Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-09


have been rapidly reduced. At the end of the
last fiscal year only a. l72 final agricultural en-
tries remained undisposed OF, and the Commits
sioner reports that, with the present force, the
work can be fully brought up by the end of the
next fiscal year.
Your attention is called to the difficulty pre-
seated by the Secretary of the Interior as to
the administration of the law of Starch 8, 1891,
establishing Court of Private Land Claims.
The small holdings intended TO be protected by
the law are estimated to be more than fifteen
thousand in number. The claimants are a most
deserving class and their titles are supported
by the strongest equities. The difficulty grows
out of the fact thar the lands have largely been
surveyed according to our methods. while the
holdings, many of which have been in the same
family for generations, are laid out in marrow
strips few rods wide upon stream and rum
ming back to the hills for pasturage and timber
Provision should be made for numbering these
tracts as lots and for pateuting them by such
numbers and without reference to section lines.
THE PENSION BUREAU.
The administration of the Pension Bureau
has been characterized during the year by
great diligence. The total number of pension
ers upon the roll on the 30th day of June.
1891, was &c, 160. There were allowed during
the fiscal year ending at that time %, 565 cases.
OF this number, lo2, 1897 were allowed under the
law of June "a, 1880. The issuing of certifi-
Gates has been proceeding at the rate OF about
81. 600 per month, about IS per cent of these
being cases under the new law. The Commits
sioner expresses the opinion that be will be
able to carefully adjudicate and allow So. 600
claims during the present fiscal year. The
appropriation for the payment of pensions for
the fiscal year $780, 81 Sl27. 6S5. SO and
the amount expended Sis, $50, 649. Is, leaving
an unexpended surplus of 50, l55, l4464.
The Commissioner is quite confident that
there will be no call this year for q deficiency
appropriation, Notwithstanding the rapidity
with which the work is being pushed The
mistake which has been made by many in their
exaggerated estimates Of the cost Of pensions
is in not 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 PEN
sions, 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 Of June, 1880, are relatively
small, and, Is the per cent OF these cases in
creases and that Of the old cases diminishes
the annual aggregate OF FIRST payments is
largely reduced The Commissioner, under
date Of November 10. furnishes me with the
statement that during the last four month";
lis, It's certificates were issued, q, 8s3 under
the general law and IS, 282 under the act Of
June "a, 1890. The average first payment dur
ing these four months was el3l.S5, while the
average first payment upon cases allowed dur
ing the year ending June 50, 1891, was $2Sa33,
being reduction In the average first payments
during these four months CT tl07-48
The estimate Tor pension expenditure fer