The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-12-11
Bubble affairs.
nEpARrMENr REpoRTs.
Annual Statements of the Secretary of
the Interior ana other Officers.

the Interior ana Other Officers
WASHINGTON, December 5.-The re-
port of the Secretary of the Interior, a
pamphlet of seventy-eight pages, begins
with discussion of Indian affairs. The
Secretary says there is at this time state
of general quiet, among the Indians, and
that there has been steady, though not
rapid improvement in their moral, material
and intellectual condition. The average
attendance of children in the schools is
about 1000 greater than heretofore.
"The Cheyenne and Arapahoe Reservation
in the Indian Territory, says the Secre-
tary, furnishes a striking illustration of
this Improvement. During the year 1885,
as l stated in my last annual report, these
Indians were SO restless and threatening as
to require precautionary measures to pre-
vent open hostilities. During the past
year quiet and order have prevailed upon
the reservation. There has been an in
crease of over 1 500 acres in cultivation;
farms have been fenced by Indians, who
have built for this purpose 100 miles of
fencing. They have cut and put up for
winter use more than 400 tons Of hay; have
hauled over 100000 lbs. of freight from
the railroad to the agency, and have over
$50 more of their children in schools.
The reduction in estimates for the Indian
service. over 1922 900 for the ensuing
year and 81, 719, 176 less than the previous
year, is also cited as an indication of i'm
provement. Radical changes in our Indian
policy are urged in order to secure the in
corporation of the Indian tribes into the
mass of the population, the leading princi-
pies of which are the substitution of indi-
vidual for tribal rights in property, eduea-
ton and the enforcement of law among
them, for the protection of persons and
property. The passage of a law providing
for a commission to visit the Indian reser-
vations is strongly urged. The work of
locating the Indians on lands in seYeralty
Is being pushed with activity, Quite a
number have taken up homesteads under
the homestead laws. The intrusion of I'M
authorized persons in the Oklahoma
country has been checked and the country
cleared of trespassers of all kinds. The
Secretary recommends that the salary of
the commissioner of Indian affairs be in
creased from $4,000 to $4,000.
With reference to the public lands, the
Secretary calls attention to the fact that
many Of the surveys are unreliable,
With reference to Mexican land grants,
the Secretary says, the land commissioner
"invites attention to the reports of the sur
veyors-general of New Mexico, Arizona and
California in reference to private land
claims. These officers concur in the general
statement that many false and baseless
claims have been imposed upon the gov
ernment, aud that apparently, as rule,
the boundaries and extent of claims, even
when resting on approved titles, have been
expanded to include immense areas not
embraced in the original concessions, ex-
ceeding in some instances by many times
the quantity which, under the laws of
Spain and Mexico, the executive authori-
ties 6alPnwer to grant.
From the results Of inyestigations
dered by the commissioner the SecJetafy
concludes that at would he policy to sub,
nit all previously reported claims to the
test of thorough examination by the land
department before the final action of Con-
gress.
As shown by the report of the commits
sioner Of the general land office, 375 I'M
lawful Enclosures, containing an area of
soms G,410,000 aeres, have been brought
to attention up to the present time, 1t is
believed that this does not represent nearly
the area Illegally inclosed, Proceedings to
compel removal have been brought involv-
ing 2,250,0 900 acres, DEGREES have been
obtained for removals from more than !, :
100000 acres. Cases embracing $780,
900 acres are pending examination, and
from part of these fences are now being
removed The Presidents proclamation
and the action of the agents of the de-
partmept have arrested the further appro-
priation of the public lands by these un-
lawful Enclosures.
REPORT OF THE U. S. TREASURER. q
The animal report of the United States
treasurer places the net receipts of the
government for the year ended June Both,
1886, at $3.50, 439 ,727; net expenditures
S242, 493, 1873; excess of revenue over ex-
penditures S93, 1885, $50. Increase of net
receipts oyer those of 1855 of $50, 4a2, al7, !
90. Receipts on account Of the Postofiiee
Department, not included in the above
statement, amounted to $50, 1897, 135, an
increase of $5,687, 1893 over those of the
preceding year; the expenditures increased
| from $50, 326, 314 in 1885 to $50 1882 ,5s5
in 1886, or s356,271. Bonds of the
United States amounting to S44 ,531 $50
were redeemed and applied to the sinking
fund. The balance in the treasury at the
close of the year ended September Both,
1886, was 500, 055, 775, an increase over
that of 1885 of $16,S15,636, The treas
urer SAYS aWithout discussing the con,
sequent possible arrangement of our exist
ing financial system if the purchases for
the sinking fund are to be maintained at
their present figures, it will be found to
be impracticable to make these purchases
at such times and in such manner as to re.
lieye the money market in times of financial
distress, A remedy should be found and
adopted with the coming session of Con
gress, because the evil complained Of will
| be upon us before its next meeting, and the
treasury left without any means of supply.
ing the urgent needs of the country" The
treasurer says that by the present method
of estimating the sinking fand charge, tbs
entire debt will be retired by the year 90s
If the proposed method be adopted the
debt viii be extinguished by the year 913
The total amount of United States notes
outstanding at the close of the fiscal yeal
was 1916, 681, 016.
The treasurer again calls attention to the
fact that in the so-called reserve vault
lies SAT ,89s, 0OOof paper money prepared
for issue without authority of law, and he
advises legislation to permit Of its lega
disposition. He recommends that all ex
pense attending the issue of certificates o.
deposit be borne by the banks who ar'
: benefited.
i With the further objection that the &C
cumulation of the large amounts held in tn,
treasury renders it the constant object o.
attack, and at no remote day great source
of danger to the best financial interests o