Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-12-10

Wiling TO accept such small areas, whom their
homesteads Of suffictent size Is meet thsir nrss-
ont aud future needs. Il These ineaualities 81 aY-
listing special laws and treaties should 81 COR
ject should be provided so that The mora nre,-
gressiye members OF the different tribes NAV be
settled upon shomesteads, and BY their example
customs and substituting therefor love 81 home
interest Of the family and rule 81 tho state rEe
todian character and nature are such shat they
iusted wrongs. This e especially IS seesriano
their lands MatEeTa arising from the con-
strnction and operation Of railroads across soma
Of occupancy set up by white persons q Soma az
the best land within other reseSvattons reuuiro
legislation TOR their final adJustment. Tho set-
barrassments to progress In the work Of leading
th Indians to the adoption OF our fustitutinns
and bringing them under the operation, the in
huence and the protectiOn Of the universal laws
OF our country s.s $5I &, j.55 E5$E5 &,
& TEE PUBLIC LANDS. =
The recommendations Of the secretarv AZ tina
Interior and the commissioner Of the general
land Office looking to the better projection Of
pnblic laEds and OF the public surveys tho
preservation of the national forests the atiiudi-
cation OF grants TO states and corporations and
d private land claim and the Increased eff
cheney Of the public land service, are commended
TO the attention OF congfess. TO secure the widest
distribution OF public lands ID limited quanti-
ties among settlers Of residence snd cultivation
and thus make the greatest number Of ndiyid-
nal homes, was the primary object Of the pub.
Tic land legislation IN the early days ot the re-
public This system was simple one, It com
nenced with an admirable scheme OF public
land survey by which the humblest citizen
could identify the tract upon which he wished
placed within the reach Of all the enterprtslng.
industrious and honest pioneer citizens OF the
country. It was soon, however, found that the
lem OF cash sales from distribution Of land
among the people to an accumulation Of land
capital by wealthy and speculative persons,
TO check this tendency preference right of
purchase WAS given to settlers onSthe land, a
plan which eliminated in the general pre-enp-
lion act Of ls41. The foundation of this system
was actual residence and cultivation. Twenty
years later the homestead law was devised to
more surely place actual homes in the posses-
sion Of actual cultivators ct The soil. The land
was given without price, the sole conditions be-
ing residence Improvement and cultivation
Other laws have followed, each designed TO en-
courage the requirement and use Of land in lin
these laws. through vicious administrative
methods and under changed conditions of com
nunicatfon and Transportation, have been SO
'vaded and violated that their benelcent pur-
pose is threatened with entire defeat. The
Methods Of such evasions and violations are set
orth IN detail In the reports Of the secretary Of
and office. The rapid appropriation OF our pub-
&c lands without bona tide settlements or civ
lization. and not only without intention of res
.dencc, but for the purpose OF their aggregation
a large holdings, in many cases In the hands Of
foreigners. invite the serious and Immediate at
IGNITION or congress. The earnings of the land
1epart ut have been devoted during the pres
mt administration to remedy defects and
CORRECT ABUSES
n the public land service The results Of these
,Gorts are 50 largely in the nature Of reforms in
he practice and methods OF our land system Us
% prevent adequate estimates; but it appears
rom compilation from the reports of the COM
missioner OF the general land Office that the Inn
mediate effect III leading cases which have come
IN a I'm al hna hear + hn
20 the masses OF public lands aggregating
s,75O, 900 acres; that 10000 acres are en-
oraced in Investigations now pending before the
department. or the courts, and that action of
congress- has been asked to effect the restoration
100 600 acres additional; besides which
1000, 900 acres have been withheld from reserva-
;ained. l recommend the repeal of tho pre-
snption and tlmber-culuure acts, and that tho
homestead law be 40 amended as to require res
dence for the period Of five years from date Of
.ntry without Communication or provision for
speculative REIMBURSEMENT also recommend
The repeal Of the desert land laws, unless it
these la VS. 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
accumulation instead OF land distribution IL tho
AGILITY with which transfers are made Of the
light Intended to be secured to settlers, it may
Do deemed advisable to provide by legislation
tome guards and checks upon the Animation Of
tested rights and lands covered thereby until
patent sissue. Last year an executive proclama-
Ion was issued directing the removal of fences
which inclosed the public domain. Many of
Hder but much OF the public land still remains
within the lines OF these unlawful fences The
INGENIOUS methods resorted to in order to con-
inue these trespasses and the hardihood of the
Tetenses by which in some cases such in
closures are Justified are fully detailed in the
epor5 Of the secretary OF the interior The re-
noval OF the fences still remaining which in
Iose public lands will be enforced with all the
authority and means with which tho executive
branch of the government Is or shall lie invested
~ congress for that purpose. ~
PENSIONS.
The report of the commissioner Of pensions
contains a. detailed and most satisfactory exhibit
" the operations Of the pension bureau during
he last fiscal year. The amount of work done
vas the largest in any year since the organi3a-
ion Of the bureau; and it has been done at less
cost than during the previous year in every divi-
pensions on the rolls of the bureau. Since 1861
there have been 1.O13, 735 applications for pen
lions filed, of which 1854 were based up n
II these application allowed, including COLTS
o the soldiers OF 1872 and their widows. The
;otal amount paid for pensions since 1861 Is
tasS during ,t tho year ended June 3D.
man has been allowed in any Year
toners which had been previously dropped
rom the rolls were restored during the year.
md after deducsing those dropped within the
D
mains for the year Of 90, 65s names From ] an.
|, 1861, to Dec. l, 1885. 1907 private pension
lots had been passed: Since the last mentioned
late and during the last session of the congress,
~ such acts became laws It seems TO me
that no one can examine our pension establish
nent and its operations without being
ian be very nearly done to all who are entitled
inder present laws to the pension bounty OF the
government But 1t is unden1able that cases
1sS well entitled to relief in which the PEN
worthy cases Of the class are such as only lack
~ misfortune The kind or quantity Of proof
luire. or which. though their merit is APP
parent. for some other reason cannot be
ustly dealt with through e. neral laws. These
conditions fully justify application to the con-
ress and special enactments, but report to the
congress for special pension act to overrule the
deliberate and careful determination Of the pen
.ction when it could not Of be expected under the
most liberal execution OF general laws 1t must
'e admitted opens the door to allowance OF
questionable claims, and presents to the legisla-
applications clearly not within the law. and
plainly devoid Of merit, but so surrounded by
a1d To rsss
hat many claims for pension are made without
merit, and that many have been, allowed upon
fraudulent representations This has been de-
dared by the pension bureau, not only in this
ouG IN prior administrations. The usefulness
Ind the Justice OF any system for the distribn-
:on OF pensions depend upon the equality and
Uniformity OF Its operation. It will be seen
rom the report Of the commissioner that there
ire now paid BY the government Isl dtherent
ates Of pensions. He estimates, from the
sest information he csn obtain, that 3, 900 Of
hese who have served In the army and navy OF
he United States are now S*E3 d
SUPPORTED, IN WHOLE on IN PART,
rom public funds, or by organized charities. ex-
Ausfve Of those In soldiers homes under the
direction and control OF the government. Only
Is per cent Of these are pensioners, while OF the
aumher Of men furnished for the late war some
hing like 20 per cent, including their widows
s .;n, feissives have been nov sre u me re-
sstriotic aud grateful regard for our ex-soldiers
100 broad and too sacredS TO b memorized by