Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-12-07


pxboitpre Of money. wasie of maseYiala. aud 1
VI awaiting Efforts might pe avoided Aod /
70 hoped that thia or some men-
better cevise to supply the deficiency OF the
present ssstem. may receive year c1nsid- |
Grafton. and the appropriate legislation be
pscsio,s The 'ms = ripe Tor the woGn =, %
The EDUCATION and training OF The Indian
youth, a. shown hy the increased attend
ence upon the schools. and there Is yield.
ipg tendency for the Individual holding OF 4
lands. development and advancement la i
these oirtctiors are essential, and snould /
have every encourkeement
~ The rising gent ration are taught the /
lsDgusee Of civilization ard trained 10 ha.
bits OF industry, they snonld assume tne |
duties privileges, eDd responsibilities oil !
citl7enuhip. No obstacle should hinder /
the location srd settlement of any Indian |
wfllpg TO take land IN seycisity. ON the !
contrary. the inclination TO DO 50 should De l
stimulated ~ oil times " hen proper AID ex
ped ent but there Ia no authority of lsw
Tor making aiotmsnts on some OF The reser' /
vstiOIs: and on otherS the sllotmenis pro- |
slded for are 80 small that the indians, |
tbOrRh ready and desiring 10 settle doWu, 1
are not willing to &C. ept such small areas, \
when their reservations contain ample |
lands TO fiOrd them homesfesds OF suf1cleni /
SIZE TO meet heir present ana uture needs |
} btse jncquslities Of existing specssl laws |
and treaties should be corrected and some /
general legislation on the subject should be |
provided. 80 that the more progressive |
members OF the different tribes may be |
settled upoD bOmfstt sds. aud by their eK- |
amp'e lead Others TO follow breaking away |
nom Tribal customs and substituting there |
for the love of home and interest OF family, |
the rule OF the state, The Indian charac. !
ter and nature are such that they are not |
easily led while brooding over unadiusted |
wrongs. This Is especially 30 regarding |
their lands Matters arising nom the |
construction and operation OF rat
roads scIoss some OF the reservations
and claims OF title and right OF occupancy |
set by white persons TO some OF the best
! land within other reservations, require
legislation for their nuai aoyustmspt. Tue
settlement of these matters Will remove
many emharrassments 10 progress IN the |
| WORK OF leo ding the Indians 10 the adoption |
OF our irsiitntiops and bringing them under |
the operation the Influence. and the pro |
lection Of the universal laws OF our country. !
FERMENTATION OF FogLsrs.
The recommendations of tue Secre-
| tsry OF the Interior and the Commis.
| siuner OF the General Land Office, Look
| ing 10 the better protection OF public |
| lands and OF the public surveys, lne |
| Ireserysfion OF natiODa forests, the adyudi' |
| cation Of grants TO States and corporations |
/ OF private land. claims. snd The Increased |
efficiency OF the public lsRd service. are |
CONNIE pded 10 the attention OF Congress TO |
! secure the widest distribution OF public |
| lands In limited quantities among settlers |
! for residence and cultivation. and thus |
| make the greatest number OF individual |
homes. WAS Tue Objeti vi Auc pup-
lie land les isistion in the early days OF the |
republic. This system was y simple one; II !
commented with an ameneble scheme OF |
public surveys by which the namblest |
Sltigen rcnld Identify the tract upon /
which he wished to este blish bis home. The |
price OF lands was placed within the reach |
OF all the enieTprisiDg, industrious and hon- |
est pioneer citizens OF the country. IL was /
soon however found that the object OF the |
laws WAS perverted under the system o! /
cash sales from distribution of land among |
the people 70 en accumulation or land capl- |
tai by wealthy and speculative persons. |
To check this te ndepcy prefer nee right |
OF purchase was given 10 settlers OIL |
the lands-s plan which c2lininateo
ia, The The se0 opSsslo e,e oY lbs system
was actual residence and cultivation |
Twenty years later the bomeFtead law was |
devised 10 more surely pace, actual |
homes in the possession OF actual cultiYa- /
tore Of The soil. The laud was given with
out price the sole cond iIioD being resld 3nce. |
Improvement, and cultivation. other laws /!
have followed, each designed 10 encourage |
the soquireme nj and use OF land ID limited /
individual quantities, but in later years |
these laws. through vicious ad mlnlslrauVe /
methods and under changed conditions OF |
conn un iCaIiOD and transportation, nave |
hetn 60 evsded and Vio.ated that toer |
benencept purp"se is threatened win en-
ire defeat
The methods Of such evasions and viola |
fiQug are sci forth in detail in tire reports 81 /
the Recre tary Of the Interior and COmm.s- |
KiOneT OF the General Land once. Toe RAPID /
appropriation Of our public lands without |
boEQ-nGe settlements or cultivation. and |
not ouly without intention Of residence but /
for the purpose 81 their aggregation IL large |
holdings in many cases IN the hands OF Tor
eigneIs invites the serious and immediate
attention OF the Congress. The energies or |
the Land Department have been de- i
voted during the present Admlnistra. I
ton To remedy defects and correct |
abuses in the public land se1vlce. Inc /
] aHfu Mt
in the nature OF reforms In the processes /
and methods OF our land system RE 10 pre- 4
vent gdeQUafe estimate. bat II appears by t
compilation from the reports OF the Com ,
MISSIONER OF the General Land Office that I
the imme diate effect In trading eases when /
have come 10 a final term nation has Deen /
lbe restoration 10 the mass OF puohc lanos /
Of 2 75O, 900 acres; that $4,000 acres are /
embraced In investigations now pending |
before the courts, and that the &C
lion OF Congress has been asked 70 I
efTs CT the restoration Of 2 $50 600 acres ad- .
ditiOnpl. besides when 900 600 acres have /
been withheld from reservation and the I
rights OF entry thereon maintained. ! re.
/ commend the repeal or the presumption ana J
} timber culture acts, and that the ho1s' /
stead laws be 50 amended as 10 beiier Sc I
! cure compliance With their requirements OF /
residence, improvement, ana cultivation !
/ for The period of five rears from the date or 4
/ entry, without com mutation or provision Z
/ for speculative refine uishment. ] Also re f
, con mend the repeal OF the desert 4
/ land laws. unless II shau De tue I
pleasure OF The Congress 10 50 amend !
these laws ss to render them leHs liable 10 I
abuses. AS the chief motive for an evasion I
az the laws and the principal cau>e OF Their I
result in land accumulation instead o.! land 4
6islribUtOn Is the facility Win which /
transfers are made Of the right Intended 10 +
he secOTed 10 settlers, 70 may DC deemed aS- /
visable 10 provide by legislation some /
guards and cheeks upon the alienation OF y
Homestead rights and lands covered there I
10y until patents issue Last yearan Exeeu- /
tive proc lamation VAS Issued directing tne I
removal a fences which enclosed the pubic /
domain. Many Of these have been removed |
IN obedience TO such order Int much or the /
lublic lRpo stiu remains within The lines Of ,
these unlawful fences Ihe ingenious me-
th0ds rpSorted 10 Ia OrSer 70 cOuti uu5 tueSe /
tfespasses. and the hsrdihOOd OF the pre-
fences by which IN some cases such en-
closures are justified. are lully detailed IA B
Tie repOrt OF the secretary OF the Interior. ,
YHe removal % the fences stu remaining
which enclose public lands VIII I've enforced /
with all tire authority and means with /
which the Executive branch ~ the Govern
nent is or shall be Invested by Congress !
for that purpose.
PENSIONS.
Tie report OF the Com missioner Of Pea
SONS contains detailed sud most salts /
fscfOry exhibit OF the operations OF Inc |
Pension Bureau during the last nscal yesr. !
Inc amount OF work done was tne largest |
IN any year since the organization or the
B1reau; and II has been done al less cost |
lhau during Inc previous y ear III every ulNl" I
sion on the Soth day Of June 1856. there |
were $50 7s8 pensioners on the rolls OF the |
Bureau since 1861 there have been OILS |
applications for pensions fled OF which |
: = SS4 were haRod upon service IN the war |
q lsl2. There were 62l. 7jf OF these Rppli- |
cations allowed, including COLTS 10 the SOL |
dlerso 1879 aud their widows The tots
an. cunt paid i0r pensions since 1851 Is $500
A2lGl1.67 The number OF new pensions !
SLOWED during the year ended June |
80 1855, Is 40 s57-A larger number |
than has hCen allowed IA any year /
lRNe one since 1851 The names O! 2, aga pan |
siCneYS which had been previously dropped |
from The rolls were Restored during lie |
yesr. and, after ceducung tHose dropped |
within the same time for various causes I
net increase r. mains for the year OF 20 6je |
names. rron1 January l, 1861, 10 Dece moer |
l. 1885. 967 private pension ects had been |
lassed. since the last mentioned date and |
during the last session OF the Congress, GA /
such acts became laws. II seems 10 me tnat 4
DO one can examine our pension establish |
ment and us operations witnout being |
convinced that through Us fundamentally |
Justice can be very nearly done 10 al who !
are entitled, under present laws, 10 the 4
pension bounty OF the Govern ment. But u 4
" undeniabe that cases exist wei emitted q
10 relief in which the Pension BareRa 10 /
pOwefiess 10 aid. The really worthy cases /
or This class are such Ls only lack, 10y mie- |
fortune, the kind or quantity Of proof /
which the law and regulations OF the Bureau 4
- - go NHN a