Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1893-12-15

ral resources of the public lands. Leg
lslation providing for wise and COM
prehensive forestry system is recon.
nended. The Secretary discusses
1t length the opening OF the Cher
0kee outlet. He says the hardships
incurred by applicants was an unavoid.
able result when so large q crowd, far
In excess of the land to be obtained,
was preparing to rush madly upon it.
Referring to the Cherokee Indian al
lotments, the Secretary states that he
sought unsuccessfully to dissuade those
representing the Indians from seeking
to select town sites for speculative pur-
poses. In order to defeat the plans of
the Indian spectators he approved
the allotments made, but fixed town
sites in such way as to thwart their
schemes. The Secretary recommends
the passage of legislation to protect
the people not settled in these towns
from this discrimination. The work
Of the Indian Bureau shows that they
are steadily advancing in civilization.
Tribal wars and wars with the whites
having ceased, they are incrs asing.
and there are now more than 25O.OOO.
The payment of Indian depreciation
claims is deemed subject of grave
consideration. Under the existing
laws the appropriations intended for
the support of these Indians will be
consumed by the payment of these
claims, and second appropriation will
be necessary to meet their needs, so
that the payment of these claims will
eventually devolve upon the Govern
will absorb many millions of dollars,
and the policy of sub;ecting the Treas
ury to this strain is questioned. The
recent troubles in the Choctaw Nation
are touched upon at length. The Sec
retary urges the prompt passage of the
bill now pending before Congress en-
tending the jurisdiction of the United
States in Indian Territory in order to
Include the right of removal of all
cases, where local prejudice is shown
without regard to citizenship.
Upon the subject of pensions the
Secretary calls attention to the great
amount saved to the Government by
the stoppage of payment of pensions in
Norfolk, Va, New Mexico, and Iowa.
Where it was thought that the PEN
sions could not be sustained, and an
other medical examination was neces-
sary, payment of the pensions was sus-
pended pending the investigation.
This, he says, "was done by the Com
missioner of Pensions in pursuance of
the uniform practice of the bureau,
existing almost from its early organ
ization. It was found that many thus
suspended were able to supply the
proof when notice to that effect was
given. Payment to these was at once
resumed"
Referring to the work of the Census
Office. the Secretary states: Il now
feel all confidence that every effort is
being conscicntiously made to bring
the census to a close and to render It
as useful as possible when finished. :"
1t is intimated that the appropriation
now available will be sufficient to meet
the expenses up to Feb. 1. but that adj
ditional appropriations to the amount
Of $5C0,OO0 will be necessary to con-
tinue the work from that time In
closing the report the Secretary stated
that in the estimate Of expenditures
for the department a great majority
of the proposed Improvements were
rejected, only those actually necessary
for the conduct of public business be-
ing adopted.