New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-05
SECRETARY MOBILES REPORT.

In the throng of official statements which ap-
pear at this season one OF the most important
is ant TO receive less attention than ii deserves.
The Secretary of the Interior has under his d.
rect supervision the Land Department, with all
It's surveys. topogra phical and scientific; the
Indians, their treatment, their lands, educa-
ton, supplies and trust funds; the patents OF
all American investors the pensions granted
TO soldiers of the Union or their dependent
friends the Census Bureau, the Educational
Bureau, and many other matters OF importance.
No other public Office requires more laborious
and faithful service. or service OF a higher
grade of efficiency or a wider range of quali6-
cations.
Secretary Noble is able to rejoice in the per-
formance Of a vast amount Of valuable work
by his Department during the last year. Enor-
nous changes in pensions laws, and in the
number of pensioners and claims, have been
met as fairly as the force in the Office would
permit. A new Territory has been formed
from the public domain. which already has more
than 56. 900 inhabitants, while large additions
from Indian reservations have been made to
the pubic domain by agreements which await
Congressional action. Six new States have
been admitted, with all the changes in admin
~istrative action and method which are thus in
volved.
The Indians arc the great American land
holders, for the territory they occupied a year
ago embraced 116, 900. 900 acres. and the area
occupied by them now is 1C3, 0O0. 900 acres, or
about $50 acres for each Indian, male or
female, young or old. The release of 10, O0O,-
00G acres during the last year, Secretary
Noble urges, is but a step in the right direc-
ton, since the savages hold far too much land,
a barrier TO the progress OF the country and a
detriment to their own best interests. The cd
vocational system has been vigorously advanced,
and great improvements have been made in
preventing fraud in the supplies of Indians.
The number of patents granted during the year
was 25,S67, while 11,SS5 expired. and the
office earned for the Treasury in excess of all
expenditures S226. O3O. The claims pending
in the Pension Office are S92.221, of which
4S3,27s are under the act of last June. The
amount of appropriations which will be re-
quired under that act the Secretary is not yet
able to estimate.
Much space is devoted to a satisfactory re-
view of the work of the Census Bureau. with
particular notice of the care taken in selection
Of supervisors, who were Of both political par
ties and chosen upon recommendations of prom
inent and responsible men approved by the
Superintendent and the Secretary, and also in
the choice of experts, special agents, 1000
clerks and A., 900 enument0rs. The work is
much further advanced than that of any former
census at the corresponding date. and the Secre-
tary notices with qualification that. while cor
~rections have been made where errors have
appeared, so per cent OF all the complaints have
proved ground!ess. the whole number being only
about the same as the number made after the
tenth census. The Secretary also submits a
valuable review of the public-school system, in
which are enrolled H. 91, 259 pupils. and the
returns show a steady increase in the proper
ton Of attendance.
Secretary Mobiles report deals with fewer
controverted questions than most of the De
partment reports, and contains mere informa-
ton bearing directly upon the present and
future prosperity of the Nation than almost
any other. 1t is evidently the work of an
officer who brings to his labcrious task great
zeal, a thorough determination to do right. and
q deep interest in the prosperity and progress
of the Nation.