The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-12-17

ments provided for are 80 small thai ina Inta
sm ready and desiring to settle down. are not
~ wliiIue 70 accept such small areas when their
reservations contain ample lands to aiforI than,
homestcads or sufficient size to meet their nres
sns sns anu tneure needs These inequalities OF ex-
sstinE special laws and treaties should he cn1
rected and some general lerisintinn IN ,ha s,,h ~
lect should be provided so that the more nro.
sassse t members OF the different tribes NAV be
iearn o,nu Lpun nefnesteads, and by their example
customs and substituting therefor love of home.
sneerest OF the family and rule OF tho state Tbe
sre rn, oa.acoer and nature are such that they
ins. n.s n9e easily led while brooding over unad-
USED wrongs. This is especially SO regarding
s,s,,a. sIua anos. Matters arising from the con-
~ and operation of railroads across some
ot the reservations and claims Of title and rirht
" ~ occupancy set up by white persons to Some Of
tne pest land within other reservations, require
sr,,t IN tor their final adjustment. The set
% %parrassmeuts to progress in the work of leading
va Indians to the adoption of our institutions
anu ~ bringing them under the operation the in
unence and the protection of the universal laws
Oh our country.
THE PUBLIC LANDS
~ tne recommendations of the secretary of the
,u iueeiloI ~, ana the commissioner of the general
land once looking to the better projection Of
pubic lards and of the public SURVEYS. the
preservation of the national forests, the adiufli
ca'.om c OF grants to states and corporations and
y, prLYabe iand claim and the increased etfi-
cheney oil the public land service are com 1nended
20 lhe attention of congress To secure the widest
tIa1 thiseriDution OF public lands in limited quantt-
Ties among settlers Of residence and cuItiyation
and thus make the greatest number of in 1ivid-
nal q, homes, was the primary object OF the pub
NC iand legislation in tho early days of the re-
menced with an admirable scheme of pnhIic
iand survey by which the humblest citizen
% souiu IDENTIFY the tract upon which he wished
ms home The price of lands was
placed within the reach OF all the ense-pris1nr.
ndustrlous and honest pioneer citizens of the
s1anSry; sp9 u was soon. however, found that the
epoyece e OF tne laws was perverted under the sys-
sein OF cash sales from distribution Of land
among the people to an accumulation of land
S;apitai by wealthy and speculative persons.
10 check this tendency preference right Of
plan which illuminated In the general pre-emp-
ton act OF 1e4l. The foundation OF this system
vS vas actual residence and cultivation. Twenty
more surely place actual homes In the possess
sion OF actual cultivators Of the soil The land
- - gwen without price, the sole conditions be-
Other laws have followed, each designed to en-.
courage the requirement and use Of land in lin
h .sea individual 1sa Quantities But in late years
ihesc laws. through vicious administrative
methods and under changed conditions of com
nunication and transportation, have been 40
Naded and violated that their beneficent pur-
pose ls threatened with entire defeat. The
Methods OF such evasions and violations are set
iorth in detail in the reports OF the secretary Of
ne Interior and commissioner of the general
ana once. The rapid appropriation of our pub
10 LANDS without bona fide settlements or CIV
ilzation. and not only without intention Of res
dence, put for the purpose of their aggregation
n large holdings IN many cases in the hands of
oreigners. invite the serious aud immediate at
entlon OF congress. The earnings of the land
department. have been devoted during the pres
'nt administration to remedy defects and
CORRECT ABUSES
n the public land service. The results of these
tnorts are so largely in the nature of reforms in
:he practice and methods OF our land system as
70 prevent adequate estimates; but it appears
missioner OF the general land office that the i'm
Mediate effect In leading cases which have come
20 final termination has been the restoration
20 the masses of public lands aggregatinv
AT5O,OoO acres: that ., $40 900 acres are en-
oraccd In Investigations now pending before the
department or the courts, and that action OF
congress has been asked to effect the restoration
u 2. 100000 acres additional: besides which
1000, 900 acres have been withheld from rcserva-
ilon and the rights OF entering thereon main
aimed l recommend the repeal of the pre-
HmpIlon anu t1mDer-culture acts, and that the
homestead law be 80 amended as to require res
dence for the period of five years from date of
sntrv without coinmutatiou or provision for
lpecuiatlVe REIMBURSEMENT. also recommend
me repeal of the desert land laws, unless it
,hall be tho pleasure of congress to SO amend
:hese laws as to render them less liable to abuse
As the chief motive for the evasion of the laws
Ind The principal cause Of their result in land
tccumulation instead of land distribution IL the
aciilty with which transfers are made of the
light Intended to be secured to settlers 1t NAV
be deemed advisable to provide by legislation
lome guards and checks upon the alination of
rested rights and lands covered thereby until
satenl slssue Last year an executive proclama-
don was issued directing the removal of fences
which inclosed the public domain Many of
ihese have been removed in obedience to such
,rder. but much OF the public land still remains
within the lines of these unlawful fences The
ingenious methods resorted to in order to con-
'inuc these tres,jasses and the hafdihood of the
)retenses by which in cases such IN
closures are justified are fully detailed in the
eport of the secretary of the interior. The re-
noval of the fences still remaining which in
;lose public lands win be enforced with all the
authority and means with which the executive
branch of the government is or shall lie invested
~ congress for that purpose.
PENSIONS.
The report OF the commissioner of pensions
# the operations Of the pension bureau during
'he last fiscal year. The amount OF work done
vas the largest in any year since the organi.a-
ion of the bureau: and it has been done at less
cost than during The previous year in every divi-
ion On June 80, 1856, there were 1865, ,7S3
tensions on the rolls Of the bureau. Since 1861
lions filed, of which 1854 were based up n
'eryice in The war of 1872: there were 621 ,754
Il these applications allowed, including co.,! l!s
otal all amount mount paid pa for pensions since % 1851 Ia Ia
ss0s, ,624, 4,s11.5Z The number OF new pensions
iliowed ilo% durlng Il the year ended June 30,
sa has been aes' allowed in any nu%ssF nssF
ave ono since 1865. The names of 1920 pen
honers which had been previously dropped
rom @ the rolls were restored % during the year "a
iame time tor various causes, a net increase
mains for the year OF 2O659 names. From Jan.
!, 1S61, to Dec. l, ss5. l,967 private pension
let's had hecn passed. Since the aforementioned
late and during the last session OF the congress,
~ such acts became laws. 1t seems TO me
that no one can examine our pension establish
nent and its operations without being con-
rinced that through its instrumentality justice
IAN be very nearly done To all who are entitled
inder present laws to the pension bounty of the
government. But it is undeniable that cases
,xist well entitled to relief in which tho PEN
lion bureau is powcrless to relieve The really
worthy cases OF the class are such as only lack
which the law and regulation OF the bureau re-
luire, or which. though their merit is ap-
parent, for some other reason cannot be
ustl, dealt with through general laws. These
conditions fully justify application to the con-
sress and special enactments, but report to the
congress for special pension act to overrule the
deliberate and careful determination of the pen
lion bureau on the merits or to secure favorable
lction when 1t could not be expected under the
most liberal execution of general laws 1t must
,e admitted opens the door to allowance IS ;e, OF
i've and executive branches Of the government
applications clearly not within the law. and
,lainly devoid OF merit, but go surrounded by
lard TO resist. suppose 1t will not be denied
.hat many claims for pension are made without
merit. and that many have been allowed uron
fraudulent representations. This has been de-
.lared by the pension bureau, not only in this
but in prior administrations. The usefulness
md the Justice OF any system for the disribu-
hon Of pensions depend upon the equality and
Uniformity of its operation. 1t will be seen
from the report Of the commissioner that there
IRE now paid by the government l3l different
ates OF pensions. He estimates. from the
,est Information he can obtain. that 5000 of
;hese who have served In the army and navy OF
he United States are now
SUPPORTED, IN WHOLE Or IN PART,
rom public funds. or by organized charities, ex
.lusiYo Of those In soldiers homes under the
iirection and control OF the eoTernment. Only
Is per cent Of these arc pensioners. while of the
sumber Of men furnished tor the late war me
hing like 20 per cent, including their Widows
and relat, $ es, have been or now are III the re-
.oipt Of pensione. Tho American people, with n
patriotic and grateful regard for our ex-sodiers,
zoo broad and too sacred to be memorized by
INV spect. Al advocate, are not OILY willing but
,nxions that equal and exact Justice should De
h, done To all honest claimants for pensions