The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-12-16

the appointment OF commission as an IN
tablished for the cirr "f the Indians. IL was
designed that this commission should be COM
posed OF six intellgeut and capable persons,
three to DO detailed from tho army. having
practical ideas upon the sue ec6 of the
treatment OF lnLians ana Interested ia
their welfare, and that II should
be charged, under the direction OF the Secretary
of the Int rior, with tho management Of such
matters IL detail rs cannot. with the present
organization, be properly ana successfully con-
Quoted, and which present different bases, az
the Indians themselves differ in their progress.
needs, disposition. and capacity for improvement
or immediate self-support. by the aid of such
commission much unMise and useless eNpendi-
ture of money waste OF materials and unavail-
ing efforts might he avoided; ana II is hoped
that this or some measure which the wisdom OF
Congre SIS may better devise, 20 supply the den
cheney Of the present system, may receive your
consideration, end that appropriate legislation
be provided The time is ripe for the work OF
such an ag ancy
EDUCATION OF INDIAN YOUTH.
There is less opposition To the education and
training OF the Indian youth, as shown by the
increased attendance upon tho schools and
there is IA yielding tendency for the individual
holding Of lands Development and advance
ment IN these dire ton arc essential. aud
should have every encouragement. As tho
rising generation are taught the language OF
civilization, and trained in habits of industry,
they should assume the duties, privileges, and
responsibilities OF citizenship
LANDS IN SEVERALTY.
No obstacle should hinder the location and
settlement OF any indians willing TO take land in
severalty On the out'Hry, the inclination TO
do So should be stimulated at all times by
proper eXpedients; but there is no authority OF
law for making allotments on some OF the res
erVatiOus and others the ailOtmcntS pro-
vded for small that the Indians, though
ready and desiring TO settle down are not will
ing 70 accept such small areas when their res
II, atiOns contain ample lands 70 afford them
homesteads OF sufficient size to meet
their present and future needs. The in
qualities OF existing special laws
al..V h.. 4
general legislat on the subj CT should be
provided, SO that the more progressive members
OF the different tribes may be sett ell upon
homes eads, and by their example teach others
10 follow, breaking away from tribal customs
and substituting therefor the love of home, the
int of the family and the rule OF tho state.
The Indian character and nature are such that
they are not easily led while brooding over
unadjusted wrongs. This is specially so re-
garding their lands Matters arising from
tue construction and operation OF rail-
roads across OF the reservations.
and claims OF title and right Of occupancy set up
by white peIsons TO some of the best land within
other reservations, require legislation for their
final adjustment. The settlement OF these mat
tiers will remove many embarrassments 10 pro-
gress in the work OF leading the Indians q the
adoption of our institutions md bringing them
under the operation, the influence ana the pro-
lection OF the universal laws of our country.
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
The recommendations of the II cretary of the
Interior and the Commissioner of the General
Land Otlce, looking 20 the better protection of
public lands aud of the public surveys, the
preservation Of national forests, the Rdludica-
q OF grants TO states and corporations, and of
private lUnd claims, and the Increased efficiency
OF the public lands service, are commended
10 the attention of Congress. To secure the
widest distribution of public lands in limited
quantities among settlers of residence and
cultivation, and thus make the creates num-
bers OF individual homes, was the primary
object OF tue pablo land legislation in the early
days OF the Republic Tits system was IL
simple one. It commenced with an admir..b
scheme Of puOlic surveys by which the hum
blest citizen could identify the tract upon
which he wished TO establish his home The
price OF iands was placed within the reach of all
tn enterprisiug, industrious aid honest pioneer
citizens or the country. IL was soon found, how
ever, that the OBJECT OF the laws WAS perverted
under the system of cash sales from distribu-
tion of land among the people TO an accumula-
ton Of land capital by wealthy and speculative
persC 10 check this tendency preference
right OF purchase was given to settlers on
the land. plan which eliminated
in the general rre-emption act of
1911. The foundation @. this system
was actual residence and cultivation. Twenty
years later the homestead laws We're devised
70 more surely place actual homes III the posses
sion o; actual cultivators ef tn soil The land
given without price, tho sole condition
being residence, imp ovement and cultivation.
other laws have followed each designed to
encourage the requirement and use OF land in
limited nd,vidual quantities but in later years
tAese laws, through vicious administrative
methods and U2der changed conditions of COM
muncatOn and transportation have been SO
evuded AMI violated that their benefceut pur-
pose is threatened with entire defeat The
methods Il such cyHsions and valuations
set forth in detail in the reports OF the Sec
rotary OF the Interior and Commissioner of the
General Land Office. The rapid appropriation OF
our public lands without bona fiGe settlements
or cultivation, End o. only without intention Of
residence, but for the purpose of their aggrega-
ton IN large holdings, in many cases 1 the
hands OF foreigners, invites the serious and
immediate attention OF Congress. The energies
OF the Land Department nave been devoted
during the present administration TO remedy
defects and correct abuses in the public land
service. he results Of these efforts largely
in the nature OF reforms in thn process and
methols of our land system as 10 prevent Hde-
quate estimates, but it appears, 10y n compilation
from tho reports Of the Commissioner Of the
General Land Office, that the immediate eff CT in
leading cases which have come to Il III terlni-
nation has been the restoration TO the mass of
public lands OF 2,750,OOO acres that 2,37U, 40
acres are embraced in Investigations now pond
in before the department or the cOu,ts, and
that action OF Congress has been asked 70
effect the restoration OF 2,79O,U0l acres addi-
tional, besides which 80 900 acres have been
withheld from reservation and the rights of
entry thereon maintained recommend the
REPEAL OF THE rRG-EMPTIoN AND TIMBER
CULTURE ACTS,
and TINT the homestead laws be so amended rs
70 better secure compliance, and cultivation
for the period of five years from date Of entry
without Communication or provision for spt cula-
tive reinquis hment. also recommend the
peul Of the desert land laws unless il shall
be the pleasure of Congress to so amend
these laws 10 render them less liable TO
abuse. The facility with which transfers are
made results In land accumulation instead of
land distribution and that the public domain
be secured To settlers, il may be deemed advis-
able TO provide by legislation some guards
and checks upon the alienation Of vested
rights nnd lands covered thereby until patents
issue.
FENCING PUBLIC LANDS
Last year an eX cuJive proclamation was is
sued directing the removal If fences which
Enclosed the public domain. Many of
these have been removed. in obedience
TO such order, but much of the public land still
remains within the lines Of these unlawful
fences. The ingenious methods resorted TO in
order TO continue these trespasses, and the har-
dihood Of the pretenses by which, in some
cases, such Enclosures are justified are fully de-
tailed in the report of the Secretary of the Inte-
rior. The removal Of the fences still remain
ing. which inclose public lands will be enforced
with all the authority and means with which
the executive branch Of the Government is or
snail be invested by the Congress for thai pur-
pose.
GOVERNMENT PENSIONS.
The report Of the Commissioner Of Pensions
contains n detailed 0nd most satisfactory ex-
hibit Of the operations Of the Pension Bureau
During the last fiscal year the amount OF work
done was the largest in any year since the or
ganization Of the bureau; and il has been done
at less cost than during the previous wear In
every division. On the 30th day of June. 1886.
there we're 3G5,7S3 pensioners on the rolls Of the
bureau. Since 1861 there have been LOIS 735
applications for pensions filed Of which
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