The record-union., 1894-12-04

who originally hear and decide these dis
putes should be vested with authority to
compel witnesses to attend and testify be-
fore them.
CONDITION OF THE INDIANS.
Though the condition of the Indians
shows a steady and a healthy PROCESS,
their situation Is not satisfactory at all
points. Some of them 10 whom allot-
ments of land have been made are found
to be unable or disinclined to follow ag
rlcuItural pursuits, or to otherwise bene-
hclally manage their land. This is es-
pec!aliy true of the Cheyennes and Ara
pahoes, who, as it appears by report Of
thelr agent, haveln many instances never
Deen located upon their aIIOtmentS, and
IN some cases do not even know where
thelr al4otments are. Their condition
mas deterlorated. They are not Self-Sup-
porting, and they live in camps and spend
inelr tlme IN ldleness. l have always be-
LeVed that allotments of reservation
4ahqs 10 indians in severalty should be
AIaue sparlngly, or at least slowly, and
Win the utmost caution,
II tnese days when white agriculturists
ana iI STOCK ralsers of experience and in
tol4leeAce ma their lot hard one, we
ought not TO expect Indians unless far
advanced III civilization and habits of in
uustry, 10 support themselves on the
small tracts OF land finally allotted TO
tnen. IL the self-supDorting scheme by
allotment :ails, the wretched pauperisin
VI tHe aIiotIeeS which results will be-
worse lhau their original condition of
regulated dependence. 1t is evident that
the eVll consequences of iIl-advjSed AL
lotnent are intensified in cases where tho
lalse step cannot be retreated on account
OF the purchases by the Government
OF reservation lands remaining after
alIOtments are made, and the disnOsition
/
purchasers from the Government.
am convinced that the proper solu-
tloh OF the Indian problem aud the suc-
cess OF every step taken in that direction
uepends to very large extent upon the
intelligence and honesty of reservation
aseuts, anu the interest they have in their
work. An agent fitted for his place can
90 much toward preparing the Indians
uhuer MS charge Tor citizenship and allot-
menL OF their lands, and his adyice as tn
any matter concerning their welfare will
not mlslead. An unnt agent will make
no effort to advance the Indians on his
reservation toward civilization or prena-
ratlon for allotment of lands in severalty.
ana his opinion as to their condition i'm
TINS and other regards is Needless and
Yalueless. The indications are that tho
detail OF army officers as Indian agents
Will result IN improved management on
the reservations wherever allotments are
serVauon, who has previously settled
upon lot and cultivated it, or shown a
disposition to improve it in any way
such lot should certainly be allotted to
hIm, and this should be made plainly
obligatory by the statute.
In the light of experience, and consid-
eflng the uncertainty Of the Indian situ-
alton and It's condition in the future. [
am not only disposed to be very cautious
IN making alIotments, but | incline TO
agree with the Secretary of the Interior
III the opinion that when allotments ara
maze the baIance OF the reservation land
remaining after allotment, instead of be-
ing bought by the Government from tho
Indians aud opened for settlement with
such scandals and unfair practices as
seem unavoidable, should remain. for a
tllne at least, as common land or be sold
Dy the government on behalf of the In
dIanS in an orderly way, and at fixed
prices, TO be determined by its location
ana deslrabllity, and that the proceeds.
less expenses, should be held in trust for
the benefit of the Indian proprietors.
The Intelligent Indian school manage
meht OF the past year has been followed
by gratifying results. Efforts have been
made to advance the work in a sound
and practical manner. Five Institutes OF
IsIndlan teachers have been held durinp
the year and have proved very beneh-
cIaI through the views exchanged and
methods discussed, particularly appli-
cable to Indian education. Efforts ara
being made in the direction of gradual
reduction of the number of Indian con
tract schools, so that in comparatively
snort Tune they may give way altogether
TO Government schools, and il Is hoped
that the change may be 50 gradual as to
De perfected without too great expense 10
the Government or the disregard of in
vestments made by those who have
established and are maintaining such
contract schools.
The appropriation for the current wear
ending June 80, 1898, applicable TO the or
binary expenses OF the Indian service.
amounts 10 9G,I33,CO5 IS, being less by
S66j,2iO ct than the sum appropriated in
the same account for the previous year.
PENSION BUREAU.
At the close of the last fiscal wear. on
the 3Oth day OF June, 1894, there were
9O9, oh persons on our pension rolls. be-
ing net increase Of 3,532 over the num-
Der reported al the END OF the previous
year. These pensioners may be classified
as follows: Soldiers and sailors, surviv-
ors OF all The wars, 1J3, ,y5S; widows and
relatives OF deceased soldiers, 2l5,l5-:
army nurses In the war OF the rebellion,
4IA or these pensioners -, ,O3y are sur
viving soldiers of Indian and other wars
prior 10 the late civil war, and the widows
and relatives OF such soldiers the remain
slons on account OF the war OF tne re-
belllOn, and OF these 4Gg.3A are on the
roll under the authority OF the Act Oh
June Il, $780, sometimes called the de-
pendent pension law. The total amount
expended for pensions during the year
was SlSJ, ,S0l, i6l %, leaving an uuex-
pended balance from the sum appro-
prlated OF 81, 5,2O0, III ID. The sum neces-
sary To meet pension expenditures Tor
the year ending June 80, 1876, is esti-
mated at $40, 100000.
The Commissioner of Pensions is Of the
opinion that the year lSy5 being the thir-
ueth after the close OF the war OF the re-
bclliOn, must, according TO all sensible
human calculations, set the highest limit
OF the pension roll, aud that alter thar
year 1t must begin to decline. The claims
pending in the bureau have decreased
more than $4,000 during the year. 4
large proportion of the new claims filed
are for an increase OF pension by these
on the rolls. The number of certificates
issued was SO,2l3. The names dropped
from the rolls for ali causes during the
year mum bered 3I,yJl. Among our peu-
sIoners are nine widows and three daugh-
ters of soldiers OF the revolution. and
tOrty-seven survivors OF tho war oil lS!2
The barefaced and extensive pension
frauds exposed under the direction OF the
courageous and generous veteran soldier
now at the head of the bureau leave no
room for the claim that no purgatlon OF
the pension rolls was needed, or that con-
tlnued vigilance and prompt action arc
not necessary 10 the same end. The accu-
sauon that an effort to detect pension
frauds IS evidence OF unfriondhness to-
ward our worthy veterans, aud a denial
OF their claims TO the generosity OF tho
Government, suggests an unfortunate in
z to-. e