The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-12-05

The method of employing mechanical
labor at navy yards through boards of
labor and making efficiency the sole test
By which iaborers are employed and con-
tinued. is producing the best results, and
the secretary is earnestly devoting himself
TO its development. Attention is invited
to the statements of this report in regard
to the workings of the system.
THE INTERIOR DEPARrMENr.
Appalling Pension Frauds-Ths Indians
Forestry system Needed.
The secretary Of the interior has the
supervision of so many important sub
jects that his report is OF special value and
interest. On the 30th day of June, 1898,
there We're on the pension rolls $50 OH
names. an increase of s., ga over the num-
Der on the rolls June 80, 1892. OF these
there were seventeen widows and daugh-
tiers of revolutionary soldiers, eighty-six
survivors OF the war OF 1872, ), 425 widows
OF soldiers of that war, q. sis survivors and
widows of the Mexican war, g. $50 Survivors
and widows of Indian wars, 2S4 army
nurses, and 415 Gas survivors and widows
and children OF the deceased soldiers and
sailors of the war of the rebellion. The
latter number represents those pensioned
on account OF disabilities and of death re-
sulting from army and navy service. The
number OF persons remaining on the rolls
sJune 80 1888, who were pensioned under
the act OF June q, 1890, which allows PEN
sions on account OF death and disability
not chargeable TO army service, was 49,
155. The number added to the rolls
during the year was l23634. and
the number dropped was $3.50. The
first payments on pensions allowed
during the year amounted to $S3, 576 $40 9S.
This includes arrears or the accumulation
between the time from which the allow
ance Of pension dates and the time of
actually granting the certificate. Alto
gether the law of 1890 permits pensions for
disabilities not related to military service,
yet as requisite TO its benefit q disability
must exist incapacitating applicants from
the performance of manual labor to such
degree as renders them unfit to earn
support" The execution OF this law does
not seem TO have been in accord with its
true intention, but toward the close of the
last administration an authoritative con-
struction was given to the statute and since
that time this construction has been fol-
lowed. This has had the effect of limiting
the operation OF the law TO its intended
purpose. The discovery having been made
that many names had been put upon the
pension roll by means of wholesale and
gigantic frauds. the commissioner sus-
pended payments upon number of PEN
sions which seem TO be fraudulent or I'M
authorized. pending a complete examina-
order that they might have an OPP
portunity 10 establish, il possible,
the justice of their claims not
outstanding the apparent invalIdity.
This. understand. is the practice which
has for long time prevailed in the pen
sion bureau, but after entering upon these
recent investigations the commissioner
modified this rule SO as not to allow, until
after complete examination, interference
with the payment Of pension apparently
not altogether void, but which merely had
been fixed at q rate higher than that au-
thoriEed by law. l am unable to under
stand why frauds in the pension rolls
should not be exposed and corrected with
thoroughness and vigor Every name
frauduientiy put upon these rolls is q
wicked imposition upon the kindly senti-
ment in which pensions have their origin.
Every fraudulent pensioner has become .
bad citizen; every false oath in support OF
pension has made perjury more COM
mon, and false and undeserving
only of their money, but Of the
patriotic sentiment which the survivors of
"a war fought for the preservation of the
Union ought to inspire. Thousands of
neighboorhoods have their we.l-known
fraudulent pensioners, and recent devel-
opments by the bureau establish appalling
conspiracies to accom- plish pension frauds
brave and deserving pensioners. who GER
tainiy ought not 10 be condemned 10 such
association. Those who attempt in the
line of duty to rectify these wrongs should
not be accused OF enmity or indifference to
the claims of veterans. The sum expended
on account of pensions for the year ending
june 80, 1883, was $l56 10, 46T.H. and the
commissioner estimates tina: Sl65. 900. 900
will be required to pay pensions during
the year ending June 30, 1894.
The condition of the Indians and their
ultimate fate are subjects which are re-
lated TO sacred duty OF the government
and which strongly appeal TO the sense of
justice and the sympathy Of our people.
Our Indians number about 2ss, 900. The
most of them are located on I6i reserva-
tions containing Sc, iio, S3l acres of land.
About 1900 OF these Indians have 10
large degree adopted civilized customs,
and lands In severaity have been allotted
TO many of them. Such aIlotments have
been made to 10 900 individuals during the
last fiscal year, embracing about ]. 600 600
acres. The number OF Indian government
schools open during the year was 1875, an
increase of twelve over the preceding year.
Of this total seventeen we're on reser-
vations; seyenty-three were boarding
schools and ninety-seven were day schools
Twenty boarding schools and five day
schools supported by the government
were not located on reservations. The
number OF Indian children enrolled
during the year as attendants of all
schools was u, i3s an increase OF
/, 81 over the enrolment for the previous
year. | am sure that secular education
and moral and religious training must be
important factors IN any effort 20 save the
Indian and lead aim to civilization. 1
believe. too, that the reiinquishmens of
tribal relations and the holding of land in
ssyeralty may in favorable conditions. aid
this contamination. 1t seems 10 me how
ever. thai aIlotnents Of land in severaity
ought TO be made with great care and cir
cumspectlon. II hastily done, before tho
Indian knows Its meaning, while vet he
has little or no Idea OF tilling farm and
no conception Of thrift, there is great
danger that a reservation life in tribal re-
lations may be exchanged for the pauper-
Ism of civilization insis al Of its indepeud-
ence and elevation. The solution OF the
Indian problem depends very isrRely upon
good administration. The personal fitness
OF agents aad their adaptahslity 10 the
peculiar duties of caring for their wards &.
OF the utmost Importance. The Law pro-
vsding that. except IA special cases army
officers shall lie detailed e. Indian agents
il Is hoped VIII prove q successful expert
ment
There is danger of great abuses creeping
into the prosecution of claim. for Indian
depredAt4ons and recon- mend that every
possible safeguard be provided .gsins It the
eatoreemsas OF uajEst and fictitious claims
OF this description. The appropriations on
account OF sks Indian bureau TOR the year