The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-12-19
STATE OF THE UNION.
Synopsis of the Annual Reports
of Cabinet Officers.
The Interior Department, the Post
office and the Army.

The annual report of the Secretary Of the
Interior shows that also patents for
agricultural lands, covering $500, 900 acres
an increase of 25,622 patents and 8, 900 ,00t
acres; 1884 mineral patents ard ia coal
land patents, covering S29, 162 d acres,
were issued during the year. Under
swamp laHo rlrIe 9S,205.42 acres passed
to State, and on miscellaneous claims patents
covering 2G, 402. 81 acres were issued, making
a total of S,G05, 1920 acres to which title
was passed. There were 70, 46S final entries,
embracing 1l,34O, 1G2. SIS acres u, 49 original
entries, embracing l0.9Sj,G7O.ol acres. ana
railroad and State selections comprising
7,790.S5L acres made during the same
period Receipts from the disposal of pubic
lands amounted to Sl2, ,70l, ,0i2 and from
Indian lands SS21, 1877, making a total Of
SlS,5-2. 1877, the largest receipts since
1896.
There were 23s, 156 final and $50. o53 orig
inal entries on hand June 20, and at the
same time railroad entries aggregating 23,-
429, 500 II acres were adjusted.
The Secretary suggests a special exam
ination Of the entire department by q
commission of Congress, with view Of seI
curing new and necessary buildings, increas-
ing the salary of responsible officers, and
making more secure the tenure of office in the
department. He recommends, also, the repeal
Of the Desert Land law. which he charac.
terizes as 'very empirical" and commends
the adoption by Congress Of q law providing
for an investigation into the best methods OF
utilizing the natural resources of the country
by taking possession of the valleys and
gorges along the streams and the construc.
ton of great reservoirs for the storage OF
water to be distributed on the sterile areas.
He shows that since March 4, 1885,, there
S, 1853 ,990.5l acres restored to the public
domain, and recommends that 81, ,020, 53S. IS
additional be reserved.
In relation to Indian affairs be reports that
no disturbance or general trouble has any
where occurred. He refers to the fact that
several Indians have established, by the
progress they have made, their capability
OF acquiring the civilization OF the
Caucasian races, while still others are
troglodytes in barbarism. The legislation
Of the past few years has broken up the
tribal system Of government among soDae
tribes, while with Others it is at the point OF
disintegration. He also refers to the in
crease in the efficiency and honesty Of In
dian agents, though much remains yet TO
OF these officers is recommended. He
finds that the settlement Of the
entire Indian question can be accomplished
by the educa ion Of Indian youths,
because then there will be no Indians
when the generation Of youths becomes the
generation of manhood The Indian
census for 1SSz.SS shows q population of
A6.0h The extent of territory reserved for
Indians is 2,4l3, 40 acres, an average Of
2456 acres for each Indian. Exclusive of the
tribes Of civilized Indians and the New York
Indians there are 1854 engaged in civilized
pnrsu Is, 11,203 houses occupied Sc, 223 In
dians speak the English language, 62,625
wear the dress of civilization, 25l,S
acres OF land have been cultivated.
2!s,641 rods of fencing built, while in raising
OF grain and dairy products they have made
marvellous progress. The summary shows
233 schools in operation, with an enrolment
Of 1922 pupils and average attendance
of 11.420, and q total expenditure Of
81, s03, 1880 for their maintenance He
recommends liberal policy in providing for
the education Of the Indian youths, and in
dicates 81, 0U00N as proper appropriation
for this purpose.
From the chapter devoted to pensions it is
learned that 6O, 252 original pensioners were
added and As III increass granted, while 15,
730 names were dropped from the list leaving
q total of 4'2.557 names Of these 3!:S, go are
army invalid pensioners, W,SSO widows,
children and dependent relatives. 3Sl5 navy
invalids, 20Si navy widows and dependents,
SOC survivors Of the Mexican war,
10,7s7 widows and dependents Of that
war, 10000 Mexican soldiers, and
5l4 widows Of Mexican soldiers. Pen
sions range from Sc per month to Si1G.G6, the
average annual value being sl:!53.S and the
aggregate annual value $50, ,707, ,20,92. an in
creese Of S3,s>2.57a7. The amount paid
during the YER was S7S. tf5, ,s6i.92,. an in
crease Of IS, ,30S, $50 q, the difference between
actual payments and annual value being occa-
stoned by first payments INVOLVING arrears.
The cost attending this disbursement was
$500 524.67, making the total expenses Of
the bureau s., ,0sS, 3S6. 50, or 81 per cent of
the governments income and thirty one per
cent. Of its total expenditures. The average
age Of pensioners is fifty years and the aver
age of life sixty-seven years During the
sby the department
In the Patent Office there were filed 4O.lU
applications and caveats, and %, ,S53 patents,
including reissues and designs. were
granted; 1888 trade marks and Ss5 labels
registered. During the, same period
2957 patents were withheld for non-pay-
meut Of fees, and ll,6ll patents expired.
and expenditures 1858, 730. IA. leaving a sur
plus Of SIG, ',26+.69. which, with the balance
in the Treasury, leaves 1885,, 66.G5 to the
credit Of the Patent Office.
From the report of the Commissioner Of
Labor it is found that during the year there
were S53 strikes, affecting 1852 establish
ments. This branch of the report is sum-
married for period from 1880 to the present
time, during which there were 2!,30l estab-
lishrnents involved in strikes. of which New
York had the largest number, there
being 924T strikes and 1923 lockouts.
The Jtotal number Of persons involved
was !, 1,SZ3, 20;. In IL, S75 establishments sue
cess followed, in 3ooi partial success, and in
1910 failure. In lockouts. 5A were
successful, 100 partly successful, and
1899 failures The assistance given
strikers was 8, 1924 ,557. and 81, 10G,n5S to
those affected by lockouts. The employers
lost $50, 7Ol.553 BY strikes and s., ,4G2, 2bl by
lockouts No intelligent estimate can be
given Of the losses to those engaged in the
trikeS.
Secretary of Wars Report
The annual report Of Secretary OF WaI
Endicott shows the expenditures OF the War
Department to have been Sal, l65, lG.07, o
which So, ;},SS7, ;,SS7 .4t II was for support of the
Y,uI,lip