Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1894-12-06

Tic idsG year. httFiS c-u,uVV heitS VI sSuoot
and education grants were approved dur.
ing the year, and mt its close $3.50, 1868. 81
acres remained unadjusted.
It appears that the appropriation for
the current year, on account OF special ser
vice for the protection of the public lands
and timber thereon is much less than those
for previous years and inadequate for an
efficient performance of the work. A lar
ger sum Of money than has been appropri-
ated during a number OF years past on this
account has been returned to the govern
ment DIS Il result Of the labors Of those enl-
ployed in the particular service mentioned
and l hope 1t will not be crippled by in.
sufficient appropriation.
Forest Reserves.
/ fully indorse the recommendations OF
the secretary that adequate protection be
provided for our forest re-
serves and that q corfprehen-
sive forestry system be i~naugurated.
Such keepers and superintendent as ara
necessary to protect the forests already re-
served should be provided. l am of the
opinion that there should be an abandon
ment OF the policy sanctioned by present
law. under which the government for a
very small consideration is rapidly losing
title to immense tracts OF land covered
with timber which should be properly
reserved as permanent sources of timber
supply. The suggestion that a change be
made in the IN Of securing surveys Of
the public lands is especially worthy Of
consideration. / am satisfied that the sur
veys should be made by q corps of compe-
tent surveyors under the immediate con-
troll and direction OF the commissioner sof
the general land Office.
An exceedingly important recommends
ton OF the secretary relates to the manner
in which contests and Irrigated cases grow
ing out of efforts to obtain government
lands are determined. The entire testi-
mony upon which these controversies de-
pend In all their stages is taken before the
locai registers and receivers and yet these
oincers have no power to subpoena wit
nesses or to enforce their attendance to
testify. These c Sos, numbering 5000 or
1000 annually, are sent by the local officers
to the commissioner of the general land
Office for his action. The exigencies Of his
other duties oblige him to act
upon the decisions Of the regis
tiers n receivers without an oppor-
tnnity of thorough personal examinations.
Nearly 1900 of these cases are appealed an
nuaily from the commissioner to the sec
rotary of the interior. Burdened with
other important administrative duties his
determination OF these appeals must be al
most perfunctory and based upon the ex-
OF Others, though this determi-
natl n of the secretary operates as a final
adjudication upon rights of very great i'm
p~ortance. concur in the opinion that tho
commissions OF the general land office
should be reliev d from the duty of decid-
ing Irrigated land cases, that a %nonparti-
san court should be created to pass on
such cases and that the decisions of this
court should be final, at least SO far as the
decisions OF the department are o final.
The proposed court might be given au-
tliority to certify a question of law in mat
tiers OF special Importance, to the supreme
court of the United States or the court of
appeals for the District of Columbia for
decision. The creation of such a tribunal
would expedite the disposal Of cases and
insure decisions OF q more satisfactory
character. The registers aud receivers who
originally hear and decide these disputes
should be invested with authority to COM
pei witnesses to attend and testify before
them
The Indians.
Though the condition of the In
healthy process, their situation is
sl3f satisfactory at all points.
some OF them to whom allotments Of land
have been made are found to be unable or
disinclined to follow agricultural pursuits
or to otherwise beneficially manage their
lands. This Is especially true of the
Cheyennes and Arapahoes who, as it APP
pears by report of their agent. have in
many instances never been located upon
their allotments and in some cases do not
even know where their allotments are.
Their condition has detcriorated. They
are not self supporting and they live in
camps and spend their time in idieness. /
have always believed that allotments Of
reservation lands to Indians in severalty
should be made sparingly, or Mt least
slowly and with the utmost caution.
In these days when white agriculturists
n md or pcE v.n;n.y,s <f "a - 49, - ,,l .-AztI.
genca find their lot a hard one. We ought
not to expect Indians, unless far advanced
in civilization and habits of industry. to
support themselves on the small tracts OF
land usually allotted to them. If the self
supporting scheme by allotment fails the
wretchtd pauperism of the allotees which
results is worse than their original condi-
ton of regulated dependence. 1t is evil
dent the evil consequences of ill-advised
allotments are intensified ia. cases where
the false step cannot be retreated on ac-
u OF the purchases by the government
Of the reservation lands remaining after
allotments are made and the disposition OF
such remaining lands TO settlers or pur-
chasers from the government.
am convinced that the proper solution
of the Indian problem and the success OF
every step taken in that direction depend
to u very large extent upon the intelli-
gence and honesty of the reservation
agents n the interest they lave in their
work. The indications are that the detail
of army officers as Indian agents will re
suit in improved management OF the reser-
vations. Whenever allotments are made
and any Indian on the reservation has pre-
yiously settled upon a lot and cultivated
it, or shown n disposition to improve it
in any way, such lot should certainly be
allotted to him and this should be made
plainly obligatory of statute. In the light
TS n yp.actaVpo and ,ppCi1o;ur tho
tainty of the Indian situation and it's ext
gencies in the future, | am not only dis
posed to be very cautious in making
allotments, but | incline to agree with the
secretary OF the interior in the opinion
that when allotments are made the balance
of reservation land remaining after
allotment instead OF being bought by the
government from the Indians and opened
for settlement with such scandals and I'M
fnir practices MS seem unavoidable should
remain fer IA time at least as common land
or be sold by the government on behalf Of
the Indians in an orderly way and at fixed
prices to he determined by its location and
desirability and that the proceeds less ex-
penses should he held in trust for the ben
eft of the of the Indian proprietor. The
intelligent Indian school management of
the past year has been followed by CRAFTY
ing results. Efforts rave been made to
advance the work in a sound and practical
manner. Five Institutes OF Indian teachers
have been held during the year and have
proved very beneficial through the views
exchanged and methods discussed particu-
larly applicable to Indian education. Ef-
forts are being made in the direction of a
gradual reduction of the mum Der of Indian
contract schools, 80 hat In a short time
they may give way altogether to govern
ment schools, and it is hoped that the
change may be SO gradual as to be- per-
fected without too great expense to the
government or undue disregard of invest
ments made by those who have established
and are maintaining such contract
schools. The appropriation for the
current year ending June 30. 1885,
applicable to the ordinary expenses
of the Indian service amounts
TO 81, '3ai. 003, Is, being less by, $780,, 240.8i than
the sun appropriated on the same account
for the previous year.
The Pension Roll.
At the close of the Last fiscal year on the
30th day OF June. 1894. there were 969, 544
persons on pension rolls. being a ne
of q. 53a over the number reported
at the end OF the previous year. These
pensioners may be classified as follows:
Soldiers and sailors, survivors of all wars.
753, 96S; widows and relatives Of deceased
soldiers, 2l5, 1862; army nurses in the war OF
the rebellion, ala. OF these pensioners
b. $50 are surviving soldiers of Indian and
l.s. ,,. -. ..A - ~. 1aA- As~.l