Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-12-07

authority of law for making allotments on
some OF the reservations and on Others al
l0tments provided for are so small that
the Indians, though ready and desiring to
settle down, are not willing to accept such
small areas when their reservations con-
tain ample lands toafford them homesteads
OF sufficient size to meet their present aud
future needs. These inequalities of exist
ing special laws and treaties should be
corrected and some general legislation on
the subject should be provided so that the
more progressive members of the different
tribes may be settled on homesteads, and
by their example lead others to follow,
breaking away from the tribal customs
and substituting for these the love OF
home, the interest of the family and the
rule of the State.
H RAILROADS AND RESERVATIONS.
The Indian character ana nature are
such that they are easily led while brood
ing over unadiusted wrongs. This is es,
pecialy so regarding their lands. Matters
arising from the construction and operation
of railroads across some of the reservations
and claims of title and right of occupancy
set up by white persons to some of the
best land within other reservations re-
quire legislation for their final adjust
ment. The settlement of these matters
will remove many embarrassments to pro-
greSS in the work of leading the Indians TO
the adoption of our institutions aud bring
ing them under the operation, the influ-
ence and protection of the universal laws
of the country. The recommendations of
the Secretary of the Interior and the Com
miSSiOners of the General Land Office look
ing to the better protection of pub
lie lands and of the public surveys, the
preservation of national forests, the adjudi-
cation of grants to States and corporations
and of private land claims and the ~increaS-
ed efficiency of the public land service are
commended to 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 the primary object of the pub
lie land legislation in the early days of the
republic. This system wa a single one.
1t commenced with an admirable scheme
of public surveys by which the humblest
citizen could identify the tract upon
which he wished TO establish his home.
The price of lands was placed within the
reach of all the e%nterprising, industrious
and honest pioneer citizens of the country.
1t was soon, however, found that the OBJ
ject of the laws was perverted under the
system of cash sales from a distribution of
land among the people to an accumula-
ton Of land capital by wealthy and specu-
latlve persons. To check this tendency a
preference of purchase was gwen to set
tiers on the land, a plan which eliminated
in the general pre-emption act of ISL.
The foundation Of this system was actual
residence and cultivation.
THE HOMESTEAD LAW.
Twenty years later the homestead law
was devised to more surely place, actual
homes in the possession of actual cult
vators of the soil. The land was given
without price, the sale conditions being
residence, improvement and cultivation.
Other laws have followed, each designated
to encourage the requirement and use of
land in unlimited individual quantities.
But i'll later years these laws through
vicious administrative methods and under
changes conditions Of communication and
transportation, have been so evaded and
violated that their bcneficient purposes is
threatened with defeat. The methods of
such e~vasions and violations are set forth in
detail in the reports of the Secretary Of the
Interior and Commissioner of the General
Land Office. The rapid appropriation
of our public lands without bona
fdc settlements of cultivation, and not
only without intention of residence, but
for the purpose of their aggregation in
large holdings, in many cases in the hands
of foreigners, invites the serious and inn
mediate attention of the Congress. The
energies Of the Land Department have
been devoted during the present admins
tration to remedy defects and correct
abuses in the public land service. The re-
suits of these efforts are so largely in the
matter of reforms in the processes and
methods of our land systems as to prevent
adequate estimates, but it appears by com
p~ilatiOn from the reports of the Commits
siOner of the General Land Office that the
immediate effect in leading cases which
have come to n final determination, has
been the restoration TO the mass of public
lands Off, 40, 900 acres, that 2,37O,0O0
acres are embraced in investigations now
pending before the Department or the
courts and that the action of Congress has
been asked TO effect the restoration of two
million seven hundred and ninety thOus-
and acres additional, besides which four
million acres have been withheld from re-
servation and the rights of entry thereon
maintained.
THE PRE-EMPTI0N ACT.
I recommend the repeal of the Prc-emp-
tiOn and Timber Culture acts, and that
| the Homestead laws be so amended ~
to better secure compliance with the re-
quirements Of residence, improvement and
cultivation for the period of five years
from date of entry, without communication
or provision for speculative %relinquish-
ment. ! also recommend the repeal of
tine Desert Land laws, unless it shall he
the pleasure of the Congress to so amend
these laws rs to render them less likely TO
abuses. As the chief motive for an cvas-
ion of the laws and principle cause of the
result in land accumulation instead ofland
distribution in the facility with
which transfers are made Of
the right intended to be secured
to settlers it may be deemed advisable to
provide by legislation some guards and
checks upon the alienation OF homestead
rights and lands covered thereby until
patents are issued. Last year an executive
proclamation was issued directing the re-
mOval of fences which enclosed the public
domain. Many OF these have been re-
moved in obedience TO such order; but
much Of the public land still remains in
the lines of these unlawful fences. The in
furious methods resOrted to in order TO con-
tinue these tresspasses and the hardihOod
of the pertenses by which in some cases
such Enclosures are justified, are fully de-
tailed in the report of the Secretary of the
Interior. The removal of the fences still
remaining which enclose public lands will
be enforced with all The authority and
means with which the executive braHch Of
the Government is or shall be invested by
the Congress for that purpose.
THE PENSION DEPARTMENT.
Referring to the Pension Bureau the
President says: mo one car examine our
pension establishment and its Operati ons
without heinV cnnyinced that thru uph IFS