Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-12-07


two chief purposes: First, the allotment
Of lands 10 severalty to the Indians and
the cession TO the United States Of the
surplus lands; and secondly, to the
work of educating the Indian for his |
own protection In his close contact with
the white man and for the intelligent
exercise of his new citizenship. Allot- |
ments have been made and pttent issued
to 5000 Indians under the pre-
sent secretary and commissioner
and 1900 additional allotments
have been made for which patents
are now in process OF preparation.
The school attendance OF Indian chill
dren has been increased that time over
13 per cent, the enrolment for 1892
being nearly twenty thousand. a uni
form system of school text books and
OF study has been adopted and the work
in these national schools brought as
near as may be to the basis Of the free
common schools Of the State. These
schools can be transferred and merged
into the common school system OF the
States when the Indian has fully as
sumed his new relation to the organ
lied civil community in which he
resides, and the new States
are able to assume the burden,
1 have several times been called upon to
remove Indian agents appointed by me,
and have done so promptly upon every
sustained complaint Of unftness or mis-
conduct. believe, however, that the
Indian service at the agencies has been
improved and is now administered on
the whole with good degree OF ell
cheney If any legislation is possible by
which the selection of Indian agents
can be wholly removed from all parti-
san suggestions or considerations. L
am sure it would be a great relief to the
executive and great benefit to the ser
vice. The appropriation for the su0sis-
tence of the Cheyenne and Ara
phoe Indians made at the last
session of Congress was inadequate.
| This smaller appropriation was estl-
mated for by the commission upon the
theory that the large fund belonging
to the tribe in the public treasury
| could be and ought to be used for their
support. In view, however, OF the
pending depreciation claims against THIS
! fund and other considerations, the Sec
rotary of the Interior on the 18th OF
| April last submitted a supplemental
estimate for $50, 600. This appropria-
ton was not made as it should have
been and the oversight ought to be
remedied at the earliest possible date.
INDIAN LAND AFFAIRS.
In a special message to this Congress
| at the last session I stated the reasons
why had not approved the deed for
the release to the United States
by the Choctaws and Chick
asaws of the lands formerly
embraced in the Cheyenne and Arapa-
hoe reservations and remaining after
allotments to that tribe. A resolution
of the Senate expressing the opinion OF
that BODY, that, Notwithstanding the
facts stated in my official message, the
deed should be approved and the money
50, 991, 45O, paid over, was presented 10
| me Nav 10, 1892. My special message
was intended to call the attention OF
Congress to the subject, and in view OF
the fact that is conceded that the APP
propriation proceeded upon false basis
az TO the amount Of land to be paid Tor,
and is by $4,000 in excess or the
amount thew are entitled to, even II
their claim to the land Is given
full recognition at the rate agreed
upon. have not feit Will
ing to approve the deed, ana
shall not do so, at least until ooth
Houses Of Congress have acted upon the
subject 1t has been informally pre-
sum sumo OF . y,u, S%S .eaipsnts to leeseYths
demand or accept such release, and
such an agreement would be without
consideration and void.
I desire further to call the attention
Of Congress to the fact that the recent
agreement concluded with the Kiowas
and Camanches relates to lands which
were a part OF the 'leased district"
and to which the claim of the Choctaws,
and Chickasaws Is precisely that recog-
nized by Congress in the leGisla-
ton 1 have referred to. The surplus
lands to which this claim would
| attach In the KioWa and
Commanche Reservation is 2,500,000
acres, and at the same rate the govern
ment will be called upon TO pay to the
ChOctaws and Chickasaws for these
lands 3,I25, 600. This sum will be fur
Their augmented, especially il the title
of the Indians to the tract in Grler
county, Texas, is established. The
duty devolved upon me in this connec-
ton was simply to pass upon the form
of the deed; hut as, in my opinion, the
| facts mentioned in my special message
were not Adequately brought to the at
| tention of Congress in connection with
the legislation, have felt that 1 would
not be justified in acting without some
| new expression Of the legislative will.
FIGURES FROM THE PENSION BUREAU.
The report of the Commissioner OF
| Pensions, TO which extended notice is
I given by the Secretary OF the Interior
/ in his report, will attract great atten-
ton. Judged by the aggregate amount
| of work done the last year has been the
greatest in the history Of the Office.
| believe that the organization Of the
Office is efficient and that the work has
been done with fidelity. The passage
of what Is known as the Disability bill
\ has. as was foreseen, very largely in
/ creased the annual disbursements to
| the disabled soldiers Of the civil war.
| The estimate for the present year was
/ s144. 956. 900, and that amount was APP
/ propriated. A deficiency amounting to
! S1O,5OS Cpl must be provided for
at this session. The estimate
for pensions for the fiscal
year ending June SO,1s94 is S165, ooO,
600. The Commissioner Of Pensions
believes that, II the present legislation
and methods are maintained and furth-
er additions to the pension laws are not
made. the maximum expenditure for
/ Densious will be reached June 30, 1894,
and will be at the highest point S1Ss,
/ OOO 600 per annum. / adhere to the
i ..,--,S q, vroviouo rnaeaaune