The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1891-01-09
DEPARTmhNf or THE INTERIOR.
Satisfactory Results Attained DuftnS the
Past Year:

PCSt 1e8rs
The report of the secretary Of the interior
exhibits with great fullness and clearpess
the vast work OF that great department OF
the satisfactory Results attained. The sug-
g~estions made by him are earnestly COM
mended to the consideration of conEtsss' as
all cannot be given particular mention here.
The several acts Of congress looking to
the reduction of the larger Indian reserva-
lions; to the more rapid settlement OF the
the restoration to the public domain OF
lands in excess OF their reeds have been
largely carried into effect; So far as the
work was confded to the executtrs, Agree;
ments ave been concluded slice March q.
1889, involving the cession to the United
States of about 14.726,0 0 acres of land.
These contracts have, as required by law,
been submitted to congress for ratification
and for the appropriations necessary to
carry them into effect. Those with the
| Sisseton and Wahpeton, Sac and Fox, Iowa,
| Pottawattamies and absentee Shawnees,
| and Occur d'Alene tribes have not yet re-
ceived the sanction Of congress-. Attention
is also called to tho tact that the apptopria-
lions made in the case ct the Sioux Indians
have not covered all tho stipulated pay"
ments. This should be promptly corrected
If an agreement Is confirmed all OF Its
terms should be complied with without de-
lay md full appropriations should be made.
The policy outlined III my last annua!
message in relation to the patehting OF
lands to settlers upon the public doma1n
has been carried out in the administrators
of the land office: No general suspicion or
imputation of fraud mas been allowed to
delay the hearing and adjudication OF in
dividual cases upon their merits. The pur%
pose has been to perfect the title OF honest
settlers with such promptncss that the
value Of the entry might not be swallowed
nm nv tha nyoay1cH EiH H$fOrttOnS to which
! delay subjected the claimant:
The average monthly issue OF agficul-
tural patents has been increased about Sill
thousand. The disability pension act,
which was approved on the 9th 81 June
last, has been put into operation as rapldlJ
as was practicable. The increased clerical
forse provided was selected and assigned to
work, and a considerable part OF the force
engaged In examinations I'll the field was
recalled and added to the working forcs OF
the office. The examination and adjudica-
ton of claims have, by reason OF improved
methods, been more rapid than ever before.
There is no economy to the government In
delay; while there is much hardship and
Injustice to the soldier. The anticipated
expenditure, Wills Terry large; will not. 1t Is
believed, be in excess of the estimates made
before the enactment Of the law. This
liberal enlargement OF the general law
should suggest a more careful scrutiny Of
DlllS 1OE SpCCiul IC1ltli bObu 40 W UuC CdsCo IL
which relief is granted aid rs to the amount
allowed.
The increasing numbers and influence OF
the non-Mormon population in Utah are OBJ
served with satisfaction. The recent letter
| of Milford Wo6dttiffs president Of the Nor
mon church., in which he advised his people
to ''refrain from contracting any f1hftiAGt
forbidden by the laws OF the land" has at
tracted wide attention, and it is hoped tha
its influence will be highly beneficial in re
struining infractions of the laws OF tn
United States: But the facts should not b
overlooked that the doctrine Or belief of tn
church that polygamous iiaftiagss ar
rightful and supported by divine revelat1o;
remains unchanged. President Woodrut
does not r%enounce the doctrine, but refrain
from teaching it, and advises against tn
practice Of 1t because the law is against il
Now it is quits tribe that the law should nc
attempt to deal with the faith OF belief {
any one; but it is quite another thing ah
the only safe thing, so to deal with the tel
ritory of Utah as that those who believ
polygamy to be rightful shall not have til
power to make 1t lawful.
The admission OF the states OF Idah o an
!, Wyoming to the union are events full {
congratulatioh, not only to the people OF tn
states happily endowed with a full partic
patton in our privileges and responsibilities
but to all our people. Another belt
y states stretches from the Atlanti to tt
Pacific.
The work Of the patent office has won frol
all sources q very high communication. TT
amount accomplished has been very large,
increased, as all the results have been sue
5 us to secure confidence and considerable
On the suggestion OF the commissioner.
The enumeration of the people OF tt
: United States under the act OF March
S 1890, has been completed and the result wi
be at once officially announced to congress
The completion of this d%ecennial enumer:
: ton devolves upon congress the duty
o making a new apportionment OF represents
c ton among the several states according
n their representative number
g Atthe last session 1 had occasion to retu.
: with my objections several bills making pr
. visions for the erection Of publ
: buildings, for the reason that the expen'
itures contemplated were, In my opinio
r greatly in excess OF any public need.
n class OF legislation is more liable to apus
e or to degenerate into an unseemly scramb
e about the public treasury than this. The
IS should tie exercised in this matter a wi
O economy based upon some responsible a,
impartial examination and report as
n each case under q general law.