Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-04

port of a pension has made perjury more
connman, and false and undeserving PEN
sioners rob the people not only of their
money, but of the patriotic sentiment which
the survivors of war, fought for the pres
ervation of the Union, ought to inspire
Thousands of neighborhoods have their
well-known fraudulent pensioners, and re-
cent developments by the Bureau estab-
lish appalling conspiracies to accomplish
pension frauds. By no means the least
wrong done is to brave and deserving pen
sioners, who certainly ought not to be con-
demned to such association.
Those who attempt in the line of duty
to rectify these wrongs should not be ac-
cused of enmity or Indifference to the
claims of honest veterans.
The sum expended on account of pen
sions for the year ending June 80. 1893.
was s156, 40, 46714.
The Commissioner estimates that $685.
100000 will be required to pay pensions
during the year ending June go 1894.
The Indians.
The condition of the Indians and their
ultimate fate are subjects which are re-
lated to sacred duty of the Government,
and which strongly appeal to the sense of
| justice and the sympathy of our people.
Our Indians number about 2iS,OOO. Most
of them are located on 161 reservations,
containing S6,116.5S1 acres of land. About
10000 of these Indians have, to large de-
gree. adopted civilized customs. Lands in
severalty have been allotted to many of
them. Such allotments have been made to
10000 individuals during the last fiscal year,
embracing about 100000 acres. The num-
Der of Indian Government schools open dur
ing the year was 195, an increase of II
a otal
we're on reservations, of which % were
boarding schools and 81 were day schools.
Twenty boarding schools and day schools
supported by the Government were not To-
Gated on reservations. The total number of
Indian children enrolled during the year as
attendants of all schools was q, 1873, an in
crease of PSI over the enrolment for the
previous year.
l am sure that secular education and
moral and religious teaching must be i'm
pcrtant factors in any effort to save the
Indian and lead him to civilization. / be-
lieve, too, that the REIMBURSEMENT Of tribal
relations and the holding of land in sever
atty may. in favorable conditions, aid this
contamination. 1t seems to me, however,
that allotments of land In severalty ought
to be made with great care and circum-
spection. If hastily done. before the In
dian knows its meaning. while yet he has
little or no idea of tilling a farm and no
conception of thrift, therel is great danger
that reservation life in tribal relations
may be exchanged for the pauperism of
civilization, instead of it's independence and
elevation.
The solution of the Indian problem de-
ponds very largely upon good administra-
ton. The personal fitness of agents and
their adaptability to the 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 In
dian agents, it is hoped will prove a sue
seccful experiment.
There is danger of great abuses creeping
into the prosecution of claims for Indian
depredations. and 1 recommend that every
possible safeguard be provided against the
enforcement of unjust and fictitious claims
of this description.
The appropriations on account Of the Ind
ian Bureau for the year ending June 90.
1894. amount to s7.954. 962 90, a decrease as
compared with the year preceding it of
$685., 1875.
The Public Lands.
The vast area of land which, but a short
time ago, constituted the public domain is
rapidly falling into private hands 1t is
certain that in the transfer the beneficent
intention of the government to supply from
it's domain homes to the industrious and
worthy home-seekers is often frustrated.
Though the SPECTATOR. who stands with
extortionate purpose between the land Office
and those who. with their families, are in
vited by the Government to settle on the
public lands. is despicable character who
ought not to be tolerated, yet it Is difficult
to thwart his schemes. The recent opening
to settlement of the lands in the Cherokee
Outlet, embracing an area Of 6,5OO,OOO acres,
Notwithstanding the utmost care in framing
the regulations governing the selection Of
locations and Notwithstanding the presence
Of United States troops furnished an exhi-
bition, though perhaps in a modified de-
gree, Of the mad scramble the violence
and the fraudulent occupation which have
accompanied previous openings of public
land.
1 concur with the Secretary in the belief
that these outrageous incidents can not be
entirely prevented without a change in the
laws on the subject, and hope his recon-
mendations in that direction. will be favor
ably considered.
1 especially commend to the attention of
the Congress The statements contained in
sA'S SS>ASee@iy ICpOEl concerning forestry,
The time has come when efficient measures
should be taken for the preservation of our
forests from indiscriminate and remediless
destruction.
The Department of Agriculture.
The report Of the Secretary of Agriculture
Will be found exceedingly interesting, es-
peciaily to that large part of our citizens
Intimately concerned in agricultural occu-
pations.
On the eth day Of March, 1893, there were
upon its pay rolls 2,43O employees. This
number has been reduced to 1850 persons.
In view of a 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 nationally reducing ex-
pendttures by the elimination from the paw
rolls or all persons not needed for an eff
Gent conduct of the affairs of the Depart
Llent.
During the first quarter Of the present
year the expenses Of the Department aggre-
gated $345,SI6.16. as against $IO2, Ol2 AZ for
the corresponding period of the fiscal year
ending June 30. 1888. The Secretary makes
apparent his intention to continue this rate
of reduction by submitting estimates for the
next fiscal year less by s994. 2SO than those
for the present year.
Among the heads Of divisions in this de-
partment the changes have been exceedingly
nrofn