Mower County transcript., 1891-12-16

the Indian claim to the lands mentioned.
This matte will be made the subject Of
Especial message, placing before con-
gress all the facts which have come to
my knowledge.
The relation of the. five tribes civil
lzed) now occupying the Indian territory
to the United States, is not, believe
that the best calculated to promote the
highest advancement, of these Indians.
That there should be within our borders
i've independent states, having no rela-
tlons except those growing opt Of treat
les, with the government of the United
States, no representation in the national
legislature, it's people not citizens, is d
startling anomaly. .-.. Fs
1t seems to me to be inevitable that
there shall be before long some organic
changes in the relation Of these people
to the United States. What form these
changes should take, do not think it
desirable now to suggest even if they
were well defined in my own mind.
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 allotments in
seyera!ty to the Indians, and the cession
Of the remaining lands to the United
States for disposition under the home
stead law. has beer prosecuted during
th5 year with energy and success. In
September last l WIS eEri'leG to open to
settlement in the rcr;i,orv Of Oklahoma
100000 acres Of lar'. al If which was
taken up by settlers ~ :. single day.
The rush for these .ards vas accompa-
MED by a great deal of excitement, but
was, happily, free from incidents Of
violence.
1t was source of g.e;t regret that I
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 insufficisncy of the appro-
prlatlOn for making tlie allotments I
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 in time to permit
the settlers to get upon their ho1nesteads
in the early spring.
During the past summer the Cherokee
commission having completed arrange
merits with the Wichita, Kickapoo and
Torkawa tribes, whereby, if the agree
ments are ratified by congress. over
sou, 900 additional acres will be opened
20 settlement in Oklahoma.
The negotiation for the release by the
Cheroilces of their claim to the Cherokee
strip has made no substantial progress,
SO ta- Us the department is officially
advised. r7lt it is still hoped that the
cession Of Ibis large and valuable tract
may be secured.
Since March 4, 1899, about $4,000, 900
acres have been separated from Indian
reservations and a>i'ie'i to the public do
main for the use of those who desire to
secure free homes under our beneficent
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 better1nent which will result
to the families that have found renewed
hope and courage in tho ownership of O.
home and the assurance of comforta-
ole 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
entries remained undisposed Of, and the
commissioner reports that with the
present force the work can be fully
brought up ty the end of the next fiscal
year.
Court of Land Claims.
The judges of the court of private land
claims provided for by the act of March 8,
1891, have been appointed and the court
G fn r,i1yo 11,
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 un-
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 goth
day of June, 1891, was 676, lGO. There
were allowed during the fiscal year end
ing at that time $50, 565 cases. Of this
number, 102,3S7 were allowed under the
law Of June 81, 1880. The issuing of GER
tificates has been proceeding at the rate of
about $4,000 per month, about Is per cent
of these being cases under the new law
The commissioner expresses the opinion
that lie will be able to carefully adiudi-
cate and allow $4,000 claims during the
present fiscal year The appropriation for
the payment of pensions for the fiscal year
1S90-9l was 1927, ,SS5, ,99S. 50 and the amount
expended Sis, $50, ,65925, leaving an unex-
pended surplus of 80, 155, 144.64 The COM
missioner is quite confident that there
will be no call this year for deficiency
appropriation, notwithstanding the rapid
ity with which the work is being
pushed. The mistake which has been
naoe 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 filing the claim, and most of these
claims had been pending for years.
The first payments under the law June,
1890, 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. 13, furnishes me with the state