The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-07
pressly or BY acouios. .use upon tn, local au.

pressly or BY acquiesAsnee upon ths local au'
thoritios.
Events which have been brought to my at.
tention, happening In other parts Of the coun'
try, have also suggested the propriety OF ex-
tending by legislation fuller protection TO those
who may be called rs witnesses in the courts OF
the United States.
The question OF trusts Is considered and the
President says that when they are organized
for the purpose OF depressing healthy competi.
ton or to monopolize the production or sale OF
On article Of general necessity they become dan.
gerous conspiraces against the public good and
should be made the subject OF prohibitory ana
even penal legislation.
NATURALIZATION LAWS.
Our naturalization laws should be so revised
Us TO make the inquiry into the character anu
good disposition towards our government OF
the persons applying for citizenship mere
thorough. Those who come to our shores TO
swell the injurious influences and to extend
the evil practices of any association that de-
fes our laws should not only be denied citizen
ship but domicle
A BANKRUPTCY LAW.
The enactment of u National bankrupt law OF
O character TO be a permanent part OF our legls'
lation is desirable. 1t should be simple In It's
method and inexpensive in its administration.
POSTAL SERVICE AND NAVY.
The President concurs in the suggestions
made by Secretary Of the Navy Tracy and POST
master-General Wanamaker IN their annual re-
ports Of methods TO increase the strength OF our
naval force and improve the efficiency OF the
postal service.
THE INDIANS.
The report OF the Secretary OF the Interior
exhibits the transactions OF the Government
with the Indian tribes. substantial progress
has been made in the education of the chill
dren OF school age andin the allotment OF LANDS
to adult Indians. Our treaty stipulations should
be observed with fidelity, and our Legislation
should be highly considerate of the best inter
ests Of an ignorant and helpless people.
The reservations are now generally surround
ed by white settlements. We can no longei,
push the Indian back into the wilderness ano
1t remains only, by every suitable agency &c
push him upward into the estate of sells
porting and responsible citizen. For the adult
the first step is to locate him upon farm, ana
for the child to place him in school. School at
tendance should be promoted by every
moral agency and these failing should
be compulsory. The National schools
for Indians have been very successful ana
should be multiplied, and as far as possible
should be so organized and conducted as to
facilitate the transfer OF the schools TO the
States or Territories in which they are located
when the Indians in a neighborhood have &C
cepted citizenship and have become otherwise
fittedf for such a transfer.
The agreement between the Sioux Indians
and the commission appointed to negotiate loi
the release of the lands belonging to That trlDe
will be transmitted to Congress in due time.
BY that agreement about 9,0O,UU acres Is re-
leased to the Government No results have as
yet been obtained as result OF the negotiations
between the commission appointed for that
purpose and the Cherokee tribe relative TO the
cession Of their lands, nor is 1t believed
that q conclusion can be Immediately
expected. The cattle syndicate now occupying
these lands or grazing purposes is clearly re-
sponsible FOR the obstruction OF the negotla-
lions. These lands ought not to be and can not
long be held for the advantage of few against
the public interests. The Government has I'M
der the treaties certain rights in these lands
These will not be used oppressively, but 1t can
not be allowed that those who by sufferance oc-
cupy these lands shall interpose to defeat the
xrca NM hon n
ment.
THE OPENING OF OKLAHOMA.
The President refers to the opening OF the
Oklahoma Territory. and says that he was re-
luctant to issue his proclamation throwing
open the lands to settlement because Congress
had made no provision for a civil government
for the people who were to be invited to settle
thereon except as the court at Muscogee or
the United States courts in some Of
the adjoining States had power to
enforce the general laws But IN view
of the fact that several thousand persons, many
of them with their families, had gathered upon
the borders of the Indian Territory with view
of securing homesteads on the ceded lands, and
that delay would involve them In much loss and
lamation, naming the noon hour on
April % last as the time entrance
would be free to the Territory. 1t Is much to
the credit Of the settlers that they very general
" observed the limitation as to The time when
they might enter the Territory. Care will be
taken that those who entered in violation OF
the law do not secure the advantage they I'M
fairly sought 1t is estimated that there are now
in the Territory about $1,000 people and several
considerable towns have sprung up, for which
temporary municipal governments have been
organized.
He very urgently recommends that Congress
at once provide q Territorial government for
these people. Serious questions which may at
any time lead to violent outbreaks are awaiting
the institution of courts for their peaceful adj
justment. The American genius for selfgov-
eminent has been well illustrated in Oklahoma,
but it is neither safe nor wise TO leave these
people longer to the expedients which have
temporarily served them
RIGHTS OF SETTLERS.
In the administration OF the land laws the
policy OF facilitating in every proper way the
adjustment of the honest claims of individual
settlers on the public lands has been pursued.
Only those who are familiar with the conditions
under which our agricultural lands nave been
settled can appreciate the serious and often
fatal consequences to the settler OF policy
that puts his title under suspicion or delays
the assurances OF his patent. While care is
taken to prevent and to expose fraud 1t should
not be imputed without reason.
The manifest purpose of the Homestead and
Presumption laws was to promote the settle
ment of the public domain by persons having
bona tide intent to make home upon the
selected lands. Where this intent is well
established and the requirements of the law
have been substantially complied with the
claimant is entitled to prompt and
friendly consideration of his case But where
the mere agent OF another who Is seeking TO
evade u law intended to promote small hold
ings and to secure by fraudulent methods large
tracts of timber and other lands both principal
and agents should not only be thwarted in their
fraudulent purpose but should be made to feel
the full penalties of our criminal statutes. The
laws should be so administered as not to con-
found these two classes and to visit penalties
only upon the latter.
PENSIONS.
am not unaware that the pension roll al
ready involves very large annual expenditure,
neither am / deferred by that fact from recon-
mending that Congress grant q pension to such
honoraby 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 disease or
casualty are incapacitated from earning 1t.
Many Of the men who would be included in
this form OF relief are now dependent upon
public aid, and II does not in my judgment con.
sist with the National honor that they shall
continue TO subsist upon the local relief
given Unfortunately to paupers instead OF
upon the special and generous provision of the
Nation they served so CALAMITY and unselfishly.
Our people will, / am sure very generally APP
prove such legislation.
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 ONCE for information aS TO the
military and hospital records OF pension
claimants are now promptly answered and the
injurious and vexatious delays that have here
tofore occurred are entirely avoided This will
greatly facilitate the adjustment of all pending