The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-12-11

,ha Indian claim to the lands mentioned;c
This Inatte~ will be made the supJect u
q special message, placing DeIore COZ.
rrress all the facts which nave como 10
my knowledge. -, <.;,,;,
ized1 now occupying the Indian territory
In the United States, is not l believe
that the best calculated to promote the
highest advancement of these Indians.
That there should be within our borders
five independent states, having no rel.-
lions except those growing out OF treat,
les, with the government OF the Onlte9
States, no representation in the national
legislature, its people not cltlzens, Is d
startling anomaly.
IT seems to me to be inevitable UnsV
there shall be before long some orsanio
changes in the relation of these people
to the United States What form uIese
changes should take, do not THINK IL
desirable now to suggest. even II tney
were well defined in my own mlnu'
They should certainly involve the ac-
ceptance of citizenship by the Indians
and representation in congress.
Reducing Indian Reserves.
The good work of reducing the larger
Indian reservations by allotTnents IN
severalty to the Indians. and the cesslon
of the remaining lands to the United
States for disposition under the nome
stead law. has been prosecuted during
the year with energy and success. LII
September last was enabled to open TO
settlement in the territory Of Oklahoma
800, coo acres of land, all OF winch was
taken up by settlers in a single Gay.
The rush for these lands was acconpa-
MED by great deal OF excitement, puS
was. happily, free from incidents OF
violence.
1t was a source of great regret that L
was not able to open at the same time
the surplus lands Of the Cheyenne and
Arapahoe reservation, amounting
to about 100000 acres, by rea-
son Of the insufficiency OF the appfo-
priation for making the allOtments. L
earnestly recommend that special de-
ficiency appropriation be promptly made
of the small amount needed, SO that the
allotments may be completed and the
surplus lands opened III time to permit
the settlers to get upon their homesteads
in the early spring.
During the past summer the Cherokee
commission having completed arrange
menfs with the Wichita, Klckapoo and
Tonkawa tribes. whereby, if the agree
ments are ratified by congress, over
500. 900 additional acres will be opened
TO settlement in Oklahoma.
The negotiation for the release by the
Cherokees of their claim to the Cherokee
strip has made no substantial progress,
so far as the department is officially
advised. but it is still hoped that the
cession of this large and valuable tract
may be secured.
Since March 4, 1899, about $4,000, 600
acres have been separated from Indian
reservations and added to the public do
main for the use Of those who desire to
secure free homes under our beneticent
laws. It is difficult to estimate the in
crease OF wealth which will result from
the conversion of these waste lands into
farms. but it is more difficult to esti-
mate the betterment which will result
TO the families that have found renewed
hope and courage in the ownership OF q
home and the assurance of q comforta-
bic subsistence under free and healthful
conditions.
Early in this ADMINISTRATION special
effort was begun to bring up the work
of the general land office. By faithful
work the arrearage have been rapidly
reduced. At the end of the last fiscal
year only S4,172 final agricultural
entries remained undisposed of, and the
commissioner reports that with the
present force The work can be fully
brought up by the end of the next fiscal
year.
Court of Land Claims.
The judges Of the court of private land
claims provided Cor by the act of March 5,
1891, have been appointed and the court
organized. 1t is now possible to give early
relief to communities long repressed in
their development by unsettled land
titles, and to establish the possession and
right of settlers whose lands have been
rendered valueless by adverse and IN
founded claims.
The Pension Bureau.
The administration of the pension
bureau has been characterized during the
year by great diligence. The total num-
Der of pensioners upon the roll on the 30th
day of June, 1891, was 676, 100. There
were allowed during the fiscal year end
ing at that time $50, 565 cases. OF this
number, 102, 1897 were allowed under the
law OF June q, 1890 The issuing OF GER
tifcates has been proceeding at the rate of
about $4,000 per month, about % per cent
of these being cases under the new law
The commissioner expresses the opinion
that he Will be able to carefully adjudi-
cate and allow 350,000 claims during the
present fiscal year The appropriation for
the payment of pensions for the fiscal year
1S90-9l was S127, SS5, 99S 50 and the amount
expended Sis, $50 G5925, leaving au unex-
pended surplns of 50, 155, 14464 The COM
missioner is quite confident that there
will be no call this year for a deficiency
appropriation. notwithstanding the rapid
ity with which the work is being
pushed. The mistake which has been
made by many in their exaggerated esti-
mates of the cost of pensions mot taking
account of the diminished value of first
payments under the recent legislation.
These payments, under the general law.
have been for many years very large, as the
pensions, when allowed, dated from the
time of fling the claim, and most of these
claims had been pending for years.
The first payments under the law June,
1850, are relatively small and as
the per cent. of these cash increases and
that of the old cash diminishes the an
nual aggregate of first payments is largely
reduced. The commissioner, under date
of Nov. 49, furnishes me with the state
ment that during the last four months
49, certificates were issued, q, 1913 I'M
der the act of March 81, 1890 The average
first payment during these four months
was Sl31.S5, while the average payment
upon cases allowed during the vear and