The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1892-12-08
THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
Secretary Noble Has Had a Busy Term
with ANY Amount of Work,


The work of the interior department., al.
ways very burdensome, has besn larger than
ever before during the administration of SEQ.
rotary Noble. The disab lily pension law
taking of the Eleventh census, the opening OF
vast areas of Indian lands to settlement, the
organization of Oklahoma and the negOtia
tons for the cessiOn of Indian lands, furn ish
some of the particulars of the increased work
and the results achieved testify TO the ability,
fidelity and industry of the head of the de-
partment and his efficient assistants.
Several important agreements for the ces-
sion of Indian lands negotiated by the CON-
mission appointed under the act of March 2
1889, are awaiting the action Of congress. Per.
haps the most impor ant of tn csc is that for the
cession of the Cherokee strip. This region
has been the source OF gre 1t vexation to the
executive department, and great friction and
unrest of settlers who desire to occupy and
the Indians who assert title. The agreemen,
which has been made by tho COMM ssion IL
perhaps the most satisfactory that could have
been reached 1t will be noticed that it is con
ditioned upon its ratification by congress be.
fore March 4, 1897. The secretary of the in.
terror, who las given the subject very careful
thought, recommends the ratification of the
az cement, and ! am inclined to follow his
recommendation. Certain it is that some &C
ton by viii h this controversy shall be
settlement is urgent.
The report of the secretary shows very
gratifying state of affairs as to the cor ditior
of the general land office. The work of issu.
ing agricultural patents, which seemed to be
hopel ssly in arrears when the pr, sent score
tary undertook the duties of his office, has
been so expedited that the bureau is now upor
current business. The relief TINS afforled te
honest and worthy settlers upon the public
lands by giving them an as ;ured title to their
entries has been of incalculable benefit in de.
veloping the new states aud the territories.
Court of Land claims.
The court Of private land clair,3. estab.
lisbed by congress for the promotion of tti.
policy of speedily settling contested land u, B
is making satisfactory progress in its N,rt
anti when the v ork is completed a great in
pstus will be given to the development OF
these regions where unsettled claims under
Mexican grants have so long exercised their
repressive influence When oil results are
added, the enormous ceSsion of Indian lends
which have been opened to settlement, aggre.
eating during this administration nearly
5000 acres, and the agreements negotiated
and now pending in congress for ratification,
by which about ten million additional acres
will be opened to settlement, it will be seen
how much hus been accomplished.
The Indian Bureau.
The work in the Indian bureau In the OK.
ecution of the policy of recent legislation has
BEEN largely directed to chief purposes first
the allotment of lands in severalty to the
Indians and the oession to the United State.
of the surplus lands; and, secondly. to the
work of educating the iniians for their own
protection in closor contact with the white
man ard for the intelligent exercise of his
new citizenship. AllotmeRts have been made
nd re 10 = Ind op !,
present secretary and commissioner, and 1900
additional allotments have been made for
which patents are now in process of pYepara-
ton. The school attendance of Indian
children has been increased during
that time over ID per cent, enroll
ment for 1897 being nearly twenty thou
sand. A uniform system of DOL text books
and of study has been adopted, and the wosk
in these national schools brought rs near as
mag be to the basis Of the tree common schools
OF the states. these schools may be trans<
ferred and merged into the common school
systems in the states when the Indian has,
fully assumed his new relation TO th- .o,
. 80 - ~ .. he resides and
'A0 -'' VA .vIe to assume the burden.
Conduct of Indian Agents.
have several times been called upon to re-
move Indian agents appointed by me, and
have done so promptly upon every sustained
complaint Of unfitness or misconduct. / be-
ieve, however, that the Indian service at the
agencies has been improved, and is now ad.
ministered on the whole with good degree OF
efficiency. If any legislation is possible by
which the selection of Indian agents can be
wholly reno ed from all partisan suggestion
or considerations, l am sure it would be 9
great relief to the executive and great bene.
fit to the service.