Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1893-12-14


the Interior Smith and his efforts to cor
rect and prevent wholesale and gigan
tic frauds such as had formerly beer
perpetrated upon the pension depart
ment, Mr.. Cleveland says:
am unable to understand willy fraud:
III the pension rolls should not be exposed
vigor. Every name fradulently put upon
these rolls is i wicked imposition upon the
kindly sentiment in which pensions have
their origin. Every fraudulent pensionel
has become bad citizen; every false oath
in support of Il pension has made perjury
more common, and false and undeserving
pensioners rob the people not only of their
money, but Of patriotic sentiment, which
the survivors of q war fought for the
preservation Of the union ought to ln-
Spire.
Those who attempt, in the line of duty,
to rectify these wrongs should not be ac-
cused of enmity or Indifferent to the
claims of the honest veterans.
The number of persons remaining on tn
rolls June so, 1888, who were peusionet
under act Of June 81, 1890, which allow!
pensions on account Of death and disabil
ity not cha geabe to army service, wa
$50, 155.
The number added to the rolls during
the year was 1864 and the numbe
dropped was 03GG0. The first payments OF
pensions allowed during the year amount
ed to S557 Ca, ,5i7.I5. This includes the &C
clmula,ion between the time from which
the allowance Of pensions dates and th'
time of actually granting the certificate
Although the law Of 1890 permits pension:
ior disabilities not related to military
service, yet as a requisite 10 its benefits
disability must eSist incapacitating arpli
cants, 'from the performance OF mnnue
labor to such degree as to render then
unable 10 earn support"
The execution of this law in its early
stages does not seem to have been in &C
cord with it; true intentions, but towart
the close OF the last administration, al
authoritative construction was given II
the statute, and since that time this con-
struction has been followed. This has ha(
the effect Of limiting the operation OF th'
law to its intended purpose. The discov
cry having been made that many names
had been put upou the pension roll by
means OF Wholesale and gigantic frauds
upon u number of pensions which seemed
to be fraudulent or unauthorized, pending
q complete examination, giving notice Il
the pensioners, in order that they nigh
have an opportunity to establish, if posi-
be, the Justice or their claims, nothwith
standing apparent inval!dity.
I.his, understand, is the practice which
las fora long time prevailed in the pen
sion bureau, but after entering upon these
recent investigations, the commissions,
mod fled thi rule so as not to allow unit
after complete examination interference,
with the payment Of o pension apparently
now altogether void, but which merely
had been fixed at Il rate higher than tia
anthoriz d by law.
The condition Of the Indians aud thei
ultimate la'e are sulj cts wh:ch s'rongl,
appeal to toe sense Of Justice ami lht
sympathy OF our people.
Our Indians number about 24S, Geo Mos
of them are located on 1G1 reservations
containing ST. 11G, ,53l acres OF land. Abou
10000 Of these Indians have, to !arg,
degree, adopted civilized customs. Land
in sereralty lave heeu allotted 10 many U
them. Such allotments have b en- made Il
10000 indi -idua!s during the last fisca
year, embracing one million acres. Th'
number OF Indian goveri ment schoo'
open during the ear was l95, an increast
OF u over tie preceding year. or lh
total ITO are on reservations, OF which Z
were boarding-sclools and 81 were day
schools.
Twenty boarding schools and five da!
schools, supported by the government
were not located on reservations. i /,
total NUN Der OF Indian children enrolled
during The year as attendants OF all school
was 81, 1888, an increase Of 1,231 over the el
rollment for the previous year.
lam sure that secular education ALI,
moral and religious teaching must be in,
portant factors in any effort to save tn
Indian and lead him to civilization.
believe, too, that the REIMBURSEMENT O
tribal relations and the holding of land il
severalty may, in favorable conditions,
this consummation. 1t seems to me, how
ever, that allotments Of land in severalt.
ought to be made with great caro- and cir
cumspection.
II hastily done, before the Indian know
its meaning, while Jet he has little or Ii
idea OF tiliipg farm, and no conception O
thrift, there is great danger that q reserva
ton life in tribal relations may be ex
changed for the pauperism Of civilization
instead OF lis independence and elevation
The solution of the Indian problem de
pends very largely upon coed administra
tiou. The personal fitness Of agents ant
their adapa biiity to the peculiar duty o
caring for their wards Is OF the utmost i'm
portance.
The law providing that. except in espec
c;al cases, army officers shall be detailed o
Indian agents, it is hoped, will prove
successful experiment. There is danger o
great abuses creeping into the claims 70
Indian depredations and I recommend tha
that every possible safeguard be PROVIDE
against the enforcement OF fraudulen
claims OF this description.
Secretary of Agriculture.
The secretary of the interior has supe
vision of SO many important subjects tn:
his report is Of especial value and interes
On the Seth day Of June, 1893, there wer
Oh the pension rolls GG6 012 names; an il
crease OF Sg,9.4 over the number on til
rolls June G0:h, 1892.
OF these, there were II widows en-
daughters of revolutionary soldiers, sc SUI
vivors OF the war OF 1872 1925 widows
soldiers OF that war; 2l,5lS survivors an
widows of the Mexican war; 3.SS2 SUI
vivors and widows Of Indian wars; 2S
army nurses. and 475.G45 survivors al
widows aud children of deceased soldie.
and sailors OF tho war OF tue rebellion
The la;ser mum Der represents those per
stoned on account OF disabilities or d5at
resulting from army and Lazy service.
The report otthe secretary OF agricultnr
will he found exceedingly interesting, e
pecially to that large part OF our citi2er
intimately concerned in agricultural occl
pations.
On the seventh dcy of March, 1898, ther
were upon Its pay roll 2i3o employees. Tb1
number has been reduced to 1850 PEI
sons. In view of depleted treasur
and tue imperative demand OF IN
poopla for economy in the administratio
| az THAR government the secretary has en-