The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-11-30
Report of the Secretary of
the Interior.
LAND AND THE RAILROADS.
The Mines and Fisheries of
Alaska.
POINTS ON NATIONAL PARKS.
With Some Suggestions as to What
Is for Uncle Sans
Interest.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29.-The annual
report of Secretary Hoke Smith OF the
Interior Department deals largely with
Indian affairs. and he presents some prac-
sical suggestions for the development and
civilization of the Sacs. Besides giving
succlnct history of the progress OF the
Indian bureau during the past twelve
months. the Secretary reviews the prob
lem of effective work for the advancement
OF the Indians. lie discusses the subject
of education and of allotment of lands in
severalty, and urges that the education OF
Indians should be for the purpose of fit
ting them to perform the particular re-
sponsbilites most likely to fall TO their
afterlot. He presents the possibilities OF
the reservation as land to be improved
and developed. to which the Indians
S5ould be taught to apply those modes OF
agriculture recognized IN civilized life.
The education should fit them for this
work, and they should be led on with the
assurance that the Government dealing
with this land will treat the Indians with
perfect honesty and make no further eff
fort to trade them out of it for the benefit
of those who wish to settle upon it. Upon
the subject of allotments he says:
l do not question the ACCESSIBILITY of allotting
land to Indians In several y, but do most seri-
ously question the propriety of this course be-
fore the Indians have progressed sufficiently TO
utilize the land when taken. The allotments
should be made to The Indians IN seyeraTy Tor
the good of, the Indians. for The advancement
Of the Indians, not for the purpose of obtaining
land connected with the Indian reservation TO
satisfy the Unsuitable desire of bordermen, who
obtain ii frequently, not for homes, but for
speculation. urge treatment of Indian land
based solely upon the purpose of realizing from
IL for its own highest possible vtlue what is
best for the Indians-rO keep their land or to
sell it.
If the me mbers of a tribe have reached
state sufficiently civilized 10 be able to progress
still further by selling portion Of their land
the sales should be made, but the land should
not be purchased from the Indians at the best
bargain the United States can make. 1t should
be sold for the Indians by the United States,
The department acting as faithful truS ee and
obtaining for the Indians every dollar that the
land will bring. The policy OF the Government
should be to recognize the land OF the Indian
reservation as the property OF the particular
Indians who own It. The different lands
should be studied to see how best their value
en- be Increased. There are ample public
can we not be satisfied 10 allow to the admin
istratOn, on behalf OF the Indians, the little We
have left them?
With reference 10 the development of
the sources of the agencies and the char
acter of the employees, he urges that each
reservation must be treated. in view of its
resources. rs a separate business problem.
l believe 1t is possible to develop complete,
permanent, non-p rtis N Indian service, and
hope before the end OF another year that such
progress VIII have been made in that direction
that its realization will be assured.
Among otner things in connection with
education of the Indians, the Secretary
says:
In the management of the Indian schools
definite plan for he Indian when school Is
finished must always be in view when praeti cal
results are expected from his education. Educa-
ton should be practically directed with view
TO the probable future OF the Indian. Ii he
is TO remain away from his former home and te
enter The struggle OF life in our cities and
towns as any other citizen, then his education
should be as broad and as liberal as possible.
But If h. is TO re urn to the reservation, to lie
place of his birth, and TO commence his active
life In the development of the resources Of the
reservation, then his education should be d.
rected especially with view TO thu life be will
lead upon the reservation and to the possbili-
ties of the reservation Itself. II the lands are
agricultural, he should be taught the methods
and mode of life followed by the ordinary
American citizen engaged in agriculture He
should not be accustomed TO life far above it,
to tastes much more liberal than would be
possible for him.
In regard TO the Pacific railroads the
Secretary says:
The Commissioner OF Railroads calls atten-
tion to The fact that, notwil hstandng he effect
upon railway earnings of the financial and In
dustriai depression, the Union Pacific (Which
includes the Kansas Paclfe) is the only one OF
all the bond-aided railways which. during the
period mentioned, passed into the hands of re-
ceiyers. The following land-grant railroads
coming under the supervision of his office are
reported by the Commissioner as being in the
hands of receivers: Atlantic and Pacific;
Atchison. Topeka and SAINT Fe; Little Rock
and Memphis; Northern Pacific; st. Louis and
San Francisco; Wisconsin Central.
The Union Pacific Railway Company, in
Guiding the Kan sas division, shows a decrease
OF net earnings, as compared with 1892, of
81, 105,716 76. The amount found due the
United States was S137,995 18 less than for
the year previous. The net earnings of the
Central Pacific Railroad Company for 1898
show reduction Of S57, 952 48 as compared
with 1892, but the amount of transportation
services rendered the Government was $11O,-
o24 4S In excess OF the previous year, conse-
quenty The amount found due the United
States IS S7,726 So in excess OF 1892. The
Central Pacific Railroad Company shows de-
crease in net earnings, as compared with 1892.
OF S1OO,1l2 rs, and corresponding decrease
III the amount found due the Unitrd States of
5000 81. The Central Pacific Company.
whose liability amounts In the aggregate TO
S56,oOO.O00 has provided a sinking fund for
the redemption of frst-mortgage bonds. The