The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1892-02-12

mixed schools. This process will be gradual,
and in the meantime the present educational
provisions and arrangements, the result OF the
best experience of those who have been charged
with this work, should be continued. This will
enable those religious bodies that have under
| taken the work of Indian education with so
much zeal and with results SO restraining and
benefcent, to place their institutions in new
and useful relations to the Indian and his white
| neighbor.
The outbreak among the Sioux, which oc-
CURED in December last, as to its causes and in
cidents were fully reported upon by the war de-
| partment, and the department Of the interior.
That these Indians had some just complaint,
especially in the matter of the reduction of the
appropriation for rations, and in the delays at
tending the enactment of laws to enable the de-
partment to perform the engagements entered
into with them, is probably true; but the Sioux
tribes are naturally warlike and turbulent, and
their warriors were excited by their medicine
men and chiefs, who preached the coming of
an Indian Messiah, who was to give them power
| to destroy their enemies. In view of the alarm
that prevailed among the white settlers near the
reservations, for fatal consequences that would
| have resulted from an Indian incursion, placed
at the disposal of General Miles, commanding
| the division, all arms that were thought by him
| to be required. He is entitled to the credit of
having protected the settlers and Of bringing the
hostiles into subection with the least possible
loss of life.
| The appropriation of $2,eoI,45o for the
Choctaws and Chickasaws, contained in the
general Indian appropriation bill of March 3,
I 1891, has not been expended, for the reason
/ that l have not yet approved a release to the
government of the Indian claim to the land,
This matter will be made the subject of
special message placing before congress all the
facts which have come to my knowledge.
The relations of the five civilized tribes now
occupying the Indian territory of the United
States, l believe, are best calculated to pro-
mote the highest advancement Of these Indians;
that there should be within our borders five in
dependent states, having no relations except
those growing out Of the treaties with the gov
ernment of the United States No representa-
ton in the nations Legislature of its people or
citizens is startling anomaly. 1t seems to be
inevitable that there shall be some organic
changes in those people in the interior states.
What form these changes should have do not
think advisable to suggest, even if they were
defined in my own mind. They should in
volve the acceptance of citizenship by the rep
resentation in congress. These Indians should
have opportunity to present their claims
and grievances upon the floor, rather than as
they do now in the lobby. If commission
could be appointed to visit these tribes to con-
fer with them upon the whole subject, even if
no agreement were presently reached, the feel
ing of the tribes upon this question would be
developed, and discussion would prepare the
way for the changes which must come sooner
| or later.
The good work of reducing the larger Indian
reservations by allotment in severalty to the
Indians, and the cession of the remaining lands
| to the United States for disposition under the
homestead law, has been prosecuted during the
year with energy and success In September
last l was enabled to open to settlement in the
territory of Oklahoma 600, 900 acres of land all
of which was taken up by settlers in a single
day. The rush for these lands was accompa-
MED by great deal of excitement, but WIS free
| from incidents Of violence. 1t was source Of
great regret that was not able to open at the
same time the surplus land of the Cheyenne
and Arapahoe reservations, amounting to about
| 3,ooo, 900 acres, by reason of the insufficency
of appropriation of making the allotments.' De-
serving and impatient settlers are waiting to oc-
cupy these lands, and recommend that special
deficiency appropriation be promptly made OF
the amount needed, SO that the allotment may
be completed and the surplus lands opened in
|
homestead for early settling.
Early in the administration special effort
was begun to bring up the work of the gen.
eral land office by faithful work. The
rearages have been rapidly reduced. AT the
end of the last fiscal year only 3d. I72 final
agricultural entries remained undisposed of, and
the commissioner reports that with the present
force the work can be fully brought up by the
end of the next fiscal year. Your attention S
cllled to the difficulty experienced by the &C.
rotary of the interior to the administr' -lon of
tine law of March 3, 1891, establishing a court
of private land claims The small holdings in
tended to be protected by the law are esti-
mated to be more than 5000 in number. The
claimants are almost all of deserving class,
and their titles are supported by the strongest
! equities. The strongest difficulty grows out of
| lands which have largely been surveyed accord
| ing to methods, while the holdings, many
of which have been in the same family for
generations, are laid out in narrow strips few
| cods wide upon stream, and running back to
| the hills for pastures and timber. Provisions
should be made for numbering these tracts as
lots, and for patenting them by such numbers,
and without reference to section lines.
The administration of the pension bureau
has been characterized during the year by great
diligence. The total number of pensioners upon
the roll the goth day of June, 1891, was &c.
100. There were allowed during the fiscal
year ended at that time $50, 525 cases. OF this
number Io2, ,387 were allowed under the law OF
June II, 1890. The issuing of certificates has
been proceeding at the rate of about 80, 900 per
month, about IS per cent of these beng cash
under the new law. The commissioner ex-
presses the opinion that he will be able to
fully adjudicate and allow $4,000 claims during
the present fiscal year. The appropriation for
the payment of pensions for the fiscal year
IS9o-eI was sr27, ,6S5,7e3 50. and the amount
expended SIIo, 53o,64o 20, leaving an unex-
pended surplus of 50, I55,I44 o..
The commissioner is quite confident that
there will be call this year for a deficiency
appropriation, Notwithstanding the rapidity
with which the work is being pushed. The
mistake which has been made by many in their
estimates of the cost of pensions is in not TAX
ing account of the diminished value of first pay
ments. under recent legislation. These pay
ments, under the laws, have been for many
very large, as the pensions, when allowed,
date from the time of the filing of the claim,
Il