The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1893-12-08
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.

INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
! Annual Report Of the Secretary The Pen.
sion Question and the Cherokee Outlet
Opening.
! WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-The annual re.
port of Secretary Hoke Smith is quite
lengthy. The operations of the gen
! eral land Office, the pension bureau,
the census Office, the bureau of Indian
affairs, patents, geological survey, edu
cation and Pacific railroads are all re-
viewed and a number of important
recommendations made.
In discussing the subject of pensions
the secretary calls attention to the
frauds discovered by the special ex.
aminers at Norfolk, Va, and in New
Mexico and Iowa. He states that the
pensions in the first two instances had
been allowed upon testimony, manu-
featured and forged by claim agents.
In Iowa the examining boards had
been Systematically tempered with
by the claim agents The re-
port shows that the stoppage of these
illegal pensions in the three places
has saved to the government an
amount equal to the expense of the
entire force of special examiners.
When it is remembered that this work
IF the examiners has been in progress
out six months. and that payment of
pensions would have continued for an
average of nearly twenty years, the
enormous saving to the government can
be realized. 1t adds: BESIDES, these
pensions were being obtained through
fraud. and how can public money be
better spent than to prevent dis
hOnesty?'
Referring to the act of June %. 1890,
the report reviews the decision of As
sistant Secretary Bussey in the Weike
case, and also the decision rendered
May - in the Bennett case. Referring
to the order revoking rule 164, the re-
port says: In pursuance of this order
board of revision was formed of the
ablest and most experienced men in
the pension bureau, with instructions
to examine the cases allowed under the
act of June %, 1890. and call out such
as had no legal basis to rest upon. In
cases where it was believed that the
and another medical examination
was thought necessary the pay
ment of the pensions was ordered
to be suspended pending in
vestigation. This was done by the COM
missioner of pensions in pursuance of
the uniform practice of the bureau
as it had existed almost from the or
ganization thereof The pensioner was
not dropped from the rolls, but the
payment of his pension was suspended,
and the usual sixty days notice was
given to the pensiOner in which he
could ask for a medical examination or
supply further evidence of his right to
a pension. The examination of his
proof, having disclosed that he was not
entitled to a pension. he was told that
the payment of his pension was sus-
pended until he could put on record a
case which would authorize payment
according to the terms of the act OF
congress.
1T was found that many thus sus-
pended were able to supply the proof
when notice was given that proof was
required, and to these payment was at
once resumed. The former practice in
regard to suspensions was also modified
in cases where the proof on file dis
closed the fact that the pensioner was
entitled to some rating, although not
to the rating which had been allowed"
The report gives the history of the
opening of the Cherokee outlet and
suggests that an improved way of doing
such things might be found.
Referring to the commission to treat
with the five civilized tribes the report |
says: The act of congress approved |
March 3, 1898. provides for the appoint
nent of three commissioners to enter |
into negotiations with the Cherokee |
natiOn, the ChOctaw nation, the Chick
asaw nation, the Muskogee or Creek |
nation and the Seminole nation for the |
purpose of extinguishing the national |
Or tribal title to any land within the
Indian territory now held by any and |
all of such nations and tribes. either by
cession of the same. or some part there
of. to the United States. OR by the al
iotment. This important commission
has been appointed, and consists of
Hon. Henry l.. Dawes. of Massachu-
sets, Hon. Archibald = McKennon, of |
Arkansas, and Hon. Meredith H. Kidd,
If Indiana.
The thickly settled condition of the
country Immediately contiguous to the
Indian territory has rendered it impos-
>ible to keep the intruders out. In the
Shickasaw nation alone there are over /
~. 600 whites and only 5000 Indians.
The territory is traversed by railroads
The progress of civilization has crossed
its borders. and the time must soon
come when. for the protection of the
people within its limits. the laws of the
United States must be made applicable
thereto. 1t is earnestly TO be hoped
that the commission may be able &c
reach satisfactory terms of agreement
with the respective nations for the pur-
oose of speedily accomplishing result
so much to be desired
The condition IF the territories-New
Mexico Arizona. Utah, Oklahoma and
Alaska-is carefully reviewed. 1t COM
mends Arizona and New Mexico for
Referring to Utah, it saws:
From careful study of the conditions