The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-12-05

nj cannot press the Indian hscn i;s.nen y,
sn;tahiess, and 1t remains only hv . s,, ene
tha 'a asa agency to push him nnwsrd esety
sill; Sly esta.e OF self-supportine and ra ln.o
l. s9 ~ citlzen. For the adult the t;rs. pVn-
cb ~ iocate MN upona farm and e., s &c
s1 Snh 70 place him in school. 'oi Tue
hv e s,,ee attendance should be nroroo,.a
sbo 1Isry moral agency and those fs;1;c =
scboo u " compelled to attend the natter
sncces ,s .2r Indians which have been varr
f far 81 ana should be multiplied and ~
con as possible should be so Granted an q
school ~ as 10 facilitate the transfer of the
tbav ~ " ene states and territories in which
ne;g az ioca5ed, where the Indians in q
ana have become otherwise fitted iIsc os
transfer; This condition of thinsS III; 1II IN
sS.alned slowly but it will be hasisn "a b De
fHIeepihg u IN mind and in the meant;n ~
a onaI cooperation between the eovernmant
u nuu ene missions schools which hos
"aSSusnt much good should be cord;aiIv
and lmpartially sustained NC ooiuiaiiy
lave iast congress enacted two distinct
I I%I; ielatiye to negotiating with the Stony
anulans OF Dakota for a relinouisbment -
g. portion Of their lands to the TTn;tod
S.aIes, and for dividing the remainder into
separate reservations. Both were annroveJ
on tne same day. March .. The one was
sunnltted to the Indians as a specific nron.
osiCion, the other (section of the Indian
EXPERIMENTATION aet) authorized the presi-
uon. W appoint three commissioners To ne.
SH.laate with these Indians tor the accom-
anS OF the same general purpose,
s aiu Ls4ulred That any agreement made
o oaGuiu pe sup iltted to congress for ratif-
ra;,on. Uh the 10Th day of April last an.
R&T,noeu honorable CHARLES Foster of Ohio,
MaJor-General Geo. Crook. of the limited
states army, commissioners under the last
named law. They were however. author.
| izeu and directed first to submit
10 the Indians the definite proposition
maze 10 them underline act first mentioned
anu In the event of failure to secure the
assent OF the requisite number to that
proposition to open negotiations for modi.
ned terms under the act. The work of the
commission was prolonged and arduous
put the assent of the requisite number was
IL Is understood, finally obtained to the
proposition made by congress, though the
report OF the commission has not vet been
submitted. In view of these facts shall
not, as at present advised, deem it neces.
sary TO submit the agreement to congress
LOT ratlhcatlon, but it will in due course be
submitted for information. This agreement
releases TO the United States about 8 COO, 00C
acres OF land. The commission provided
Tor by section IA of the Indian APP
| preparation bill, to negotiate with the
Cherokee Indians and other Indians
or claimants of lands living west OF
the 96th degree of longitude for the session
OF the United States Of all such lands was
carried out by the appointment of Hon
orable Lucius Fairchild, of Wisconsin
John F. Hartranft, of Pennsylvania, and
Honorable Alfred NJ. Wilson, of Arkansas,
and organized on June 20 last. Their first
conference with the representatives of the
Cherokees was held at Tahlequah, July 80,
with no definite results. General ]. f.
Hartranft, was prevented by ill health
| from taking part in the conference. His
death, which occurred recently, is Justly
and generally lamented by a people he had
served with conspicuous gallantry in war
and with great Fidelity peace. The vacancy
thus created was filled by the appointment
of Honorable 0. G. Sayre, of Indiana
CONCERNING ALASKA.
We have fortunately not extended to
Alaska the mistaken policy of establishing
reservations for the Indian tribes, and can
deal with them from the beginning as in
dividuals with better results without any
disposition of the public lands, and any
regulations relating to timber and to the
fisheries should have kindly regard to
their interests. Having no power to levy
taxes the people of Alaska are wholly de-
pendent upon the genera. government.
Attention is being called In this connec-
ton to the suggestions OF the secretary OF
the treasury relative to the establishment
of another port of entry in Alaska and OF
other needed customs facilitating trade
regulations.
PENSIONS.
The 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 the line of duty. Two or three
necessary facts, viz: Muster and disability,
are usually susceptible of every proof but
the third, origin in the service is often
difficult. in many deserving cases 1T is i'm
possible to establish. That very many OF
those who endured the hardships OF our
most bloody and arduous campaigns are
now disabled from diseases that
had a really not traceable origin
in the service we do not doubt. There is
another class composed OF men, many OF
whom served out the enlistment OF the
three full years of re-enlisted volunteers
and escaped the fourth year OF services VINO
escaped the casualties of battles and the
assaults of disease, who were always ready
for anv details who were in every battle
line of their command and were mustered
ont in sound health and have since the
close of the war, while fighting. with the
same indomitable and independent spirit
fine contest of civil life, been overcome by
disease and casualty. uo,l
lam not unaware that the pension loIi
already involves very large annqai eAt
nenditure. Neither am deferred Dy InaI
Fact from recommending that congress
shonld grant pension to such honoraDIy
dischareed soldiers and sailors OF the civil
war as having rendered substantlal service
I %~ the war. are now dependent upon
their own labor for maintenance, anu ny
disease or casualty are incapacitated rom
oarn;no Il Many of the men who wouiu
he included in this form Of rellef are no"
dependent upon public AID
INTERSTATE COMMERCE.
The attention of the interstate commerce
oonamission has been called TO the urgency
of congressional legislation for the Detter
protection of the lives ana nlnpS VI .Io9 90
eng aged in operating the great in'e ns the
fra5eht lines and the limbs OF those OF Ins
con5try, and especially of the yardmen anu N.
brskenen. A petition signed by ne 1 ~
10 OOO railway brakemen was preSeii;sJIt bo