The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-04


that congress at once provide q territorial gov
ernment Tor these people. Serious questions.
Snlcn may az any time lead 70 violent out
breaks. are awaiting the Institution OF the courts
for their peaceful Adjustment The Amerie.n
genius Tor self government has been we'll illus
trated IN Oklahoma. but Il Is neither ssse nor
NIse 20 IeaVs these peopls longer to the ex-
Peu'ehS "hlcn nave temporarily served them.
GOVERNMENT OF ALASKA.
Provision should DO made for the ACQUISITION
OF u,le 10 town lots IN the towns now estap-
nsne1 IN Alaska, Tor locating town sites and for
tnS estsaolshtnent OF municipal governments.
OnIy the mining laws have been EXTENDED 10
that territory. and no other form OF title TO
lands can now be obtained The general land
laws were framed with reference to the dis
posluoh OF agricultural lands. and IL is doubtful
II their operations In Alaska would be beneficial
We have fortunately not extended TO Alaska
the mistaken policy OF establishing reservations
Tor the Indian tribes, and can deal with them
rom me beginning as individuals. with, I am
sure better results. But any disposition of the
pubic land, and any regu atoms relating to
timber and TO the fisheries should have a kindly
regard TO their interests. Having no power to
levy taxes, the people OF Alaska are wholly de-
PENDENT upon the general government. TO whose
revenues the seal fisheries make a large annual
contribution.
MONEY FOR EDUCATION.
An appropriation for education should neither
be overlooked nor stinted. The smallness Of
the population and the great distances between
the settlements offer serious obstacles 20 the
establishment of the usual territorial form OF
government. Perhaps the organization OF sew
efaa suo-dlstricts with small municipal council
or limited powers for each would be safe, and
useful attention is called in this connection 10
the suggestions OF the Secretary of the Treas
ury relating TO the establishment of another
port OF entry In Alaska, and OF other needed
customs facilities and regulations
ADMINISTRATION OF THE LAND LAWS.
In the administration OF the land laws the
policy or facilitating in every proper way the
adjustment OF the honest claims OF individuals
settled upon the public lands has been pursued
Inc number of pending cases had during the
preceding administration been greatly in
creased under the operation OF orders for a
time suspending hnal action in a large part of
the cases originating in the west and northwest
anu oy ne subsequent use OF unusual methods
or examination. Only those who are familiar
with the conditions under which our aRricul-
tlral lands have been settled can appreciate
the serious and often fatal consequences TO the
settler or policy that puts his title under
suspicion. or delays the issuance OF his patent.
Whlle care is taken to prevent and to expose
fraud, 1t should not be imputed without reason
Inc manifest purpose of the homestead aud
presumption law was TO promote the settlement
OF the public domain by persons having bona
noe intent To make a home upon the selected
lands. Where this intent is well established
ana the requirements OF the law have been sub.
stantially complied with, the claimant Is emit.
tied to prompt aud friendly consideration of
his case; but where there Ia reason to believe
that the claimant IL the mere agent of another
VINO is seeking TO evado law intended to pro.
mote small holdings and Co secure by fraudu
lent methods large tracts of timber and other
lands, both principal and agent should not only
be thwarted in their fraudulent PURPOSES but
should be made to feel the full penalties Of our
criminal statutes. The laws should DO so ad-
mnstered as not TO confound those two classes
ana TO visit penalties only upon the latter.
NEW MEXICAN AND ARIZONA LANDS
Tho unsettled state of the titles TO large bod.
les or lands In the territories of New Mexico
ana Arizona has greatly retarded the develop
ment Of those territories. Provisions should be
made by law for the prompt trial and final adj
1ustment before a judicial tribunal or commits
sion, OF all claims based upon Mexican grants
IL IS not just to an intelligent and enterprising
people that their peace should be disturbed
and their prosperity be retarded by these old
contentious. l express the hope that differ
ences Of opinion to methods may yield TO the
urgency OF the case
THE PENSION LAWS.
Tho law now provides pension for every
soldier and sailor who was mustered into the
service OF the United States during the civil
war and Is now suffering from wounds or
disease having an origin In the service, and In
the line of duty. Two OF the necessary fncts
viz: muster andsdisability. are usually suscept
IDLE OF easy proof: But the third. origin In the
service, is often difficult and 10 many deserving
cases impossible to establish. That very many
OF those who endured tho hardship OF our most
bloody and arduous campo gns are now disabled
from diseases that had q real but not
traceable origin in tho service
do not do BIT. Besides. there Is
another class composed OF men, many OF whom
served an enlistment OF three years; Of re.
eulisted veterans, who added fourth year Of
service, who escaped the casualties OF battle
and the assaults OF disease, who were always
ready for any detail, who were in every battle
line OF their command, and we're mustered out
In sound health, and have, since the close of the
war, while fighting with the same indomita-
BILE and independent spirit the contests OF civil
life. been overcome by disease or casualty.
WANTS PENSIONS FOR ALI.
l am not unaware that the pension roll
already involves a very large annual expeudi-
ture. Neither am deferred by that fact from
recommending that congress grant pension to
such honorably discharged soldiers and sailors
of the civil war as, having rendered substantial
service during the war, are now dependent upon
their own labor for a maintenance, and by dis
ease or casualty are incapacitated from earn
ing it. Many Of the men who would be included
in this form OF relief are now dependent upon
public aid, and it does not, in my Judgment con-
sist with the national honor that they shall
continue 70 subsist upon the local relief given in
discriminatory 10 paupers instead or upon the
special and generous provision of the nation
they served so gallantly and unselishly. Our
psople will, am sure, very generally approve
such legislation, and am equally sure that the
survivors of the union army and navy will feel
a grateful sense of relief when this worthy and
suffering class of their comrades is fairly cared
for. There are some manifest inequalities in
the existing law that should be remedied To
some of these the Secretary of
the Interior has called attention
1t is gratifying to be able to state that by the
adoption of new and better methods in the
war department. the calls OF the pension Office
for Information as to the military and hospital
records OF pension claimants are now promptly
answered, and the injurious and vexatious de-
lays that have heretofore occurred are entirely
ment Of all will greatly facilitate the adjust
avoided. This pending claims.
THE NEW STATES.
The advent OF four new states-South Dakota,
North Dakota, Montana and Washington--into
the union under the constitution ia the same
month, and the admission Of their duly chosen
same session, is an event as unexampled as IL Is
interesting. The certification of the votes cast
and of the constitutions adopted by each Of the
states was filed with me, as required by the
eight sections of the act OF Feb. %, 1889, by the
governors of said territories respectively.
Having, after careful examination,
found that these several constitu-
tions and governments republican In
form and not repugnant to the constitution of
the United States; that all the provisions of the
act of congress had been complied with, and
that ma jority Of the votes cast In each of
said proposed states was in favor Of the adop-
ton OF the constitution submitted therein,
did so declare by separate proclamation as TO
Nov 2; as to Montana on Friday, Nov.
q. and as TO Washington on Monday, Nov.
II. Each Of these states has within il resources,
the development of which viii employ the
energies of and yield a comfortable subsistence
TO a great population. The smallest of these
new states, Washington, stands twelfth, and
the largest, Montana, third, among the forty
two in area. The people OF these states are
already well trained, Intelligent and patriotic
American citizens. having common interests