The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1894-12-07

tohs and railroad and otherao 600 600 J pr
lands yet unad Indicated 600 900 of
me total cash receipts from therva- pt
lands amounted to S2.61l, 2S5. 10 in OF r.
lands say - ~ Il
Thirty-fve thousand patents were issuaA
ioF agricultural lands and one hundred pa
tents We're issued to Indians on allntments
or thelr holdings in sevpralty the land so al
loted being in lienable by the Indian al
ter patent ''' %
There were certified and patented on ac-
count OF railroad and wagon grants during
the year S6o,o5643 acres of land and at the
close OF the year - opyD, 600 were embrace
IN the lists of selections made by railroads
ana wagon companies and awaited settle
ment.
Public Lands.
The selections of swamp lands and that
taken as indemnity therefor. since the pas
sage Of the act providing for the same in
1919 amount 10 nearly or quite so 900 900
acres, of which 5000 coo have been patent
ed to states. About l3S,6o0 acres We're pa
tented during the last year. Nearly 10000
acres OF school and education grants were
approved during the year. and at its close
,25o, ,363.S1 acres remained unadjusted
1t appears that the appropriation for the
current year on account of special service
for the protection of the public lands and
the timber thereon is much less than those
Tor previous years and inadequate FOR an ef-
hcient performance Of the work. A larger
sum of money than has been appropriated
during Il number of years past on this ac-
count has been returned to the governments
as result of the labors of those employ
ed in the particular service mentioned aud
l hope il will not be crippled by insufficient
approximation.
/ fully endorse tho recommendation of the
secretary that adequate rejection bc pro.
yided for our forest reserves and that n COM
prehenSiye forestry system be inau-urated.
Such keepers and superintendent as are
necessary to protect the forest already re-
served should be provided. l am of the
opinion that there should be an abandon
ment of the policy sanctioned by present
laws under which the government for a
very small consideration is rapidly losing
title 10 immense tracts of land covered with
timber which should be properly reserved
a. permanent sources Of timber supply.
The suggestion that a change be made in
the manner Of securing surveys Of the pub
lie lands is especially worthy of ConSidera-
ton. | am satisfied that these surveys
should be made by II corps Of competent
surveyors under the immediate control and
direction Of the commissioner of the general
land office
thorlty to compel witnesses to attend
The Indian prOblem.
Though the condition of the Indians shows
a steady ana healthy progress, their situa-
of them to whom allotments Of land have
been made are found to be unable or dis
inclined to follow agricultural pursuits or
otherwise beneficially manage their land.
i nts is especially true Of the CheyenneS and
Arapahoes, who, as it appears by reports
of their agents, have in many Instances
never been located upon their allotments,
and in some cases do Eot even know where
their allotments are. Their condition has
deteriorated They are not self-supporting
and they live in camps and spend their times
in iiieneSS
Pensions.
At the close of the last fiscal year. on the
3oth day of June, 1894, there Were 969,o4t
persons on our pension rolls, being a net
Increase Of ,.5..2 over the number reported
at the end Of the previous year. These pen-
Sioners may be caSSed as follows: Soldiers
and sailor survivors of all wars. Ia3.a6S:
widows and relatives Of deceased soldiers,
2l5, leo; army nurses In the war Of the rs-
beion, Ala, OF these pensioners, 32, 039 are
surviving soldiers OF Indian and other wars
prior To the late civil war and the widows
and relatives of such soldiers,
The work done by The department Of ag-
ricultnre is very supefiicially dealt with
III this communication and | commend the
work Of the secretary and the very inn
portant interests with which It deals, 10
the careful attention of the congress.