The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1890-12-04
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.
satisfactory Results Attained During tho
past War. sN

The report of the secretary Of the interior
with great ~fullnes5 ana cleAthess
the vast work of that great department Ok
the satisfactory results attained. The sug-
made by him are earnestly COM
to the consideration of congress. as
ali cannot be given particular mention here.
This several acts OF congress looking to
the reduction Of the larger indian reserya-
lions, to the more rapid settlement OF the
Indians upon individual allott8ents, ana
the restoration to the public DOMAIN OF
lands in excess of their needs have beet
largely carried into effect, so far as the
WORT was confded to the executive. Agree
tiehts have been concluded slice March 4.
1889, involving this cessigh to the United
States of about IA, ZIG, 900 attss Ct land.
These contracts have, as required ny lawi
been submitted to congress for ratification
and for the appropriations necessary to
curry them into effect. Those with the
Sisseton and Whhpeton, Sac and Fox, Iowa,
Pottawattamies aid absehtes %shawnees,
and Coepf d'Aleno tribes have not yet re.
ceived the sanStion Of congress. Attention
is also called to the fact that the appropria-
lions made in the case Of the Sioux Indians
have not covered all the stipulated pays
ments. This shoulA be promptly corrected.
II an agreement is confirmed all OF Its
terms should be complied with with6Ht de-
lay and full appropriations should be made.
The policy outlined in my last annual
message in relation to the patenting OF
lands to settlers upon the PUBLIC domain
has been Garried out in the Administration
of the land office. No GENERAL suspicion or
imputation of fraud has been allowed to
delay the hearing and adjudication OF ms
dividual cases upon their merits. The pur-
pose has been to perfect the title OF honest
settlers with such promptness that the
value OF the entry might not be swallowed
up by the expense and E&toftiohs TO which
delay subjected the claimant:
The average monthly issue OF agficul-
tural patents has been Increased about SIX
thousand. The disability pension act.
which was approved on the 27th OF June
last, has been put into operation as rapidly
as was practicable. The increased clerical
force provided was selected and assigned to
work, and a considerable part OF the force
engaged in examinations In the field was
recalled and added to the working force Of
the office. The examination and adjudica-
tion Of claims have, by reason 1t improved
methods, been more rapid than ever befofei
There is no economy to the government in
delay, while there is much hardship and
injustice to the soldier. The anticipated
expenditure, while very large, will not, it is
before the enactment of the law. This
liberal enlargement Of the general law
should suggest a more careful scrutiny OF
bills for specialrelief, both as to the cases in
which relief is granted and as to the amourt
allowed.
The increasing numbers and influence Of
the non-Mormon population in Utah are OBJ
served with satisfaction: The recent letter
Of MILFORD Woodruff, president of the Nor
mon church, in which he advised his people
to refrain from contracting any marriage
forbidden by the laws of the land" has at
tracted wid attention, and it is hoped that
it's influence will be highly beneficial in re-
straining attractions of The laws OF the
United States. But the facts should not bt
overlooked that the doctrine or belief Of The
church that polygamous marriages ar
rightful and supported by divine revelation
remains unchanged. President Woodruff
does not renounce the doctrine, but refrain'
from teaching it, and advises against thu
practice of it because the law is against it
Now 1t Is quite true that the law should no
attempt to deal with the faith or belief o
any one; but it is quite another thing. ant
the only safe thing, SO to deal with the ter
ritory Of Utah as that those who believ'
%polygamy to be rightful shall not have tn
power to makei it lawful.
The admission of the states of Idah o an
Wyoming to the union are events full o
congratulations, not only to the people Of tn
states happily endowed with q full partici
patton in our privileges and responsibilities
but to I'LL OUT people. Another belt o
states stretches from the Atlantic to TIL
Pacific.
The work of the patent office has won from
all sources a very high Communications. TIL
amount accomplished has been very largel
increased, rs all the results nave been sue
as to secur confidence and considerable
on the suggestion Of the commissioner
The enumeration of the people of tn
United States under the act of March
1890, has been completed and the result wi
be ut once officially announced to congress
The completion of this decennial enumera
ton devolves upon congress the duty {
making q new apportionment of representa-
ton among the several states according t
their representative number.
Attic last session / had occasion to retur
with my objections several bills making Pre-
visions for the erection Of publ
buildings, for the reason that the expend
lures contemp 'ated were, in my opinion
greatly in excess Of any public need. N
class of legislation is more liable to apus'
or to degenerate into an unseemly scrambl
about the public treasury than this. The1
should be exercised in this matter a wis
economy based upon some responsible an
impartial examination and report as
each case under a general law.