The Bad Lands cow boy. [volume] (Little Missouri, Dakota [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-1886, 1885-12-17

cies, While the same duties arc devolved upon
all, the deposition of the agents and tue manner
Of their contact with the Indians have muoh 70
CONDITION AND WELFARE
4 The agent who perfunctorily performs MS ouGy
and slothfuily negleots all opportunity 10 az
and falls to inspire them with desire for oeGter
things, Will accomplish nothing IN the dreGt !,n
OF their civilization; while he who feels me Du.
| don OF an important trust, and has On mterest
In bis work. WILL by consistent example. hrm yes
oonsiderate treatment, and well dir eotea aiu
ana reimbursement. continually lead those uI m
his charge toward the light Of civilization. me
history Of all the progress which has peen
made IN the civilization Of the Indian. thimh,
will disclose the fact that the beginning has peen
RELIGIOUS teaching; followed BY or ACCOMPANY
ing secular education, while the self.
and p1ous men and women who have aldea IN
This good work by their independent endeavo 10
their labor, and the consciousness OF Chrlsthh
duty well performed Their valuable services
should be fully acknowledged by all who, unoer
the laws, are charged with the control and man nan,
aRement Of our Indian wards. What has been
said indicates that In the present condition OF
the Indians no attempt should be made to apply
varied and varying needs and circumstances.
The Indian bureau, burdened as 1t Is with their
general oversight and with the details Of the es-
tablishment; can hardly possess itself Of the
minute particulars of cases needing treatment.
and thus the propriety of creating an instru,
mentality auxiliary 70 those already established
| WI oAS Sd1o u Ollb 1uulau5 buREeSeo luaoAl'
PROPOSED COMMISSION.
recommend the passage Of a law authorizing
the appointment OF six commissioners. three OF
| whom shall BIO detailed from the army. to be
charged with tho duty Of careful inspection
from time to time of all the Indians upon our
reservations or subject to the care and control
their exact condition and needs, and deter.
mining What steps shall DO taken on behalf OF
the government to improve their situation IN
the direction of their self-support and complete
|
3nspectton what, II any, Of the reservations may
| be reduced In area, and In such case what part,
not needed for Indian occupation. may be pur-
chased by the government from the Indians and
disposed Of for their benefit; what, If any,
Indians may, with their consent. be removed to
other reservations. with view Of their conoen-
abandoned reser vations: what Indian lands now
held In common should be allotted In severalty:
upon the reservations can be placed under the
projection OF our laws and subjected to their
penalties and which, If any, Indians should be
sas tse
regard to these subjects should be clearly de-
| lined. though they should, in conjunction with
thority, to deal definitely with the questions
presented, deemed safe and consistent They
should also be charged with the duty Of ascer-
T niah me Indians who might properly be fur,
Hhat Kind; IN what cases the support Of the
government should be withdrawn; where the
p lhe plan Of distributing Indian supplies
snonid De changed; where schools may be es-
tabi1shed and where discontinued; the conduct,
method and fitness of agents in charge of res
eeIvstlons; The extent to which such reserva-
Ilons are occupied or lntruded upon by any
METEOROLOGICAL person; and generally all matters
relative to the welfare and management of the
INDIANS. They should advise with the secretary
tne interior concerning these letters of detail
IN MANAGEMENT, and he should be given power
70 deal with them fully. II he IL not vested
WILD such power, this plan contemplates the
1nFY1tc nY1nr
tntereBted In the Indian question, who have
practical ideas on the subject of their treatment
| THE PUBIC DOMAIN
had its origin in cessions Of land by the states
| was made by the State Of New York. and the
largest, whose area exceeded all others, by the
State Ct Virginia. The territory, the proprietor:
government, extended from the western line OF
Pennsylvania to the Mississippi river These
patriotic donations OF the states were incum-
| be held and used for the common benefit Of the
United States" By purchase with the common
ip Inn Of all the people, additions were made to
line Of Mexico, the Pacific ocean and the Polar
sea- The original trust, for the common BEN
eHt Of the United States" attached to ALL In the
homes, rather than large estates, was adopted by
the coverhment. That these might be- easily
obtained and be the abode of security and con-
tentmont. the laws for the acquisition were few,
But the pressure Of local interests, combined
with speculative spirit have. In many in
marred the harmony OF the general plan and
incumbered the system with o multitude Of gen-
e. eral and special enactments which rendered the
ano laws complicated, subjected the titles to
uncertainty and tho purchasers often to op-
preston and wrong. Laws that. were intended
for the common benefit have Been perverted SO
sight ownershipa From the multitude
and character Of the laws this seems incap.
able OF correction by mere administration
u 1s not for the common benefit of the United
States that q large urea OF the public lands
should be acquired directly or through fraud, In
the hands OF single individual. The nation q
ity is in their prosperity; the nations glory is
in the equality Of her Justice: the nations per-
petuity is in the patriotism Of all her people;
the disposal Of public lands should have in view
the original policy which encouraged many pur.
chasers Of these lands for homes and discour-
sivs Of AiasKs About thr useai sselo OF
q subjected t. contract ! Of: era grant; '0e Of
is either mountain or desert. rapidly iucreas-
Ing population creates q growing demand for
homes, and the accumulation Of wealth inspires
collision of interests will be more marked than
In the past, and the execution of the nations
Quilt. therefore commend to your attention Tie
recommendations contained in the report Of the
secretary of the interior, with reference to the
repeal and modification Of certain of
-s&&s,$I OUR LAND LAWS. 5.SF 4 IL
The nation has made princely grants and sub
( sides to system OF railroad projected as great
with the East. It has been charged that these
donations from the people have been diverted to
private gain and corrupt uses, and thus public
gendered. Our great nation does not begrudve
its generosity, but II abhors population and
fraud and the favorable regard Of our people for
the great corporations to which these grants
were made can only be revived by q restoration
of confidence to be secured BIZ their constant,
unequivoosl and early manifested integrity a
faithful application of the undiminished pro.
ceeds5of the grants to the construction and per.
fectfng OF their roads, an honest discharge q;
their obligations and entire Justice to all the
highways OF travel Is all the public asks, and ii
will be content with no less. To secure these
things should be the common purpose of the
porattonA With this accomplishment prosperity
would be permanently secured to the roads, and
national pride would take the place Of national
complaint i - ts55. q !. {.
It appears from the report Of the commits.
sioner Of pensions that there were, on tho flret
day OF July. i $50. 345, 1875 persons borne. upon
The pension rolls, who were classified as follows.
widows, minor children and dependent Aos
relatives q deceased soldiers =. /. ,s41
N,.a! ,s \; 74b
pe1dents Z. l,026
SURVIVORS OF the war Of l812 1880. 295
And widows OF those who served In thnt lg q
war !. II: 1922
About one man In ten Ola those who enlisted
inthe late war are reported as receiving pensions,
exclusive q the dependents Of deceased soldiers
ON the lat Of July. 1876. the number of pen
stoners was 234.621, and the increase within the
ten years next thereafter was Ito. 3O4. While
there ts no expenditure OF public funds
which the people more Scheerfnlly approve
than that made in recognition Of the sery-
ices of our soldiers living aud dead, the
sentiment underlying the subject should not 81
yitiated by the Introduction Of any fraudulent
practices. Therefore 1t is fully as important
that the rolls should bey oleansed OF; all those
who by fraud have secured q place thereon as
that merttortous claims should be speediIY