Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-12-09

continus obiy &. tbe present SLOW pace ana at
great expense, ufIiesa She ssssem and methods OF
management are improved 10 meet the changed
Ibe agents having general charge
a.ss supervision. ID many cases, q
mort thGn 5000 Indians, seat
tie details OF accountability for FUNDS and sup
plies. have time 10 leok otter the Industrial
training and Improvement OF a IT, fndiags Only
the aany are neglected and remaih is'ie. aifd
MISREPRESENTATION not favorable aor progress
or civilization. Tbs compensation allowed these
agents and the conditions Of the service are net
calculated to secure Tor the ForKIaeh. VINO arc
cited by ability and skill 70 properly plan and
-inteti.usptly direct the methods best adapted 10
produce the inast speedy results and PERMANENT
benefits. Hence the necessity Tor supplemented
agency or system, directed ~ the end oil promote
ing the general .na more rapid transition OF
tribes from habits and customs Oh DafbaFlsm 10
the ways OF civilization.
AUXILIARY INbfSF COMMISSION.
With an anxious desire 70 de-
which to secure the welfare OF The Indlsns anu
to relieve this Treasury Is far IS possible from
the support OF an Idle and dependent popula-
ton, / recommended, IN my previous annual
message, the passage Of law alithsrzing the
appointment OF commission as IN n
strumentality, auxiliary TO those already esta05
lished for the care OF the Indians. IL was de-
signed that this commission should pc COM
posed OF SIX intelligent and capable persons,
three TO be detailed from the army. having
practical IDEAS upon me subject OF, the
treatment of Indians and interested IA
their welfare, ana tnad - ,ha ~ sec sp2 2s1s
OF the Interior, with the management OF suen
matters OF detail as can not, with the present or
d acted and Witch tV present different phases as
the Indians themselves differ in their progress,
needs, disposition and capacity for improvement
or immediate self support. By the aid OF Sueh
commission, much unwIse and Useless expendi-
tllre OF money, waste OF materials and Travail.
ing efforts might be avoided; and 1t IS hope5
that this or some measure which the wisdom OF
Congress- may better devise, 10 supply the def
cheney ct the present system, may receive your
consideration, and the appropriate LEGISLATION
be provided The tine e ripe tor tAe WORK OF
s2ch an agency.
EDUCATION OF INDIAN YOUTH.
There is less opposition to the education and
training of the Indian youth, as shown by the
increased attendance upon the schools ana tnere
Is yielding tendency for the in~lVldual holdlng
OF lands. Development and advancement III
these directions are essential and should nave
every endorsement As the rising generation
are taught the language OF CIVILIZATION ana
trained In habits of industry, they should as
sumo the duties, privileges aud responsibilities
OF citizenship.
LANDS IN sEvERALTY.
No obstacle should hinder the location and
settlement of any Indian willing to take iand IN
Seyeralty. On the contrary the inclination TO 90
and expedent, but there is 10 authority OF law Tor
making alloIments on some OF the reservations,
and on others the allotments provided for are so
small that the Indians, though ready and deslr-
ing to settle down, are not willing to accept such
small areas when their reservations contain
ample lands to afford them homesteads OF subj
e ent an szs future needs Th hee inequs
ties of existing special laws
eral legislation on the subject should be pro:
vlded so that the more progressive members OK
the different tribes may be settled upon home
steads, and by their example learn others 70
lnxu hra y az f-6rn fglh1l PnCfnmC
substituting therefor the love OF home, the inter
est OF the family and the rule OF the state Inc
indian character and nature are sucn tnat Ihey
are not easily led while brooding over unad-
justed wrongs. This is especially so regarding
their lands. matters arising from the
construction and operaton Of rail-
and claims OF title and right Of occupancy set up
by white persons TO some Of the best land within
other reservations require legislation for their
anal adjustment The settlement of these mat
ters will remove many emharraSsments 10 pro-
gress in the work OF leading the !nolans 70 the
adoption Of our institutions and bringing them
under the operation, tbs infiuerce and the pro-
lection of the universal laws OF our country.
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN
The recommendations of the Secretary OF the
Interior and the Commissioner OF the General
Land Office looking to the better protection OF
public lands and of the public surveys. the pre-.
servaton OF national forests. the adjudication OF
grants to States and corporations and OF private
land claims and the increased efficiency OF the
punilc iand service are commences ~ me ds AZ
tribution of public lands in limited quantities
among settlers OF res denee and cultivation and
thus make the greatest numbers OF individual
homes was the primary object of the public land
legislation in the early days or the Republic:
This system was simple one II
commenced with an admirable scheme Of
public survives, by which the humblesb citizen
which he wished to establish his home. The
the enterprising, industrious and honest pioneer
citizens OF the country. IL was soon found, how.
ever, that the object of the laws was perverted
under the system of cash sales from a diStribi-
ton of land among the people to an accumuia-
ton of land capital by wealthy and speculative
persons To check this tendency preference
IN inn'' the general raj. Ure-empton act Of
was actual residence and cultivation. Twenty
years later The Homestead laws were devised to
more surely place actual homes in the pos
session Of actual cnltivaors OF the soil. The
land was given without price, the sole condi-
ton being residence Improvement and cultiva-
ton Other laws have followed, each designed
to encourage ; requirement and use of land In
limited indiyi a..l qL Quantities, but in later years
these laws. tn. ough vicious administrative meth
DDS and under changed conditions of communi,
cation and transportation. have been so evaded
and violated that their benefcent purpose
IS threatened with entire dtfeat. The
methods of such evasons and violations
rotary of the Interior and Commissioner OF the
General Land Office. The rapid appropriation OF
our public lands without bona hde settlements
or cultivation, and not only without intention OF
residence, but for the purpose OF their agggre-
CATION in large holdings, in many cases 10 the
hands of foreigners, invites Tie serious and I'M
immediate attention OF the :'DngreaS. I he ener-
pieS of the Land DE DartEeni have been devoted
during the present administration TO remedy
defects AND correct abuses in the public land
service. The results of these efforts so largely
In the nature OF reforms in the pro ess and
methods of our land system rs to prevent ade-
quatc estimates. but 1t appears by compilation
prom the reports OF the Commissioner OF The
General Lana Office that the Immediate effect in
leading cases which have come TO a final termi
nation has Deen the restoration to the mass OF
public lands OF 2,750,00o acres: that 900
acres are embraced IN investigations now pend
ing before the department or the courts, and
that action OF Congress has been asked 10
effect the restoration of 27ao,0G0 acres addi-
uonal, beside which 100000 acres have been
Withheld from reservation and the rights OF
entry thereon maintained. ! recommend the
REPEAL OF TIE PERCEPTION ND TIMBER
CULTURE ACTS.
and that the Homestead laws be 81 amended rs
! TO better secure compliance with and cultivation
| for the period Of five years from date of entry
without communication or provision FOR specu-
repeal of the Desert Land laws, unless il
shall! be the pleasure of the Congress 10 so amend
these laws as to render them less liaDle to abuse
The facility with which transfers are made re-
suit land accumulation instead ofiaDd distribu-
ton, and that the public domain be secured to
settlers, it may be deemed advisable to provide
alienation of vested rights and lands covered
thereby until patents issue.
FENCING PUBLIC LAND.
] Last year an executive proclamation was is
suec directing The removal OF fences
Many of these have been removed
~ obedience to such order, but much of the pub
lie land still remains within the lines Of these
unlawful fences. The ingenious methods re
sorted TO In order TO continue these trespasses
and the hardlhood of the pTeJenses by which, In
some cases such enclosures are justified, are
fully detailed In the report of the Secretary Of
the Interior. The removal OF the fences still re-
manning, which enclose pablc lands, will be en-
forced with all the authority ana means with
winch the executive branch of the Government
is OF shall be invested by the Congress for that
purpose.
GOVERNMENT PENSIONS.
! The report of the Commissioner of Pen
;sions contains a detailed and most sat
isfactory. exhibit of the operations Of
the Pension Bureau. During the last
largest In any year since the organization OF the
bureau; and it has been done at less cost than
during the previous year IN every division. On
Ine SGth day OF June, 1851 there we're Ss55Sa
Since 1861 there have been 1,O1s,735 ap-
plicatlons for pensions filed, Of which
1854 were based upon service In the War OF
allowed. including Colts 10 the soldiers Of 1912
and their widows. The total amount paid for
pensions since 1861 is Ss0S. 624 ei7.57. The num-
Der Of new pensions allowed during the year
number than has been allowed IN any year
save one, since 1861. The names OF 2 229 pension
ers which had been previously dropped from the
rolls were restored during the year, and after de-
various causes net increase remains for the
year OF 20,655 names. From January I, 1851, to
December |, 1885, 1867 private pension acts had
seen passed, since the aforementioned date and
during the last session OF The Conprnsg c44 supt