The Helena independent., 1893-12-05
THE INTERIORS DEPARTMENT
Work of tho Important Branches of Thl
Department..

Work OF tho Important Branches OF This
Department..
The secretary of the interior has the 50.
pervison of 30 many important subjects
that his report is of especial value and in
tersst. On June 80. 1888, there were on the
pension rolls 966. .012 names. an increase OF
q, 944 over the number on the rolls June 80
1892. OF these 475,G45 are survivors and
widows and children of deceased soldiers
and sailors of the war of the rebellion,
The number of persons remaining on the
rolls June 30. 1888 who were pensioned
undsr the act of June 27. 1890. whicn allows
Ionsions on account of death and disability
not chargeabls to amy service. was 459, :
155.
The number added to the rolls during ths
year was l23 GA. and the number dropped
was 81, 600. The first payments on pensions
allowed du'lng the year amounted to S33,-
SIC 5i935.
The execution OF the law of 1890 in its
early stages does not seem to have been in
accord with it's trus intention, but toward
the close of the last administration an au-
lucrative construction WAS givon to the
statute, and since that time this consDruc-
ton has been followed. This has had the
effect of limiting the operation of the Law
to its intcnded purpose.
The discovery having been made that
many names had been put upon the pen
sion roll by means of Wholesale and Qlpan tic
frauds. the commissioner suspended nav.
ment upon number Of pensions which
seem to be fraudulensr or unauthorizs
pendlng complete examination. giving
notice 20 the pensioners in order that they
might have an opportunity to establish. il
possible, the justice OF their claims. not
wlthstanoinR the apparent invAlidity.
| l nm unable to understand why frauda in
the pension rolls should not bs exposed
and corrected with thorou9hDess and yipor.
Eve:y name fraudulently pat UPON these
rolls is " wicked i'm position upon the kindly
sentiment IN which pensions have tnslr
| origin. Every fraudulent pensionsr has
become bad citizen, every false oath in
, support OF pension has made perjury
more common, and false and uudsserviao
pensioners rob the Ieopls not only of their
money, but of the patriotic sentiment
which the survivors of q war, fought for
tho preservation of the union. ought to in
! spire. Thousands of neighborhoods hava
their wsll known fraudulent pensioners
and recent developm ants by the bureau es
tablish appalling conspiracies to accom-
pllsh pension frauds.
BY no means the least wrong done ia In
the brave and deserving pensioners. Who
certainly ought not be condemned to suoh
association.
Those who attsm pit in this line OF dutv To
| roctify these wrongs should not be accused
! OF enmltY or indifference to the ciaims of
honest veteranH. The sum expended on
account of pensions for tn. year ending
June 30. 1893. was $15G. 74). 467. H. The
commissioner estimates that Sl65 900. coo
will be required to pay pen sions dutinp the
| yenr ending June 80, 1891
The condition of the Indians and THAR
ultimate fate are subjects tna. nre related
to a sacred duty or the government and
which strongly appeal to the sense OF jus-
t!ce ana the sympathy OF our people.
Our Indians number about 2i3. OJO Most
OF them nrs located on lGl reservations
containing ST, 1861 acres OF land. About
10000 of these Indians have. to a lsres
degree adopted clyilizsd customs. Lands
IN seyeraity have beon allotted to muuv of
| them. Such eilosments have been mads
to 10000 individuals during the last fiscal
year embracing about 100000 acres. The
number of In dian government schools open
during the year WAS 49,. an increase of
Twelve over the preceding year. OF this
total l1o wero on reservations, OF which
seVeuty-thres we're boarding schools and
| ninetF-aeven were day schools.
| The tota! number of Indian children sn
rolled during the year as attendants Of all