Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1892-12-15
TRE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
Secretary Noble Has Had n Busy Term,
with ANY Amount of Work,


The work OF the interior department, al
~ays very hurdeHsome, has bean larger than
ever Setore during the administration OF SEQ.
Fetary Noble. The disab lily pension law.
taking Of the Eleventh census the opening Of
set areas Of Indian lands TO settlement, the
organization of Oklahoma and the Degotis
tons for the cession Of Indian lands. furnish
some Of tie particulars of the increased work.
sDd the results achieved testify TO the ability.
hdeity and industry of the head OF the de.
partment and his Efficient assistants.
Several important agreements for the Ces-
zion OF Indian lands negotiated by the com.
mission appointed under the act Of March &
1889. are awaiting the sctton Of congress. Per-
hsps the most important OF is that for the
cession Of the Cherokee strip. This region
has been the source OK great y~exation to the
executive department, aui great friction aud
unrest OF settlers who desire to occupy aud
the Indians who assert tisle. The agreement
which bss been made BY the commi ,sion Is
perhaps the most satisfactory that could have
been reached. II will be noticed that II Is con
dI.ioued upon its ratification by congress be-
fore March I. lS9L, The secretary Of the in
terror. who has given the subject very careful
thought. recommends the ratification Of the
as cement, and l am inclined TO follow bis
accommodation. Certain It is that some &C
tion by Will b this controversy shall be
brought to an end and these lands opened TO
settlement is urgent.
The report OF the secretary shows q very
gratifying state Of affairs as to The cor ditiup
OF the general land Office. The work Of issu
ing agricultural patents, which seemed 10 be
hopel ssiy in arrears when the present secre-
tary undertook the duties of his office. has
been so expedited that the bureau Is now upon
current business. The relief thus afforded To
hone>t and worthy settlers upon the public
lands by giving them an assured title TO their
entries has been OF incalculable benefit ia de.
Yeloping the new states aud tue territories.
Court of Land claims.
The court Of private land claims, estab-
lisbed by congress for the promotion of THE
aolicy of speedily settling contested land titles,
is making satisfactory progress in Its work
and when the v ork is completed a great i'm
pstus Will be given to the development Of
these regions where unsettled claims under
Mexican grants have so long exercised th,ir
repressive influence. When all results are
added, the enormous cessiOn Of Indian l"nds
which have been opened TO settlement, eggre-
eating during this administration nearly
eB,O0l,O 0 acres, and the agreements negotiated
aud now pending in congress for ratification,
by which about ten million additional acres
will be opened to settlement. it viii b. seen
how much has been accomplished.
The Indian Bureau.
The work in she Indian bureau in the ex-
ecution of the policy of rec mt legislation has
been largely directed to clief PURPOSES, first,
the allotment of lands ia severalty 20 the
Indi. ms and the cession to the United States
Of the surplus lands; and, secondly, TO che
work of educating the Indians for their wi
protection In closer contact with the white
mar ard for the intelligent exercise of his
new citizenship. Allotments have been made
and patents issued to 800 Indians under the
present secretary and commissioner, and 7.o0I
additional allotments have been made for
which patents are now in process of prepare.
tion. The school attendance Of Indian
children has been increased during
that time over 10 per cent. enroll
ment for 1872: being nearly twenty thou-
sand. A uniform system OF sc DOL text books
and Ut study has been adopted. and the work
in these national schools brought as near as
mas be 10 the basis of the free common schools
OF the states. These schools may lie trans
ferreI and merged into the common school
systems in the states when the Indian has
fully assumed his new relation 10 the organ
ized civil community 10 which he resides and
the new states eIe able to assume the burden.
CoBdnst of Indian Agents.
have several times been called upon to re-
move Indian agents appointed by me. and
have done so prom ptly upon every sustained
complaint OF untitness or misconduct. | be-
lieve, however. that the Indian service at the
agencies has been improved, and is now adj
nninistsred on the whole with a good degree ot
efficiency. III any legislation is p ssible by
which the selection OF Indian agents can be
wholly removed from all partisan suggestion
br considerations, j am sure il would be n
great relief 10 tho executive and n great beue-
1T 10 She service.