The Appeal., 1889-12-07

are supposed to have knowledge Of public Of
hries and togive evidence There is o manifest
Resulting duty. that these witnesses shall be
protected from Injury on account OF their testi-
mony. The investigations of criminal OffenSes
are often rendered futile and the punishment 1t
crime impossible by the intimidation of Wit
oeSSes.
The question of trusts is considered and the
President says that when they are organized
tor the purpose of depressing healthy competi-
an article Of general necessity they become dan.
gerous conspiracies against the public good and
should be made the subject of prohibitory and
even penal legislation ...
NATURALIZATION LAWS
Our naturalization laws should be so revised
as to make the inquiry into the character and
good disposition towards our government of
The persons applying for citizenship more
thorough. Those who come to our shores to
swell the injurious influences and to extend
the evil practices of any association that de-
hes our laws should not only be denied citizen
ship but domicile.
... A BANKRUPTCY nAW
The enactment OF National bankrupt law Of
lation is desirable It should be Simple in its
method and inexpensive in its administration.
POSTAL SERVICE ANIL NAVY
The + PRESIDENT concurs in the suggestions
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. 3.
THE INDIANS. g.
Ihe report OF the Secretary Of the Interior
exhibits the transactions of the Government
M 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 m reservations 10 are now generally surround.
push the Indian back into the wilderness, and
1t remains only, by every suitable agency, to
push him upward into the estate of a self-sup-
the first step is to locate him upon farm, and
for the child to place him in a school. School at
tendance should be promoted by every
be compulsory. The National schools
should he 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 ac-
cepted citizenship and have become otherwise
lifted for such q transfer.
The agreement between the Sioux Indians
and the commission appointed to negotiate for
the release of the lands belonging to that tribe,
will be transmitted to Congress in due time.
By that agreement about 100000 acres is re-
leased to the Government No results have as
yet been obtained as a result of the negotiations
between the commission appointed for that
purpose and the Cherokee tribe relative to the
cession of their lands, nor is it believed
that a conclusion con can. be Immediately
these lands tor grazing purposes is clearly re-
sponsible for the obstruction of the negotia.
tions: These lands ought not to be and can not
long be held for the advantage Of few against
| the public interests. The Government has un-
der the treaties certain rights in these Lands.
These will not be used oppressively, but it can
not be allowed that those who by sufferance oc-
! cupy these lands shall interpose to defeat the
| wise, and benehcent purpose of the Govern
ment.
rrJr OprN1Nc oE o1-r .uo,,a
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 the except as the court at Muscogee or
the adjoining States had power to
OF the fact that several thousand persons many
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
yIuofing nsrS he did tns issue his proc
April e last as the time entrance
would be free to the Territory: 1t is much to
ly 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 81, law DO not secure the advantage they un
In the Territory about 10000 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
tnese people. Serious questions which may at
| any time lead to violent outbreaks are awaiting
the institution of courts for their peaceful ad-
| 1ustment: The American genius for self-gov-
ernment has beenwen illustrated in Oklahoma
but 1t is neither safe nor wise to leave these
people longer to the expedients which have
! temporarily served them.
ALASKA.
Provision should be made for the acquisition
OF titles to town lots in towns now established
in Alaska for locating town sites and for the es-
tablishment OF municipal governments. Any
| tions relating to timber and to the fisheries
should have kindly regard to the interests Of
the natives An appropriation for education
should neither be overlooked nor stinted.
| . 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 have been
settled Gun appreciate the serious and often
fatal consequences to the settler of o policy
| that puts his title under suspicion or delays
the lssuances OF his patent While care is
tar taken to prevent and to expose fraud it should
The manifest purposeof the Homestead and
Presumption laws was to promote the settle
ment OF the public domain by persons having a
b
selected lands Where this intent is well
established and the requirements OF the law
have been substantially compiled with the
friendly consideTation e his ease Bne whepa aae
there Is reason to believe that the claimant is
the mere agent of another who is seeking to
ings and to secure by fraudulent methods large
tracts Of timber and other lands both principal
ana 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 twOclasses and to visit penalties
only upon the latter.
am not unaware that tho pension roll al-.
ready involves very large annual expenditure,
neither am deferred by that fact from recon-.
honorably discharged soldiers ana Sailors sc Of the
civil war as, having rendered substantial service
during the war; are now dependent upon their
own LABOR for maintenance and by disease Or
casualty are incapacitated from earning it.
Many OF the men who would be included in
this form Of relief are now dependent upon
pnollc ;t ald ana It does not an my Judgment con;
continue to subsist upon the local relief
given indiscriminately to gpaupers instead of
upon H lhs special and generous provision Of the
Our people Will, am sure. very generally ap-
prove such legislation. And am equally sure
that the, the Of the Union army and navy
fairly cared for.
There are some manifest inequalities in the
eXistsng Law, that should be remedied. TO some
OF these the Secretary OF the interior has called
attention. IT is gratifying to be able to statei
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 andWexatious delays that have here
tofore occurred are entirely avoided. This will
greatly facilitate the adjustment OF all pending
claims. -.
THE NEW Staten. Il
The advent of -four new States South Dakota
North Dakota, Montana and Washington into
the Union under the constitution in the same
month, and the admission Of their duly chosen
REPRESENTATIVES tosour National Congress at the