New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-10
SECRETARY MOBILES REPORT.

A REVIEW OF THE OPERATIONS OF A GREAT
DEPARTMENT.
SOLVING THE uNpIAN PRoBLEM-wORK OF THE
GENERAL LAND orrroE-RAPDD PROGRESS
IN THE CENSUS BuRDAv--ooNDITIoNs
OF The PENSION BUREAU
pAnFxrs-EDucXr1oN-T
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
fBY rRLEcRArH TO THE TkIBUSE.1
Washington Nov o.-Thc forthcoming annual re-
pcrt Of tho Secretary OF the Interior will be public
document Of much interest. the last year having
ham one OF unusual activity In several branches OF
the public service under his jurisdiction That ,uns'
dicton, however, has been somewhat cnrtaed by inc
admission into the Union Of six new States, whose
people, now enjoy all the privileges Of American citi-
s>ns Of which many of them had been for years
uniustry deprived by the factous opposition Of Demo
Gratis in Congress OF course the Interior Depart
mont stil hes much to do In the newly admitted
6tnAes a. it has in the other States in which the
General Government has largo numbers Of Indians and
many Indian reservations to deal with and In which
there ere large areas Of public land.
Tho creation Of the Territory Of Oklahoma within
the year was q most interesting event. At the be-
ginning of April the AREA comprised within its bound
aries was totally unpeopled save by few soldiers
ana Government officers and stalking stragglers from
the outposts of settlement and civilization. Not @
single settlers cabin could have been found in the
whole broad expanse. On June 30 the population
Of the Territory. according to the returns Of the
Census exceeded $4,000. Naturally there was con-
siderable 1ostng at FIRST for the Territory was peopcd
almost in day, and there were cases Of sharp prac-
tice and violations of law by some Of the rstcomers
who made Illicit opportunities for themselves, but
there was less Of violence and disorder than might
have been expected. The Secretarys review Of the
settlement of Oklahoma will DO read with mash In
tsrest.
considerable portion Of tho report and that not
the least interesting will be that devoted to the Indians
The Indian problem has been shorn Of one OF its
greatest difficulties by the rapid extension OF railroads
and clographs and such occupation Of the country by
white settlers has segregated the various indian
tribes and bands and made Indian wars virtually I'M
possible but 1t still remains complicated and DIM
cult question, every step In the settlement OF which is
beset with peculiar difficulties The report will show,
however that fair progress has been made during the
last year. With ,he incoming Of the present Ad-
minstration active were begun to improve the
Indian service. 1t found that the Indian popuar
ton Of the United States, the total Of which, Us ascer
tanned by actual countnot including the Indians OF
Aaskais but little more than that Of the District Of
Columbia and less by nearly onehaK than thac given
by the recent to the city Of Baltimore, was
occupying area OF country greater In extent tnan
that Of any two and almost as large as the total area
Of any three Of the great States lately admitted into
this Union, and greater than the combined area OF
the England and Middle States. The total Indian
population Of the United siates exclusive of Alaska,
Is but about 1000, while tho area Of country &C.
cupied by them Is about 600 acres, 1e2250
square miles, Ry far the greater portion Of this vast
territory has been lying idle, absolute bar to the
progress of civilization and Of no benefit whatever to
tho Indians Twothirds of it easily might be restored
to the public domain and opened to white settlement
leaving more than enough to meet the actual needs Of
the Indians for all time to come. During the last
year not less than 100000 (nearly twice the
area Of the State Of Maryland) have been obtained
by cession from various tribes, upon terms as adj
vantageous to them to the Government. and agree
awaiting ratification by Congress which
win give to settlement some 100000 acres more.
OF lands actually acquired, about 10000 900 acres. I'm
North and South Dakota, were secured by agree
ment with the Sioux, and about 100000 acres from
The Chppewas In Minnesota. The ratification by Con-
gress Of pending agreements will throw open to settle
ment some 100000 acres more In North Dakota about
100000 IN South DAKOTA, about 1905, 900 acres
in Colorado and about 041ooo acres in the new Ter
rtory Of Oklahoma, making total of more than
100000 acres or more than one seventh Of all the
Indian lands In the United states.
The work of allotting lands in severalty to the
Indians upon their respective reservations is meeting
with marked success, and is being vigorously pushed
During the last eighteen months allotments have been
made to 1,4s4 Indians the Yankton Reservation in
South Dakota to ~ on the eastern Shawnee Reserva'
ton in Indian Territory to 291 in the Papage or San
Xavier Reservation, in Arizona, and to 900 confcder
atcd Peoria and Western Miamis in Indian Territory
The work Of allotlng lands is, moreover in full blast
and much OF it completed, upon eight other reservs
tons, the total Indian population of which numbers
about $500. Arrangements are now making for aiiot
ments in eight other reservations Moro allotments
have been made to non-eservation Indians In the last
year than BEFORE 1874 Indians having been assisted
In selecting alloments with view to their obtaining
titles to their homes. This work will be pushed until
I'll the scattered Indians living on the public domain
who desire to enjoy the benefits Of the law shall have
been secured In their holdings.
The law provides that when allotments snail have
bcen made TO all the Indians upon any reservation ne
ROTATIONS may be had with them for the cession and
relinQushment Of their surplus unallotted lands In
this way the reservation system will speedily be broken
up. ana the surplus lands held by the Indians
will be added to the public domain and opened to actual
settlers AllOtments are made only with the full and
free consent Of the Indians, and in the application OF
the system due regard Is paid to their condition, espe-
cslly as TO their progress in civilization and qualca-
tons for the duties and responsibilities OF citizenship
The proceeds arising from the sale of their surplus lands
will furnish implements to give them good start In
the pursuits Of civilized life, and otherwise aid them
untn they become selfsupporting Under the law the
purchase money is to be placed in the Treasury and
held for the Indians, drawing per cent per annum'
the principal and interest 10 be subject TO appro-
pYtation by Congress for their education and CIV
ilisation The allotment law does not apply. how
ever to the territory occupied by the five civilized
tribes and tine Miamis and Peoras in Indian Territory
the Ossges and sacs and Foxes in Oklahoma, nor to
thu reservations of the seneca Indians in Newiork,
nor N one small reservation In Nebraska, although
allotcnts have been made to the Mlamis and Peoras
under q recent special act, and negotiations have
been had with tho Sacs and Foxes by the Cherokee
Commissioners, also under special legislation IL Is
expected that at early date some 125000 acres of
the Umatills Reservation in Oregon will be offered
for sale and settlement through the efforts Of the
commission recently appointed by President Harrison
under law which gnored by the last Admins
x,~s,on Az a resuIt Of recent negotiations with tie