Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-12-10

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... subjected 90 nearly MS many different modr-
ID treatment and discipline. and ARE far too
f....n removed from the control aud regulation of
.Ie government So FAR us they are entitled Co
movement and reformation, thr government is tt-
-t.H-IuIr to them and society that these things ho
forthcoming but this duty can scarcely hg dis
charged without more absolute control and diiec
t.uu THAN is possible under the present system
MANY ui our good citizens have Interested them
selves. with the most beneficial results, 100 the
.HI..-tlu of prison reform The general govern
uHalf should he boo % situation. since there must he
United states prisoners. Co furnish important ad
Boo fiI- movement. and should Dr. able o. Illustrate
what might h. practically done in the direction OF
this reform. and Co present an example boo the
treatment aud improvement of its prisoners wor
tuS ot imitation.
The indians.
The present system uf agencies, while absolute
4, necessary and well adapted for the manage
nrut o' our Indian affairs and for the ends iu view
when 10 was udupted. is loo the pr sent stage ui In
.Iiai, management Inadequate standing alone for
tNa accomplishment Of an object which has w..
,.iiua pressing In its impurtance-the more rapid
Transition from tribal organizations 10 citizenship
uf such portion, of the Indians as are capable OF
civilized life When the existing system was
uluttrd the Indian race was outside ui the limits
of organized states and territories and beyond the
uuu.,diat. reach and operation uf ciyilization,an
al efforts were mainly directed tu the mainte-
u.its of friendly relations and the pftSarl alton
ui peace and quiet ON the frontier All tins ~ nov
changed. There is no such thing as the Indian
frontier Civilization, with the busy hum ~ in
tstry aud the Influences of Christianity. surrounds
these people at every point None Of the tribes
aIt. outside of the bounds Of organized govern
mcnt and society, except that the territorial sys-
tenn has been extended over that portion OF the
country known as tn" Indian territory. As a race
the Indians are no longer hostile, but may be con
-iitrrti as submissive 10 the control OF the gov
rrumrnt. Few of them only are troublesome
Except the fragments uf several bands, all are
now gathered upon reservations II is no longer
possible for them 10 suhsst 10y the chase and the
spontaneous productions Of the earth.
.HN NUaaUN
Do, means and implements for profitable hushan-
dry their life of entire dependence upon govern
meut ratiuus frHm day Ca day s mo- longer detetsl-
hlr Their inclination long fostered 10y defective
system uf control is to cling 20 the habits and Gus
toms Of their ancestors and struggle with peiss-
truce against the change Of life which their alter
el circumstances press upon them. But harbar-
i. aud civilization cannot live together. II is i'm
possible that such homogeneous conditions should
cu-Xist ON the same soil They are portion of
our people are under the authority ui our govern
meut. and are entitled to the fostering care and
projection of the nation. The government cannot
relieve itself of this responsibility until they are
far trained and civilized to he able wholly to
manage aud care for themselves. The path In
which they should walk must be- clearly marked
ont for them, and they must h led or guided until
they are familiar with the way and competent to
assume the duties and responsibilities of our cti-
zeuship Progress in this great work will continue
only at the present slow pace and at great eX-
peuSe unless the systems and methods Of manage
mrut improved TO meet the changed condition
aud urgent demands of the service.
As the best way Of remedying existing evils Of
management. the President reuews his recommen-
datiuu of last year for the establishment Of com
mission of six members. charged with the investi-
cation and administration of such matters Of de-
tail as cannot be properly attended to under the
present system Of agencies
The Public Lands.
The rapid appropriation Of our public lands with
out bona tide settlements or cultivation, and not
only without residence hut for the purpose Of their
aggregation ia large holdings. in many cases in
the hands Of foreigners, invites the serious and
immediate attention of Congress. The energies
Of the land department have been devoted during
the present administration to remedy defects and
correct abuses in public land service. The results
ut these efforts So largely in the nature Of re-
forms ia the processes and methods of our land
system as to prevent adequate estimate; but it
appears by a compilation from the reports Of the
commissioner Of the general laud office that the
immediate effect. including cases which have come
the mass Of public lands Of 21jO.oO acres; that
2.3uhu acres arr embraced in invest igatOns now
pending before the department or the courts, and
that the action of Congress has been asked 10 ef
feet the restoration Of 2,1OOpO acres additional
besides 400. 90 acres have been withheld from res
ervation and the rights Of entry thereon main.
tanned. recommend the repeal Of the pre1mp
ton and timber culture acts and that the home
stead laws hr so amended as 10 better secure com
prnNrinrnt and cultivation for the period of nyt
years from date Of entry. without Communication
TOR provision for speculative REIMBURSEMENT
Pensions:
The report If the commissioner OF pension.
contains "a detailed and most satisfactory exhibit
of the operations of the pension bureau during the
last fiscal year. The amount of work done Was
the largest ih any year since the organization OF
the bureau: and il has been done AT less cost than
during the previous year in every division Oh
the 3lh day Of June. lss there were 365. ~ pen
~ioueIs ON the rolls of the bureau. Since lSil
there have been l,Ols.,25 applications for pension,
filed, of which - Sc}4 were based upon service in
lsl2 There were d2l.iji Of these applications al
lowed including Go,l1s To- the soldiers Of 1872 and
flt. f..fa al
since 1861 is SSs. sl2. The number Of new pen
>l1ns allowed during the year ended June 10 ISL
is in,N5'. larger number than has been allowed
ia tiN wear save one since 1851
u seems to me that no one can examine our
pension establishment and its operations without
being convinced that through its instrumentality
Justice can be very nearly done to all who are en-
titled under present laws to the pension bounty of
the government But il is undeniable that case,
do exist well entitled TO relief in which the pen
sion bureau Is powerleSs to aid. The really wor
thy case, Of this class are such as only lack by
misfortune the kind or quantity Of proof which
tine law and regulations Of the bureau require. ol
which. though their merit is apparent. for some
other reason cannot be Justly dealt with through
General laws. These conditions fully Justify APP
phcation to Congress and special enactments
But resort To Congress for Special pension act L
uverrulc the deliberate and careful determination
of the pension bureau the merits or to secure
favorable action when 1t could not be expected
undtr the most liberal execution of general laws
II must be admitted, opens the door to the allow
ance Of questionable claims and presents to the
legislative and executive branches Of the govern
nent Applications Conccdedly not within the law
and plainly devoid of merit, but so surrounded by
sentiment and patriotic feeling that they are hard
To resist. The usefulness and the justice Of any
system for the distribution of pensions depend,
upon the equality and uniformity Of its operation
The American people with patriotic and CRATE.
ful regard for our eX-soldiers too broad and toe
sacred 10 be monopOltZed by any special advO
Gates arr willing and anxious that equal and exact
justice should be- done TO all honest claimants foi
pensions. Every pension that is granted under
actual service and injury or disease incurred in
such service, and every instance Of the many In
which pensions art increased ON other ground,
than the merits OF the claim, work an injustice t.
tine brave and crippled but poor and friendles.
soldier. who is entirely neglected or WHO must b.
content with the smallest sum allowed under gen
tral laws There are far too many neighborhood,
M which ara found glariug cases of Inequality Of
Treatment IN the matter of pensions and they art
largely due 10 a yielding in the pension bureau e
importantly on the part OF those, other than the
l~nsloner, who are especially interested. or they
arise from special acts passed for the benefit OF
individuals. The men who fought side by side
should stand side 10y side when they participate
IN nations grateful remembrance. The dis
charged soldiers aud sailors of the country arr
ourieilow citizens and Interested with Us in the
~lh~saEt ana faithful execution Of wholesome laws
They cannot b. swerved from their duty Of citi
zrnshlp by arItu appeals 10 their spirit Of broth
rrhood, born of common peril and suffering, MOI
Will they exact a test of devotion To their wei
fare Willingness To neglect public duty in theii
behalf
hulIrOudH.
By recent decision OF the supreme court Of the
United states, it has been adjudged that the laws
Of the several states are imperative To r-gulat.
rates of transportation upon railroads if such reg
ulatiun interferes with the rate of carriage from
one state into another This important field of
control and regulation, having been thus left en
tirey unoccupied the eXprdiency Of federal action
upon the subject is worthy of consideration.
The Labor Question.
The relations of labor 10 capital and Of laboring
men 10 their employers are Of the utmost concern
to every patriotic citizen. When these are strain
ed and distorted unjustitiahle claims are apt To be
insisted upon by both interests and in the c1ntru-
versy which results. the welfare of all and the
prosperity of the country are jeoparied ANY in
prevention of the general government within the
limits of its constitutional authority To avert such
a condition, should be- willingly accorded In a
special message transmitted 70 congress at its last
session l suggested the enlargement Of our pres
ent labor bureau and adding TO its present functions
the power OF arbitration in cases where differences
arise between employer and employed When
these differences reach such a stage as 10 result in
the Interruption Of commerce between the states
the application of this remedy by the general gov,
eminent might be regarded as entirely within il.
constitutional powers. Aud think we might r,.a,
snnably hope that such arbitrator if carefully -.
lcted and II entitled To the confidence Of the par
ties to be affected, would be voluntarily called Il
the settlement Of controversies Of less extent and
not necessarily within the domain Of federal reg