The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1890-12-04
Interior Department.

Interior Department.
REDUCTION OFINDIAN RESERVATIONS.
The several acts Of Congress looking to the
reduction OF the larger Indian reservations,
to the more rapid settlement of the Indians
upon individual ullOttments and the restora-
ton to the public domain Of ,ands in excess OF
their needs, have been largely carried into
effect. 50 far as the work was contded to the
Executive. Agreements have been concluded
since Msrch 1882 nvoyng the cession to the
These contra IS have, Us required by law,
been submitted tc Congress for ratihcatio and
of 'es @sh them
peton, Sac and Fox. Iowa. Pottawatomies and
Absentee Shawnees and Occur d'Alene tribes
have not yet received the sanction OF Congress.
Attention is also called to- the fact that the ap-
propriatiLus made in tho case OF the Sioux In
dams have not covered all the stipulated pay
m nts. This should be promptly corrected. II an
agreement is conf mel all Of its terms should
be complied with without delay and full appro.
priations should be made.
LANDS F)R SETTLERS.
The policy outlined in my last annual mes
sage III relation 10 the pa enting Of lands to
settlers vi on the public domain has been car
Fed cut in the administration OF the Land o.
ice. NO general suspicion or imputation of
fraud has been allowed to delay the hearing anu
adjud cation of individual cases upon their mer.
ltS: The purpose has been to perfect the title
| of honest settlers with such prom tncss that
:Le value Of the entry might not be swallowed
Up by tn; expenses AMI cxtortions t. which
1elay subjected the ;iaimant. Tho average
monthly Issue nErlcHllul III patents has been
Increased about six thousand.
THE PENSION OFFICE.
The disability pension act. which Was APP
pro Jed on the 27tn Of June last, has been put
into operation as rapidly US practicable: Tho
increased clerical ,orcc provide was selected
aad assigned to WORK. and considerable part
Of the, force engaged in examinations il
| the tied WAS recalled ana addict to the work.
ing force OF the ONCE Tho examination and
adjudication q claims have by reason OF i'm.
proved M1aethods, been more rapid than ever
before: There is no economy to the Govern
ment in delay, while th.:re Is much hal dship
and injustice to the soldiers. The anticipated
expenditure while very large, will not, it Is
believed be in excess Of the estimates made
before the enactment Of tho law. This liberal
general law should suggest u more careful
scrutiny OF bills for special relief both as to
the cases where relief is granted and as to the
amount allowed.
AFFAIRS in UTAH
The increasing numbers and influence Of the
non, Mormon popu alton in Utah arc ob.
Milford Woodruff. pr sldent Of the Mormon
church. in which he advised his peop.e TO
r ndda ~ irgm oontr9ctn; any marrage for
wide attention, and it is hopod that its influ.
cnce will bc highly beneficial in restraining
s9ats bu9 thu the aS OF the Htsa
overlooked that the doctrine or belief
Of the church that poygamous marriages are
rlghtf"l and supported ny Divine revelation re-
mains unchanged. President Woodruff does
not rencunce the doctrine, but refrains from
Touching it, and advises against the practice of
1t because the Jaw is against 1t. Now it is quite
true that the law should not attempt to deul
with the faith or belief Of any. one; but it is
quite another thing and the only safe thing, so
to deal with the Territory OF Utah as that
those who believe polygamy to be rightful shall
not have the power to make 1t lawful
TWO NEW STATES.
The admission OF the States OF Wyoming and
Idaho to the Union e events full OF interest
and congratulatior. only to the people Of
those States now hapli endowed with o full
participation in our privileges and RESPONSE.
biiitles but to all our people. Anoti or belt
OF States stretches from the Atlantic to the
Pacific.
Tine work OF the Patent Office has won from
oil sources very high commentator The
creased, and all the results have been such rs
to secure confidence and consideration for the
suggestions OF the Commissioner.
THE CENSUS.
The enumeration of the people Of the United
States, under the provisions of the act OF March
l. 1890, has been completed and the result Will
be Ut once officially comm unicated to Congress.
The completion Of this decennial enumeration
new apportionment OF Representatives ''among
the several States, according to their respect
i've numbers"
USELESS PUBLIC BUILDINGS
AT the last session 1 had occasion to return
with my objections several bills making provis-
ions for the erection of public buildings for the
reason that the expenditures contemplated
were: in my o:'inion, greatly in excess Of any
public need. No Class OF legislation IL more H.
able to abuse, or to degenerate into an unseen
ly scramble about the public treasury than
this There should be exercised in this matter
| wise economy based upon some responsible
and impartial examination AMI report as to
each Case under general law.
The Department of Agriculture.
FARMERS PROSpERING