Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1894-12-06
THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT..
jecrctary Hoke Smith Submits His An
nual Report.

THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
secretary Hoke smith Submits His An
nual Report.
WASHINGTON, Dec. In his annual
report to the president on the opera
lions Of the interior department. Sec
.etary HolSe Smith reviews the prob
lem of effective work for the advance
tnent of the Indians.
He says the task of the Indian bureau is that
If developing people no longer savage, but
still far from civilized, into beings fit fcf.
American citizenship and capable OF self-sup-
port. Two means are chiefly relied upon to
accomplish this in the most practical manner
education and ailotmentS of land in Severalty.
He does not question the advisability of
allotting land to Indians in severalty, but does
question It's prVpriety before the Indians have
progressed sufficiently to utilize the land when
taken The secretary says that land should
not be purchased from the Indians at the best
bargain the United States can make, but
should be sold BY the United States, the de-
partment acting IT'S a faithful trustee and OBJ
tanning for the Indians every dollar the land
will bring.
In speaking OF the education of the Indians.
he says that a definite plan for the Indian
when school is finished, must always be in
view. II he is to enter our cities and towns as
any other citizen, then his education should be
broad and liberal. But if he is to commence
his active life in the development of the re-
sources of the reservation. then his education
should be directed especially with a view
to that lie Secretary Smith adds that
even if the education of the young In
dian is preparation for work on the reser-
Walton. it should also work to the end that he
should be fitted as soon as possible to manage
his own affairs free from the paternal care Of
the department.
Mr.. Smith agrees fully in his report with
those who oppose the use of public money for the
support OF sectarian schools; but he thinks it
would be scarcely just to abolish them entirely
to abandon Instantly a policy so long recog-
nized. He suggests that they be decreased
at the rate Of not less than 20 per
cent. year. Thus in few years
they would cease to exist. During this time the
bureau would gradually beprepared to dowith-
out them, while they nigh, gather strength to
continue without governm Mental aid.
The secretary urges that the courts in Ar
kansas and Texas be abandoned and that the
jurisdiction Of the United States court be ex-
tended over the territory without regard to
citizenship.
The secretary condemns in strong terms the
establishment OF saloons upon the line of In
dian reservations and calls attention to the de-
clslon OF Judge Bellinger, of the district Of
oregon, to the effect that the sale of liquor to
an Indian who has received his land in sever
atty is not in violation of law because by allct-
ment he has become a citizen. If this decis-
ion Is right, 1t presents another argument
against too speedy allotment of lands in sew
crafty to Indians
The report shows that the public lands dis
posed Of during the past fiscal year aggregate
1O.377, 2S4 72 acres. 1t approximates the vacant
lands remaining at (06,040,313.71 acres, ex-
elusive OF Alaska, which contains 36O,00O,0O0
acres, and military and other reservations;
20, COO acres in round numbers are en-
braced in the lists OF selections by railroad and
wagon road companies awaiting examination
and settlement at the close Of the fiscal year.
The aggregate selection of swamp lands since
the passage of the act Of ls49 is sO,456 1881
acres. During the past year 1873, 159. Al acres
were patented under this head.
The total cash receipts from the disposal Of
public lands amounted to So 674 2S5 70: SOL eSl.-
03 were received for Indian lands Over IS 900
agricultural patents were issued, granting
approximately, 56l0,S00 acres. Mineral mill
site and coal patents were issued to the num-
Der of lac. About 3,l00 patents were issued
to Indians for allOtmentS or selections in sew
crafty, covering 10l,e36.34 acres. Patents Of
all classes issued during the year covered
about 100000 acres, a decrease from the pre-
ceding year Of over 100000 acres.
Congress is asked TO make sufficient appro-
prlatiOnS to employ at least one Superintend-
ent on each reserve and upon the larger re-
serves to provide sufficient force of assist
ants to prevent public property from
being wantonly destroyed. 1t is also pointed
out that lack Of special agents
has prevented investigation of proposed forest
reserves which would otherwise have been
made. The Importance Of laying foundation
for q wise, comprehensive forestry system to
be applied to the timber upon the public lands
and the forest reservations is again urged upon
congress-
At the close Of the fiscal year ending June
80, 1854. 500 544 pensioners were borne upon the
rolls, an increase of 1852 pensioners during
the year. OF these, l66l0 pensioners are on
account of Indian and other wars prior to the
late war, and 15.429 widows, orphans and other
dependent relatives. Under the act of June
q, 1880, there are S75.0S4 pensioners and "a 26O
widows and orphans It is interesting to note
that nine widows and three daughters Of vet
Grams OF the revolution constitute the pension
roll for that war. Forty-fye survivors Of the
war of 1912 constitute the remnant Of that list.
The total amount expended for pensions
during the past fiscal year was s133 SOL 461 .05,
leaving balance from the appropriation in the
treasury of $25 sC5, 2.65 The estimate for the
fiscal year 1896 made by the commissioner is
$40. 900. The commissioner states that, in
his opinion the year 1885, thirty years after
the close Of the last war, must in the nature
of things see the highest limit of the pension
roll which, therefore, must begin to decrease.
The aggregate OF persons added to the rolls
during the year is 80 0S5, and the total number
dropped for all causes 1881.
There we're 2!5l6 patents granted. including
reissues and designs and 1856 trade marks
registered during the past year. The number
OF patents which expired is 1857 The total
expenditures Of the patent Office amounted to
S1,053,962. The receipts exceeded the expendi-
lures Sl29 $50.
The commissioner Of labor in charge OF the
eleventh census, for the fiscal year ending
June so, 1894 states that the total disburse-
ments on account of the eleventh census to
that date amounted to $40, 1865 $40 81. At the
close Of the fiscal year the total number OF
persons employed in the census Office was 679
there are at. the present writing aboat 400
The whole number of volumes necessary to
comprehend all the facts gathered at the
eleventh census Is twenty-five; the estimated
and actual printed pages Of these volumes be-
ing 22290.
The report treats at length of many more
subjects of minor interest, among them being
the bureau Of education, public documents,
railroads, the territories, national parks and
forest reserves, and various public lnstitu-
tions.
The secretary closes his report with recon-
mendation for an additional building for the
interior department., as 1852, 600 were paid out
for rental OF buildings in which several
branches Of the department have their offices
located