Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-30
QUITE A BUSY YEAR
For the Secretary of the Interior and
His Aids in All Branches.
EXCELLENT REPORTS FROM ALL.
Expansion Of the Public Domain for Private
Settlement.
RAPID BETTERMEyT OF THE RED MAN


RAPID BETTERMENT OF THE RED MAN
WASHINGTON, Nov. 29.-Secretary of the
Interior Noble has completed his annual
report of that department. The most i'm
portant portions follow:
The work accomplished during the last
fiscal year has been of immense volume and
of signal importance. The General Land
Office is nearly abreast of its work: the In
dian Bureau is accomplishing the rapid dis
integratfon of the Indian reservation, the
severance of tribal relations and the educa-
tfon OF the Indian youth. The Pension
Office is rapidly completing the allowance Of
all pensions legally possinle under the laws,
moving at the rate of about e, 900 a month:
the census has been taken and its publica-
tions rapidly going on; the Geological Sur
vey IS keeping up its admirable work and is
selecting the reservoirs for the arid lands OF
the far West and Southwest; the Railroad
Bureau is making ready for the maturity Of
the debts due from tho subsidized
railroads. the Union Pacific, and others; the
Bureau Of Education, besides having dis
tribubed the vast sum allowed the agricul-
tural colleges for white and colored pupils
plans for the accumulation and distribution
of information useful for the schools and
their better management; and the Patent
Office, having celebrated its centennial Is
still advancing in the volume and variety
OF its interesting and great investigations
and patents.
Besides all these the management Of the
Yellowstone National Park, the Yosemite
National Park, the Sequoia National Park,
the Hot Springs of Arkansas, and of the
other institutions under the Secretary, al
care and many valuable suggestions made
as to each.
The Settlements Of Homesteada
The report notes an important fact, as fol-
lows: 1.-THE years of the present administra-
tion have been marked to notable degree
by the expansion of the public domain for
private settlement. European nations strive
with one another to plant colonies beyond
their borders, even in Africa and on distant
islands; but our country is so fortunately
situated that within it's own boundaries are
vast tracts of fertile land heretofore unused,
on which communities can establish them
selves in single day. and be protected by
an almost instantaneous but easy and peace
full application of our system OF laws and
government to their new relations. In two
previous annual reports of the present Sec
retary the measures taken and results at
most important events occurring in this de-
department under your supervision. Inc
narration must now be continued for the
year just past"
The history is then given of the opening of
the new Indian purchases in Oklahoma,
under the proclamat tion of the President, on
September %. 1891, when nearly million
acres were taken by settlers between noon
and dark, while 2,7lS Indians were elevated
to citizenship by taking allotments Of loo
acres each. 1t is stated that, as before, SO at
this second contest OF thousands Of our citi-
Zens seeking personal advantages under the
most exciting and trying circumstances, the
sense of justice and regard for law controlled
all alike to such degree that there was no
occasion for interference by military force,
and the only injuries received were purely
accidental.
Making Citizens Of the Indians.
Over 5000 Indians have already become
citizens of the United States, and about
1000 more, by taking their allotments, have
signified their desire to become citizens. To
these numbers should be added the 7,6l9
Indians in Oklahoma who have taken, or
agreed to take, allotments. A total of a. ,6l9
Indians naturaliZed, and total of acres ac-
quired for settlement of about q, 600 900 dur
ing the present administration alone.
The number of agricultural patents, which
includes those for hOmesteads, issued for
1889 was 20, al; for $780, 1l7,247. and TO: 1891,
for such lands at the end of the last fiscal
year, June so, 1891, only 81, l72. These are re-
suits that reach beneficently our fellow
clt1ZenS IN tnelr MONIES 1dr away 1EOu1 Gn6
capital, and by placing in the hands Of the
pioneer the title paper to his homestead,
prove that his Government is mindful Of its
promises and capable Of living up to its pro-
LESSONS.
Much prominence is given in the report to
the subject of reservoirs and irrigation
bitches for storing surplus water of the
streams and conveying 1t to arid lands.
Referring to the act of March 3, 1891, which
authorizes the cutting Of timber upon the
public lands. subject to the rules OF the De-
this act was desirable in some of its pro-
visionsait would seem to require further
The law gives every license for
telling forests, the only restraint imposed
enforce. There is no limit as to the time
when the timber, or the lumber made from
it, is to be used. 1t is not provided that it
shall be for the use of the person cutting it.
violation of law. The forests are essential to
the future welfare of our country, and should
not be wasted or handed over to the spoiler.
Experience has shown it to be very difficult
to preserve the public timber under laws i'm
posing penalties for trespassers, and it can
not be doubted that punishment will be
much less certain for violations OF Depart
ment regulations.
Welfare of the Red Man Improved.
While it is not claimed that perfection has
yet been reached in the Indian service, it is
mentioned that in common Judgment of
those familiar with and interested in the
welfare Of the Indians, this service has been
greatly improved The Indian population
is reported as 250, 4S3, exclusive of natives of
Alaska. The number Of Indian youth en-
rolled and the average attendance in the
schools has increased. The appropriations
for schools have largely increased from year
to year, and the liberality of Congress has
been pronounced during the present admin
istration. In 1883 the appropriation for sup
port of Indian schools was $1,179,9l6, in 1891
ST. s42 TO- and for 1892 it is 81, ,29l $50 The In
dians as a rule, have consented so readily to
send their children to school that it was not
found necessary Immediately to enforce at
tendance as authorized by act of March 8,
1891.
The Secretary refers to the relief afforded
by the act of June q, 1890, to thousands of
disabled veterans and their dependent reia-
tives, who through lapse of time are not able
to prove the origin Of disability in the line
of duty as required by prior enactments.
While the amount expended in payment of
pensions is large there is no purpose in the
opinion of the Secretary, to which it could
be more beneflcently applied.
1t is shown that first payments have
greatly decreased in amounts, that the al
lowances OF original pensions will soon all
be made, that there will then be q great de-
cline in the sum necessary 10 pay pensions
and the lists will rapidly decline from death
and other causes.
The Secretary gives q statement Of the
course Of q claim through the bureau, and
expresses the opinion that the force en-
ployed in the important work of adjudicat-
ing these claims perform their duties faith
fully to the claimants and with loyalty to
the Government. There is probably no
claim is more closely scrCtiniZed-it has to
pa ca three legal exnerts three medical ey-