Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-12-06

guided until they are familiar with the way and
competent to assume the duties and responsible
ties of our citizenship
Progress In this great work win continue only at
the present slow pace and at great expense unless
the system and methods OF management are In
demands OF the service.
The agents having general charge and SUPER
vision in many cases OF more than i've Thousand
Indians, scattered over large reservations and
burdened with the details Of accountability for
funds and supplies, have time to look after the
Indians only; the many are neglected and remain
Idle and Observation-Disclosures not favorable for
The compensation aFowed these agents ana the
conditions or the service. are not calculated TO
secure for the work men who are ntted by ability
and skill 20 properly plan and intslligently direct
the methods best adapted to produce the most
speedy results and permanent Dement'S.
Hence the necessity for supplemental agency
OF system. d1rected TO the end OF promoting the
general and more rapid transition OF the tribes
from habits and customs OF barbarfsm to the ways
oil civilization.
THE PROPOSED INDIAN COMMISSION.
With an anxious desire to devise some plan of
operation by which to secure the welfare of the
dians and to relieve the Treasury as far as posi-
Die from the support of an idle and dependent
population, recommended In my previous annual
message the passage OF law authorizing the APP
pointment OF a commission as an instrumentality
auxiliary TO those already established, for the
OF the Indians. 1t was designed that this commits
sion should be composed Of six Intelligent and ca
pablo persons-thIee to be detailed from the army
having practical ideas upon the subject OF the
treatment OF Indians and interested I'm their wei
fare; and that 1t should be charged under the di-
recton OF the Secretary OF the Interior, with the
management OF such matters OF detail as cannot
with the present organization be properly and sue
cessfully conducted, and which present different
phases. as the indians themselves diner, in their
progress, needs, disposition and capacity for I'm
provement or immediate self-support.
and , ss aid oI suGn commission much unwise
terials, and unavailing efforts might be avoided;
ana IL Is hoped that this or some measure which
the wisdom OF Congress may better devise, TO sup
ply the deficiency OF the present system, may re-
ceive your consideration, and the appropriate
legislation be provided.
The time is ripe for the work of such an agency
There Is less opposition to the education and
training of the Indian youth, as shown by the In
creased attendance upon the schools, and there is
a yielding tendency for the individual holding
or lands. Development and advancement in these
directions are essential, and should have every en-
enlargement AS the rising generation are taught
the Language OF civilization and trained in ha bits
OF industry, they should assume the duties privi-
leges ana responsibilities OF citizenship.
LANDS IN sEvEEALTY.
No obstacle should hinder the location and set
Element OF any Indian willing TO take land in sew.
crafty; on the contrary, the inclination to do SO
should be stimulated at all times when proper and
expedient. But there Is no authority Of law for
making allotments on some OF the reservations
and on others the ailotments 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 contain ample
lands to afford them homesteads OF sufncient Size
to meet their present and future needs
These inequalities OF existing 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 differ-
emf tribes may be settled upon homesteads and
by their example lead others to follow, break
Ing away from tribal customs, and substituting
therefor the love OF home, the interest OF the
family, and the rule OF the state.
The indian character and nature are such that
while nyar mad
Justed wrongs. This is especially SO regarding
their lands. Matters arising from the construc-
reservations, and claims OF title and right OF oc-
cupancy set up by white persons to some OF the
best land within other reservations, require legis
tiCn for their final adjustment.
The settlement or these matters will remove
many embarrasSmentS to progress In the work OF
leading the Indians to the adoption OF our inst;t
| lions and bringing them under the operation, the
influence and the protection 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 preservation
OF national forests the adjudication OF grants to
states and corporations and OF private land claims
and the increased efficiency OF the public land
service, are commended to the attention OF Con-
gress. To secure the widest distribution OF public
lands in limited quantities among settlers for resi-.
dence and cultivation and thus make the greatest
object OF the public land legislation in the early
days OF the republic. This system was Il SmDle
public surveys by which the humblest citizen
could identity the tract upon which he wished to
| establish his home The price OF lands was placed
within the reach OF all the enterprtsing, indus
tyious, and honest pioneer citizens OF the country
II was SoOn however, found that the object of the
laws was perverted under the system of cash sales
from Il distribution OF land among the people to an
accumulation OF land capital by wealthy and spec
! ulatlVe persons. To check this tendency prefer
ence right OF purchase was given to settlers on
the land, plan which eliminated in the general
presumption act OF 1S41. The foundation OF this
system was actual residence and cultivation.
Twenty years later the homestead law was de-
v1Sed to more surely place actual homes In the
possession OF actual cultivators OF the soil. The
land was given without price, the sole conditions
being residence, improvement and cultivation.
Other laws have followed, each designed to en-
courage the requirement and use Of land In lin
tied individual quantities. But in later years
| these laws through vicious administrative meth
DDS and under changed conditions Of communica-
ton and transportation have been so evaded and
violated that their benefcent purpose is threat
ened with entire defeat. The methods OF such
evasions and violations are set forth In detail in
the reports OF the Secretary OF the Interior and
Commissioner of the General Land once. The
rapid appropriation OF our public lands without
bona fde settlements or cultivation, and not only
without intention OF residence but for the pllr-
pose OF their aggregation in large holdings in
many cases In the hands OF foreigners invites the
serious and immediate attention or the Congress-
The energies OF the land department have been
devoted during the present administration to
remedy defects and correct abuses in the public
land service. The results OF these efforts are so
largely in the nature OF reforms in the processes
and methods OF our land system as to prevent
adequate estimate; but 1t appears by q cOmpila-
ton from the reports OF the Commissioner OF the
General Land ONCE that the immediate effect in
leading cases which have come 10 final termina-
ton has been the restoration 10 the mass OF public
lands OF two million seven hundred and fifty thou
sand acres; that two million three hundred and
seventy thousand acres are embraced I'm fnveStfga-
lions now pending before the Department or the
courts, and that the action OF Congress has been
asked 10 effect the restoration OF two million seven
hundred and ninety thousand acres additional: be-
sides which four million acres have been withheld
from reservation, and the rights OF entry thereon
maintained.
REPEAL OF THE PREVENTION AND TIMBER-CCLTURE
ACTS RECOMMENDED.
recommend the repeal Of the pre-empt1On and
timber-culture acts and that the homestead laws
be SO amended as to better secure compliance with
their requirements of residence, Improvement,
and cultivation for the period OF five years from
date OF entry, without communication or provision
for speculative REIMBURSEMENT. ! also recommend
the repeal OF the deSert-and laws unless il shall
be the pleasure OF the Congress- to SO amend these
the chief motive for all evasion OF the laws, and
the principal cause OF their result In land accum-
aiOn instead OF land distribution. is the facility
with which transfers are made OF the right In
advisable TO provide by legislation some guards
and checks upon The alienation OF homestead
rights and lands covered thereby until patents
issue.
Last year an executive proclamation was issued
directing the removal or FENCES which 1nclOSed the
public domain. Many OF these have been removed
in obedience to such order; but much OF the public
land Still remains within the lines OF these unlaW
full fences The ingenious methods resorted TO In
order to continue these traSpasseS and the hartl-
hOOd or the DrotenSpS nv which I'm some eases Such