The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-12-04
DAILY rrnfHs4K1cH1oNp WEDNESDAY DECEMBER $780,

l
not realized. II Is estimated that there are
now in the territory some sixty thousand
people, and several considerable towns
have sprung up, for which temporary mu-
J nicipal governments have been organized.
| Guthrie Is said to have now population Of
almost eight thousand. Eleven schools and
nine churches have been established, and
three daily and five weekly newspapers are
| published in this city, whose charter and
ordinances have only the sanction OF the
voluntary acquiescence OF the people from
day TO day. Oklahoma has population Of
| about 5000, and Is proportionally as well
provided as Guthrie with churches. schools
aid newspapers. Other towns and villages
have populations Of from one hundred TO a
thousand, and are scattered over the terri
tory.
In order to secure the peace OF this new
community, in the absence Of civil govern
ment, directed General Merritt, command
ing the Department Of the Missouri, TO act
| in conjunction with the marshals of the
United States TO preserve the peace. and
upon their requisiiion To use the troops 10
aid them in cyccutin. warrants, and in
quieting any riots or breach of the peace
that might occur. lie MAS further directed
| to use his influence To promote good order
and avoid any conflicts between or with the
settlers. Believing that the Introduction
| regulation existed would endanger the
public peace and in view Of the fact that
| such liquors must first he introduced into
| the Indian reservation before reaching
| the white settlements. further directed the
general commanding 20 enforce the laws re-
| iating TO the Introduction Of ardent spirits
into the country. The presence Of the troops
| has given n sense Of security 70 the well
disposed citizens and has tended TO restrain
| q no 1os. In la n N
| immediate command Of the troops went
further than deemed justitiable in sup
porting the dc (dcto municipal govern
ment of Guthrie, and he was so
| informed and directed TO limit
| the interference Of the military TO the sup
port Of the marshals on the lines indicated
in the original order. very urgently re-
commend that Congress at once provide
TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT
| for these people. Serious questions, which
NAV at any time lead TO violent outbreaks,
are awaiting the institution Of the courts
| for their peaceful adjustment. The Ameri-
can genius for self government has
been we'll illustrated in Oklahoma, but
| IL is neither safe nor wise to leave this
people longer to the expedients which have
temporarily served them.
TOWN LOTS IN ALASKA.
Provisions should be made for the acqui-
sitiOn of title 10 town lots in the towns now
established in Alaska, for locating town
sites and for the establishment Of munl-
cpal governments. Only the mining laws
have been extended TO that Territory, and
no other form Of title TO lands can now be
obtained. The general land laws were
framed with reference TO the disposition Of
agricultural land laws, and it Is doubtful II
| their operations in Alaska would be bene-
| fetal
We have fortunately not extended 10
Alaska the mistaken policy Of establishing
reservations for the Indian tribes, and can
deal with them from the beginning As indi-
| viduals with, | am sure, better results.
But any disposition OF the public lands, ana
any regulations relating 10 timber ana 10
| the fisheries, should have klndly regaru
| TO their interests. Having no power 10 levy
taxes. the people Of Alaska are wholly
dependent upon the general government,
| 10 whose revenues the seal fisheries make
| large annual contribution. An Appropriation
| for education should neither be overlooked
nor stinteS. The smalness OF the popula-
lation and the great distances between tue
settlements offers serious obstacles TO the
establishment Of the usual territorial form
of government. Perhaps, the organization
of several sub-districts, with a small
[
| each. would be safe and useful. Attention
| is called in this connection 10 the sugges-
| ton of the Secretaries of the Treasury re-
lating to the establishment Of another port
| of entry i'm Alaska, and other needed Gus
toms, facilities and regulations.
IN THE ADMINISTRATIONS OF THE LAND
| LAWS
the policy Of facilitating in every proper
way the adjustment OF the honest claims Of
individuals settled upon the public lands
! has been pursued. The number OF pending
cases had during the preceding adminlstra-
ton been greatly increased under the ope-
ration Of orders for time suspendlns hnal
action i'm large part of the cases originating
| i'm the West and Northwest. and by the SUD
l sequent use Of unusual methods OF exalnl-
nation. Only those who are familiar WIN
| the conditions under which our agricultural
| lands have been settled can appreciate the
serious and often fatal consequences to the
settler of policy that puts his title under
| suspicion. or delays the issuance OF his
| patent. While care is taken 10 prevent and
to expose fraud, it should not be imputed
without reason.
The manifest purpose Of the homestead
and pre.emptiOn law was TO promote the set
t,ement of the public domain by persons
having n bona fdc intent 10 make nome
well established and the requirements Of the
law have been substantially complied with,
the claimant IL entitled to a prompt aud
friendly consideration Of his case. But
where there is reason TO believe mat the
f claimant is the agent OF another who Is
seeking to eyadc Il law intended 10 promote
small holdings, and 10 secure by fraudulent
methods large tracts OF timber and other
lands. both principal and agent should not
only be thwarted in their fraudulent pur.
noses. hut should be made 10 feel The full
penalties of our criminal statutt& The
laws should be SO administered rs not tc
confound those two classes and 10 visit pen
alties only upon the latter
UNSETTLED TITLES IN NKw MEXICO AM
ARIZONA.
The unsettled state OF the titles 10 large
, bodies Of lands in the Territories Of New
Mexico and Arizona has greatly retarded
, the development Of those Territories. Pro
visions should be made by law for thu
prompt trial and final adjustment before 1
. judicial tribunal or commission Of all claim
> based upon Mexican grants. 1t Is not jus
{, 10 an intelligent and enterprlslng peopl'
that their peace should be disturbed ant
, their prosperity retarded by these old con
! tentions. / express the hope that difference
of opinion as TO methods may yet yield t
RI the srgency Of the case.
. PENSIONS.
The law now provides pension for ever,
: soldier and sailor who was mustered int
0 the service OF the United states during I'm
1 civil war and is now suffering from wound
l or disease having an origin in the seryic'
r and i'm the line Of duty. Two Of the neces
sary facts, viz: Muster and disability, ar
usually susceptible OF easy proof; but tn
{ third. origin in the service, is often difficult
e and i'm many deserving cases impossible {
establish. That very many OF those who en-
dured the hardships Of our most bloody an
e arduous campaign are now disabled iron
K diseases that had real, but no
: traceable, origin in the service,
V do not doubt. Besides these there !
t another, class composed Of men-many q
e whom served an enlistment Of three years
= of re-enlisted veterans who added fourt
II year of seryice-who escaped the casual
e Ties of battle and the assaults OF disease
r who were alw iys ready for any detail; VII
J., were in every battle line OF their command
r and were mustered out in sound health
r and have. since the close Of the war, Will
. lighting with the same ind0mitable and II
b dependent spirit the contests of civil life