Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1893-12-12

I completed by August OF that year, II il also ex-
pooted thatthe three gunboatsa authorized blythe last
congress will be completed Ia less than two years.
Since 1880 congress has 1t cnch session au-
thorized the building Of one or more vessels
and tho secretary of the navy presents an earn
est plea for the continuance OF this plan. He
recommends the authorization OF at least one
battle ship and six torpedo boats. While I am
dlsunctly IN favor OF consistently pursuinC the
| pc icy we have Of building up a thorough and
efficient navy, / cannot refrain from the sug-
| geatiou that congress should carefully take into
account the number OF unfinished vessels on
our hands ami the depleted condition Of our
treasury in considering the prOpriety Of an hp-
preparation o. this time to 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 and continued, Is producing
the best results, and the secretary 10 earnestly
devoting himself TO its development Atten-
tlon 1, invited TO the statement OF his report in
regard TO the workings OF the system.
The IntorIor Department
The Secretary OF the Interior has the super.
vision OF 80 many important aubiects that his
report Is Of especial value and interest. On 'fe
8Oth day Of Ju'e 1893, there were on the pension
rolls eG6,0l2 names an increase ofS9,9A over the
number on The rolls on June 30, 1899.
OF these there were seventeen widows and
daughters Of revolutionary soldiers, the sur.
viyors OF the war OF 1872, 5i35 widows OF
soldiers OF that war, 2l5lS survivors and
widows OF the Mexican war. $3.50 survivors and
widows OF the indian wars. 2sl army nurses
ana i75.Si5 survivors and WIDOWS and children
OF deceased soldiers ard sailors OF the war OF
ths rebellion The latter number represents
those pensioned on account OF disabilities.
death resulting from army and navy services.
me number OF persons remaining on the rolls
Juno 30. 1898, Who were pensloned under the
act OF juno q, 1870, which allows pensions on
account OF death and disablcment not
chargeablo e. army service was 4j9. t5L.
The number added to the rolls during the
year was l23,G3i and tho number dropped was
The first payments on pensions allowed dur
ing, the year amounted to Sj3, 7j6.5i9.0S. This
includes arrears or the accumulation between
the time from which the allowance OF pension
dates and the time OF actually granting the
certificates. Although the law of 1880 permits
pensions for disability not related TO military
service, yet as q requisite to its benefits a disa-
bulty must exist incapacitating Implications
from the performance Of manual labor to such
a degree as to render them unable 10 earn sup
port The execution Of this law in It's early stage
does not seem to have been ia accord with It's
true intention. But toward the close OF the
last administration IN authoritative construr-
ton was given 10 the statute and since that
Time this construction has been followed. This
has had the eject Of limiting the operation OF
cry having ben made that many names h,d
been put upon The pension roll by means OF
wholesale and gigantic frauds, the coinmis.
sioner suspended payments upon a number II
pensions which seemed to be fraudulent or un.
authorized pending a complete examination,
giving nOtlce 10 the psnSiUlcr In order that
they might have an opportunity to establish il
possible the justice OF their claims. notFith.
standing opplr%entinvalidity.
This, unde cstand, is the practice which has
tor a long time prevailtA in the pen sion bureau
but after entering upon these recent inVestiga.
lions the com Missioner modified this rule so as
70 NOT ALLOW u I'll after a complete examina
ton interference With the pay OF a pen-
sion apparently not altogether void. but which
merely had been liked at q rate higher than
mat authorized BY law. ! am unable 10 under
stand why frauds in the pension rolls should
not be exposed and corrected with thorough
ness and vigor. Every name fraudulently pnt
upon those rolls is q wicked imposition
upon the kindly sentiment in which
pensions have their origin. Every
fraudulent pensiOner has become a had citizen
every false oath In support Of q pension has
been perjury more common and false, and I'M
deserving pensioners rob the people not only Of
their money, but Of the patriotic sentiment
which the survivors OF he war who fought for
the preservation Of the Union ought 70 inspire.
thousands Of neighborhoOda have their well
known fraudulent pensioners and recent devel.
opments by the bureau establish appalling con
splrAoies 20 accomplish pension frauds. BY no
means the leest wrong done is to brave and de-
serving pensioners who utterly ought not TO be
condemned 10 such associations.
Those who attempt In the line Of duty to rectify
these WfongH should not be accused Of enmlty OF
indifference 10 the claims OF honest veterans. Tho
sum expended on account OF pensions for the year
missioner estimates that Rl65. 100000 Will be required
70 pay pensions during the year ending June 80,
THE INDIANS.
The condition OF She Indians and their ultimate
state are objects which are related 20 a sacred duty
O. the government and which strongly appeal 10 the
eufe OF Justice and the sympathy of our people.
Our INDIANS number about $4,000. Most Of
'heil are located on l6l reservations, contain
.ng b5,ll6,53l ecres OF leud, About 10000 of
these indians have % a large degree adopted
CIVILIZED customs. Lands in sevcralty have
peen $1,000 70 them euch a lotlnehts nave
been made 20 10000 individuals during the last
hscal year, embracing about / 1000 acres. The
number % Indians government schools open
during the year was l95. an Increase OF twelve
over the preceding year. OF this total no were
on reservations, OF which seventy three were
boarding schools and ninety seven day schools.
twenty boarding Be- oQls and five day schools
supported by the government were not located
on reservations. The tOtal number OF Indian
children enrolled during the year as attend nts
OF al sohoo 8 was q .l3s, an increase Of 1851
over the enrolment for the previous year. /
am sure thni the secular education and moral
and religious teaching must be important fac
tors In auy onOrt 10 save tho indian and lead
him 70 civilization. 1 believe also that relin.
quishment % tribal relations and the holding
Of land in severalty may, in favorable condi-
lions, AID this denomination. 10 seems % me
that allotment Of land in seVsralty ought 10 DO
made with great care and elrcumspection
II hastily done before the Indian knows its
meaning, while yet he has little or no idea OF
tuling a larnl and no conception Of thrift. there
Is great danger that q reservation htein tribal
relations may Do exchanged for tho pauporism
q civilization Instead Of It's Independence and
elevation.
very largely on q good administration. Tho
personal fitness OF agents aud their adapta-
buity 20 their peculiar duty Of caring for their
wards is OF the utmost Importance.
The law providing that except in especial
cases army officers shall be detailed as Indian
agents, 10 10 hoped, will prove b successful eK-
pertinent There Is danger OF great abuses
creeping into the prosecution OF claims tor In
dian depredations and ! recommend that every
possible safeguard be provided against the en-
iorcement Of unjust and fictitious claims Of this
description. The appropriations on account Of
the indian bureau Tor The year ending June 30,
1854, amount 20 tGa5f Dd3. 90, n decrease as com
par.d wish the year preceding Of 49, 1919.
The vast area OF land which hut a short timo
ago constituted the public domain is rapidly
falling into pr vaie handA, IL Is certain that
IN the iran FER the benehcant intention Of tho
government 10 supply from It's domain homes
20 the industrious and worthy homeseokera,
IL often frustrated. Through the spectators,
who stand With eNtortiOnate purpose between
the land ONCE aud those who with their fami
lies are Invited BY tue government TO settle on
the public lands, ~ a despicnhle character who
ought not 10 DO tolerated, yet Il Is dinlcult 70
thwart his schemes me recent opening
70 settlement Of tho lands la the Cher
oken outlet, embrating an area q
u1tVivl acres notwithstanding the utmost care "a
raUlng The regulations governing the selection OF
locations. aud notwithstanding tho presence OF
United states troopa, furnished en- exhibition,
thpuFh perhaps in q modified degree OF The mad
scramble, the violence ANA tue fraudulent uceupa-
tiuh Nhlcn have accompanied previous upenlngsuf
pubic lands. cuurnr With the Secretary ln the
utllfi tuat there outrageous Incidents rHnuut no
entirely prevented uIihuutu change iu laws lu fho
4pNgek-hu4-A 40 lus. tecpmmenMtious Ia that