Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1889-12-12

Affairs In Alaska.
Provisions should be made for the acquisi-
ton OF title to town lots In the towns now es-
tablished I'm Alaska, for locating town sites and
for the establishment OF municipal govern
ments. Only the mining laws have been ex-
tended to that territory. and no other form OF
title to lands can now be obtained. We have
fortunately not extended to Alaska the mis-
taken policy of establishment of reserva-
tions for the Indian tribes, and
deal with them from the beginning as individu-
ais, WITH am sure, better results. But any
disposition OF the public lands and any regula-
tons relating to timber and TO the fisheries
should have kindly regard to their interests;
Alaska are wholly dependent upon the General
Government, TO whose revenues the seal hsh-
cries make large annual contribution. An
appropriation for education should neither be
overlooked nor stinted.
The smallness Of the population aud the great
obstacles to the establishment of the usual Ter
ritorial form of government. Perhaps the or
ganization OF several sub-districts, with a small
municipal council of limited powers for each,
would be safe and useful.
The Public Lands.
In the administration OF the land laws the
policy of facilitating, in every proper way, the
adjustment of the honest claims OF individual
settlers upon the public lands has been pursued.
The number of pending cases had, during the
preceding administration, been greatly increased
under the operation of orders for time sus-
pending final action in a large part of tho cases
originating in the West and Northwest, and by
the subsequent use of unusual methods OF OK
animation. Only those who are familiar with
the conditions under which our agricultural
lands have been settled can appreciate the seri
GUS and often fatal consequences to the settler
OF policy that puts his title under suspicion, or
delays tie issuance of his pateBt. While care is
taken to prevent and to expose fraud, it 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 fide intent to make n home upon the Sc
lected lands. Where this intent is well estab-
lished and the requirements OF the law have
been substantially complied with, tho claimant
is entitled 10 n prompt and friendly considera-
ton of his case. But who're there is reason to
believe that the claimant is n mere agent Of an
other, who is seeking to evade the law and to
secure by fraudulent methods large tracts OF
agent should be made to feel the full penalty OF
our criminal statutes. The law should be SO
administered not to confound these two
classes, and to visit penalties only upon the
latter.
The unsettled state of the titles to largo
bodies OF lands in the Territories of New Mex
leo and Arizona has greatly retarded the devel-
opment of those Territories Provision should
be made by law for the prompt trial and final
adjustment before n judicial tribunal or com
mission, OF all claims based upon Mexican
grants.
Pensions.
The law now provides "A pension for every
soldier and sailor who mustered into the
service OF the United States during the civil war;
having an origin in the service and in the line
of duty. Two of the three necessar ySfacts, viz.
muster and disability, are usually suceptible OF
easy proof but the third, origin in the service,
is often difficult, and in many deserving cases.
impossible to establish. That very many of
those who endured the hardships Of our most
bloody aud arduous campaigns now dis
abled from diseases that had real
but not traceable origin in the service, do not
doubt. Besides these there is another class
composed OF men many of whom served an en-
hstment OF three full years, and of re-enlisted
veterans who added fourth year of service who
escaped the casualties of battle and the assaults
OF disease, who we're always ready for any detail
who were in every battle line OF their command
and were mustered out in sound health, and
have since the close Of the war, while fighting
with the same indomitable and independent
spirit the contests of civil life been overcome by
disease or casualty.
A Dependent Pension Bill Urged.
am not unaware that the pension roll al
ready involves a very large annual expendi-
ture, neither am / deferred by that fact from
recommending that Congress grant pension
to such honorably discharged soldiers and sail
ors OF the civil war as, having rendered sub
stantial service during the war, are now de-
pendent upon their own labor for n main-
tenance, and through 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 public aid, and il
does not, in my opinion, consist with the ma
tional honor that they shall continue to subsist
upon the local relief given unfortunately to
paupers instead OF upon the special and gener-
lantly and unselfishly. Our people will, am
sure, very generally approve such legislation.
And am equally sure that the survivors of the
Union army and navy will feel n grateful sonse
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 meth
DDS in the War Department the calls of the
Pension Office for information as to the mill
tary and hospital records of pension claimants
are now promptly answered and the injurious
and vexatious delays that have heretofore oc-
Cured are entirely avoided. This will greatly
facilitate the adjustment OF all pending claims
The New States.
The advent Of four new States, South Dakota
North Dakota, Montana and Washington into
the Union under the Constitution, the same
month and the adniss sion OF their duly chosen
representatives TO our National Congress at the
same session, is an event as unexampled as IL
Is interesting.