 1,466. The Columbia Institution for
the Deaf and Dumb had 127 pupils under in
Rtruction during the year; eight feeble-minded
children and ten blind persons were maintained
In neighboring State institutions.
In regard to the Hot Springs hospital, the de-
iects IN construction will be -emedied, and over
payments heretofore made on false estimates.
will be recovered. The Acknowledgement decides
that the Secretary of the Interior is authorized
to make new leases. The present daily flow of
hot water is 500, 600 gallons, but most of it is be-
low the grade OF the lighthouses, and is not
available.
To maintain Yellowstone Park in it's present
grandeur and beauty. the establishment of a
court In the park is recommended, with iurisdic-
tion over offenses committed within its borders.
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