The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1894-12-06
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.

commend this report and the valuable
recommendations of the secretary to th>
careful attention of the congress.
The public land disposed of during the
year amounted to 10, 4O6, 1O0.T acres, in
Guiding 1916 O3 of Indian lands.
1t is estimated that the public domain
still remaining amounts to little more
than SOC, OOO, 600 acres, excluding, however,
about 800, 0OO, 600 acres in Alaska, as we'll
as military reservations and railroad and
other selections of land as yet unjudicated.
The total cash receipts for the sale of
lands amounted to $2,64, 285. 70, including
$91 1881 03 received from the sale of Indian
lands.
Protection Of Timber.
It 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 for previous years and inadequate
for an efficient performance of the work.
A larger sum of money than has been ap-
propriated during number Of years past
on this account has been returned to the
government as result of the labors of
those employed m the particular service
mentioned. and hope it will not be Grip
pied by insufficient appropriation.
fully endorse the recommendation of
the secretary that adequate protection be
provided for our forest reserves and that
comprehensive forestry system be inaugu-
rated.
Contested Land Cases.
An exceedingly important recommends
tion of the secretary relates to the manner
in which contests and Irrigated cases,
growing out of efforts to obtain govern
ment land are determined. These cases.
which number 5000 or 1000 annually, are
sent by the local officers to the commits
sioner of the general land office for his ac-
ton The exigences of his other duties
Obige him TO act upon the decisions OF the
registers and receivers without an OppOr-
tunity Of thorough personal examination.
Nearly 1900 of these cases are appealed an
nually from the commissioner to the sec
rotary of the interior. Burdened with
other important administrative duties his
determination of these appeals must be
almost perfunctory and based upon the
examination of others, though this deter
mnation of the secretary operates as
final adjudication upon rights of very
great Importance.
concur in the opinion that the commits
sioner of the general land office should be
relieved from the duty of deciding liti
gated land cases, that a non-partisan court
should be created to pass On such cases
and that the decisions of this court shall
be final, at least so far as the decisions Of
the department are now final
Condition Of Indians.
While the condition of the Indians
shows a steady and healthy progress,
their situation is not satisfactory at all
points.
I have always believed that allottments
of reservation lands to Indians in severalty
should be made sparingry, or at least
slowly and with utmost caution.
In these days when white agricultur-
lists and stockmen of experience and intel
ligence find their lot 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.
am convinced that the proper solution.
of the Indian problem and the success Of
every step taken in that direction depends
to a very large extent upon the intelligence
and honesty of the reservation agents and
thA int rest they have in their work.
The indications are that the detail Of
in improved management on the reserya-
tons.
In the light of experience, and consider
ing the uncertainty of the Indian situation
and it's exigencies in the future, I ana not
only disposed to be very cautious in max
ing allotments, but 1 incline to agree with
the secretary of the interior in the opinion
that when allotments are made the bal
ance 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
fair practices as seem unavoidable, should
remain for 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 be determined by its location
and desirability, and that the proceeds
less expenses should be held in trust for
the benefit of the Indian ppoprietors.
The intelligent Indian school manage
ment of the past year has been followed
by the most gratifying results.
AS to Pensions.
At the close of the last fiscal year, Oh
the 30th day of June, 1864. there were
900, 54l persons on our pension rolls, being
net increase of 8, 532 over the number re
ported at the end of the previous year.
These pensioners may be classed as fol
lows: Soldiers and sailors, survivors d
all wars, 753, 1868; widows and relatives O
deceased soldiers, 2l5, 1862; army nurses IL
the war of the rebellion, Ala. OF thes'
pensioners 80, 039 are survivors of lndial
and all other wars prior to the late civi
war, and the widows and relatives of sucl
soldiers.
The remainder, numbering 937, sos, ar
receiving pensions on account OF the wa
of the rebellion and the 469.344 are nov
under the rolls under the authority of &C
of June ~, 1890, sometimes called the de
pendent pension law. The total amour
expended for pensions during the year wa
$3.50, 8O4. .05, leaving an unexpended ba
ance from the sum appropriated OF $S5