The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-12-09

ana treatleS Sh0ulQ De corrected, and 6oms
general legislation on the subject should be
provided so that the more progressive mem
bers of the different tribes may be settled
upon homesteads and by their example lead
Iothers to follow, breaking away from tribal
customs, and substituting therefor their love
of home, the interest of their family, and the
rule of the State. The Indian character and
nature are such that they are not easily led
| while brooding over unadjusted wrongs
THIS is especially 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 reserva.
tions, require legislation for their final
adjustment. The settlement of those matters
| will remove many embarrassments to pro-
gress in the work of leading the Indians to
the adoption of our institutions 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 cor
porations, and of private land claims, and
the increased 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 of resi-
dence and cultivation, and thus make the
greatest number of individual homes, was
the primary object of the public land legisla-
tion in the early days of the Republic. This
system was simple one. 1t commenced
with an admirable scheme of public sur
veys 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 enter
neer citizens of the country. 1t was
soon, however, found that the
object of the laws was perverted under the
system of cash sales from a distribution of
land among the people, to an accumulation
of land capital by wealthy and speculative
persons. To check this tendency prefer
ence right of purchase was given to settlers
on the land, a plan which eliminated in the
general pre-emption act of 1911. The foun-
dation of this system was actual residence
and cultivation. Twenty years later the
homestead law was devised, 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 encourage
the requirement and use of land in limited
individual quantities. But in later years
these laws, through vicious administrative
methods and under changed conditions of
communications and transportation. have
been so evaded and violated that their benef-
cent purpose is threatened with entire de-
feat. The methods of such evasions and
violations are set forth in detail in re-
ports of the Secretary of the Interior
and Commissioner of the General Land
Office. The rapid appropriation of our pub
InrD IL I
cultivation, and not only without intention
of residence, but for the purpose of their ag-
gregation in large holdings, in many cases
in the hands of foreigners, invites the seri-
GUS and immediate attention of the Congress.
The energies of the Land Department have
been devoted during the present administra-
tion to remedy defects and correct abuses in
these efforts are so largely in the
nature of reforms in the pro.
cess and methods of our land
system as to prevent adequate estimates, but
1t appears by compilation from the re-
ports of the Commissioner of the General
Land Ofice that the immediate effect in
leading cases, which have come to final ter
has been the restoration to the
mass of public lands of two million, seven
hundred and fifty thousand acres; that two
million, three hundred and seventy thousand
acres are embraced in investigations now
pending before tie department or the courts, !
aud that action OF Congress has been asked to |
effect the restoration of two million,
seven hundred and ninety thousand acres !
additional, besides which four million acres |
have been withheld from reservation, and the !
right of entry thereon maintained. | re- !
commend the repeal of the pre-emption and !
timber culture acts, and that the homestead
laws be so amended as to better secure COM |
oliance with and cultivation for the |
r1.NI IS H.
without Communication or provision for speeu-
ative REIMBURSEMENT. l also recommend
,he repeal of the desert land laws,
lnlesss it shall be the pleasure
If the Congress to so amend these laws as to
'ender them less liable to abuses. As the
thief motive for an evasion of the laws and
The principal cause of their result in land
s the facility with which transfers were
made of the right intended to be secured to
settlers, 1T may be deemed advisable to pro-
yide by legislation some guards and checks
lpon the alienation of homestead rights and
ands covered thereby until patents ISSUE
-ast year an executive proclamation
vas issued directing the removal of
ences which enclosed the public domain.
lany of these have been removed in obedi-
nee to such order, but much of the public
and still remains within the lines of these
Unlawful fences. The ingenious methods re-
orted to in order to continue these trespas-
es and the hardihood of the pretenses by
which, in some cases, such Enclosures are
justified, are fully detailed in the report of
he Secretary of the Interior. The removal
# the fences still remaining, which enclose
'ublic lands, will be enforced with all the
uthority and means with which the execu-
i've branch of the government is or should
e, invested by the Congress for that pur-
,ose.
Work of the Pension Bureau.
The report of the Commissioner of PEN
ions contains detailed and most satisfac.
ory exhibit of the operations of the Pension
bureau. During the last fiscal year the
mount of work done was the largest in any
ear since the organization of the bureau,
nd it has been done at less cost than DUR
ng the previous year in every division. On
he 30th day of June, 1886, there were 365,-
50 pensioners on the rolls of the bureau.
pplications for pensions filed, of
Ihich Is, S34 were based upon service in the
Tar of 1872. There were 621, ,754 OF these ap-
locations allowed, including 60, 17S to the
oldiers of 1Sl2Band their widows. The total
mount paid for pensions since 1861 is
sos, ,624, S11.57. The number of new PEN
ions allowed during the year ended June
cen allowed in any year save one since
SS1. The names of 9, 1923 pensions which
ad been previously dropped from
ne rolls were restored during the
ear, and after deducting those
ropped within the same time for various
auses, a net increase remains for the wear !
20,65S names. From January 1, 1861, to
december l, 1885. 1867 private pension
cts had been passed since the last men- !
oned date, and during the last session of
lie Congress GA such acts became laws. 1t
,ems to me that no one can examine our