River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1893-12-07

The following vessels are in progress OF con-
strucuon; The second class battleship Maine
and Texas, the cruisers Montgomery and
Marpiehead, aud he coas tGefense monitors
Terror, Puritan, Amphitrite and MOnadnock,
al OF which VIII be completed within one year;
the harhor defense Ram katahdin aud the pro-
tected cruisers Columbia, Minneapolis. Olympia,
Cincinnati and Raleigh, all Of which Will be
completed prior to July ]. 1899 the rrstclass
Oregon. which will be completed BY February
1. 1894 and the armored cruiser Brooklyn,
which VII be completed ey August | OF that
boats authorized ny the last congress will 30
completed la less than two years
Note OF Warning.
Since 1885 congress has at each session
authorized tue building OF one or more vessels,
and the secretary Of the navy presents an
earnest plea for the continuance OF
this plan. He recommends the authori
six torpedo boats. While am dis
tincty in favor Of consistently pursuing the
thorough and efficient navy l cannot refrain
from the suggestion that the congress should
carefully take into account the number Of un.
finished vessels on our hands and the depleted
condition Of our treasury In considering the
propriety OF an appropriation at this time 10
begin new work.
The method OF employing mechanical labor
at navy yards through boards OF labor. and
making efficiency the sole test by which labor
erS are employed aad continued IS produce
ing the best results, and the secretary is
earnestly devoting himself 10 It's development
Attention is invited TO the statements OF his
report IA regard TO the workings OF the system.
The Pension Rolls.
The secretary Of the Interior has the super
vision OF so many important subjects that his
report is OF especial value and interest On the
SOth day OF June. 1923 there were on the PEN
SION rolls sb3Ol2 names. an increase or e9,vit
over the number on the rolls June 30, 1892 OF
these there were lb1 widows and daughters OF
revolutionary soldiers, 80 survivors OF the war
of 1872 B. 4s5 widows OF soldiers OF that war, 81,
5ls survivors aud widows OF the Mexican war,
g. 49, survivors and widows of Indian wars. %
army nurses and 40 6i5 survivors and widows
and children Of deceased soldiers aud sailors OF
the war Of the rebellion. The latter number
represents those pensloaed on account OF dsa-
bilities or death resulting from army and navy
service. The number OF persons remaining on
the rolls June 3D. 1893, who were pensioned UNI
der the act OF June q 1892 which allows pen
sOns on account Of death and disability not
chargeable Ia army service, was 1853, l55.
The number added TO the rolls during the
year was la3,63i and the number dropped was
lowed during the year amounted TO sS3 756,.
s49.9S This includes arrears. or the accumu-
lation between the time from which the al
lowance OF pension dates and the time OF actual
ly granting the certificate
Pensions for Disabilities.
Although the law of 1890 permits pensions for
disabilities not related 10 military service. yet
as a requisite to its benefits disability must
exist inoapacitatinz applicants from the per-
formance of manual labor TO such degree as
10 render them unable 70 earn support The
not seem To have Oeeu In accord
with its true Intention, but toward
the close OF the last admins tration an
authoritative construction was given To the
statute ami since that time this construction
mas been followed. This has had the effect OF
.miting thc operation Of the Law 10 its intended
purpose. The discovery having been made that
many names hid been put upon the pension
roll by means OF wholesale ana gigantic frauds,
the commissioner suspended payments upon
number OF pensions which seemed TO be
fraudulent or Unauthorized pending com
plete examination, giving notice TO the pension.
ers in order that tney IN ght nave an oDportun-
ity to establish, il possible. the justice OF their
claims notwitAs tan ling apparent invalidity
Frauds Should De Exposed.
This, l understand is the practice which has
for long time prevailed in the pension
bureau, but after entering upon these recent
investigations the commissioner modified this
rule so as not 10 allow, until after complete exs
animation Interference with the payment OF d
pension apparently not altogether void. but
which merely had been fixed at d rate higher
than authorized by law. I am unable
TO understand why frauds In the pension
rolls should not be exposed and corrected with
tEoroughness ana vigOr. Every name fraudus
lenIly put upon these rolls Is wicked imposi.
SONS have their origin Every fraudulent pen
stoner has become a bad citizen, every false
oath in support Of pension has made perjury
more common, AMI false AMI undeservlng pen.
shoners rob the people not only OF then
which the survivors Of war fought for
spire Thousands OF neigh DDS have their
well-known fraudulent pensioners, and recent
developments by the bureau -ste0ush appau-
ing conspiracies 10 accomplish pC.=ion frauds.
by no means the least wro=g dcns Is 70 brave
and deserving pensioners, wac certainly ought
not to be condemned 10 such a. sce.ation. TbSs o
who attema. Iva the line OF duty TO rectify these
wrongs shO = not be accused of enmty or In
difference to he claims OF honest veterans
Enormous Expenditures.
The gum expended on account OF pensions foi
he YEA an !
The commissioner estimate that .o3,JO,ON
will be required TO pay pensions during tho
year ending June 30 1904
Indian Affairs.
The condition OF the Indians and their ulti.
mate fate are subjects which are related 10 -
sacred duty of the government and which
strongly appeal TO the sense of justice and the
sympathy OF our people
Our Indians number about 23s,0Oo Most OF
them are located on lol reservations, contain
ing 60, IFS 53l acres Of laud About llO,uDJ OF
these Indians have, to large degree, adopted
civilized customs. Lands in ssVeraity have
been allotted 10 many of them. such allott-
ments have been made 10 l0OU individuals dur
ing the last fiscal year, embracing about
10000 acres The number OF Iuatan gov
ernment schools open during the year was
l9j, an Increase Of twelve over the preceding
year. OF this total TO were on reservations, of
which seventy three were boarding schools and
ninety-sevsu were daY schools .enty board
ing schools and five day schools supported by
the government were not located on reserva
lions. The total number Of Indian children en-.
rolled during the year as attendants of all
schools was q, 1873 all increase OF ,23l over tbs
enrolment for the previous year.
what Is Best for the Indian.
lam sure that secular education and moral
and religious teaching must be import ant fac.
tors In an effort 10 save the Indian and lead him
10 civilization. / believe, too. that the relin-
punishment Of trial relations and the holding OF
land in severalty may, in favorable conditions,
aid this consummation- 1t seems TO me, how.
ever, that allotment OF land In severalty ought
to be made wi h great care and circumspection.
Ifhastiy done before the Indian knows its mean
ing, while yet he has little or no idea Of tIling
a farm and no conception OF thrift, there Is
great danger that a reservation life in tribal
relations may be exchanged for the paupcrism
Of civilization instead Of its independence and
elevation The solution Of the Indian probem
depends very largely upon good administrator
The personal fitness Of agents ana their adapt
ability to the peculiar duty OF caring for their
wards are OF the utmost Importance
Danger of Abuses.
The law providing that except In special
agents, il is hoped will prove q successful
experiment There is danger OF great abuses
creeping into the prosecution OF claims for
Indian depredatlons, ana | recommend that
every possible safeguard be provided against
the enforcement OF unjust and fictitious claims
OF this description The appropriations on
account Of the Indian bureau for the year
ending June 81, 1894 amount TO 81, g5i, e62 90. a
decrease as com pared with the year preceding
1t Of 1887 l3l %
Private Control of Public Lands.
The vast area OF lard which, bat short time
ago constituted the public domain is rapidly
falling into private hands II Is certain that in
the transfer the benetcent fnlention OF nc gov
eminent to supply from its domain homes &c
the Industrious and worthy homeseekers Is
often frustrated. Though the Spectator who
stands with extortionlte purpose between the
land otf1ce and those who, with their families,
are invited by the government 10 settle on the
public lands, is a despicable character who
ought not 10 be tolerated, yet II Is dihieult to
thwGrt bis schemes
Opening of the strip.
The recent opening 10 settlement Of the
lands n The Cherokee outlet embracing an
area OF 6.5jOU acres, Notwithstanding the ut
most care In framing the regulations governing
the selection OF locations ana notwithstanding
the presence OF United States troops. fur
nished an exhibition, though perhaps in mod
ICED degree OF the mad scramble. the violence
and the fraudulent occupation which have ac-
cornflanjed previous OPENINGS OF public land. /
concur with The secretary In the belief that
these outrageous Incidents cannot be
entirely prevented without change in the
laws on the subject, ard ! hope his recon-
mendations in that direction VIII De iaNoraOly
considered
Preserve the Forests
I especially commend 10 the attention OF the
congress the statements contained in the seere-
taryS report concerning forestry. The time
has come when efficient measures should lie
taken Tor the preservation Of our forests rom
tion. The report o, the secretary Of
agriculture will be found exceedingly in
teresting. especially 20 that large part Of
our citizens intimately concerned in agri-
cultural occupations On the 1th OF Marcn. lssS
there were upon its payrolls "a employees.
This number has been reduced 10 l $50 persons
In view of depleted public treasury and the
Imperative demand Of the people for economy
In the administration Of their government, the
secretary has entered upon the task OF RATIONAL
~ reducing expenditures by the elimination
from the payrolls " all persons not needed tor
an Efficient conduct Of the affairs OF the depart
meus
Cuttioy nown Exnenses