The herald., 1894-12-04

W
Of . thorough personal examination.
Nearly 1000 OF those cases are appealed
annually from the com missioner to the
secretary OF the interior. Burdensd
with other important administrative
duties his determination of these ap-
peals must be almost psrfunctory,
and based upon the examination OF
others, though this determination Of the
secretary operates % Q 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
litigated land cases; that non partisan
court should be created to pass ON such
Cases, and that the decision OF this court
should be final, at least 80 far ss the de-
cisions OF the department are now final.
Ihe proposed court might be given au.
shorty to certify questions OF law in
matters OF special Importance to the
supreme court OF the United States, or
the court Of appeals for the District OF
Colum bia for decision. The creation OF
such . tribunal would expedite the dis.
posal OF cases, and insure decisions OF
more satisfactory character. The registers
and receivers who originally hear and
decide these disputes should be invest
cd with authority to compel witnesses
to attend and testify before them.
10, THE POOR RED MAN.
Though the condition Of the Indians
shows . steady and healthy progress.
their situation 10 not satisfactory at sll
points. Some of them, to whom allot-
msnts OF land have been made are found
to be unable or disinclined to follow az.
ricultural pursuits, or to otherwise benz
e6cially manage their lands. This is
especially true Of the Cheyennes and
Arapshoes, who, ~ it appears by report
OF their agent, have In many instances
never been located upon their allo..
ments, and in some casee do not even
know where their allotments are. Their
condition 10 detefiorsted. They are not
Cslf.supporting, and they live in camps
and spend their time in idleness.
have always believed that allotments OF
reservation lands to Indians in severalty
should be made sparingly, or at least
slowly and with the utmost caution.
In theee days, when white agricultur.
lists and stock raisers of experience and
intelligence find their lot hard one, we
ought not to expect Indians not far ad.
vanced in civilization and habits OF in
dustry to support themselves on the
smalll tracts OF land usually allotted
to them. II the self.supporting scheme
by allotment fails the wretcned pauper-
ism OF the allotees which results ia worse
than their original condition of regu-
lated dependence. II 10 evident that
the evil consequences OF ill.advised
allotment are intensified in casss where
the false step cannot be retracted on
account of the purchases by the govern
msnt OF reservations and the disposition
of the remaining lands to settlers or
purchasers from the government.
am convinced that the proper solu-
ton of the Indian problem and the sue
cess OF every step taken in that direc-
tion, depends. to . very large extent,
upon the intelligence aud honesty Of
reservation agents and the interest they
have in their work. An agent fitted for
his place can do much toward preparing
the Indians under his charge for citizen
ship, and allotment Of their lands and
his advice ss to any matter concerning
their welfare will not mislead. An unfit
agent will make no effort to advance the
Indians on his reservation toward civil
ization or preparation for allotment OF
lands in ssveralty, and his opinion 20
to their condition in this and other re-
CARDS 10 needless and valuelsss.
The indications are that the detail OF
army officers "a Indian agents will re-
suit In improved management ON the
reservations. Whenever allotments are
made and any Indian of reservation las
previously settled upon q lot and cul-
tivated it, or shown disposition to inn
prove it in any vey, such lot should be
certainly allotted to him. and this
should be made plainly obligatory by
statute. In the light of experiences and
considering tho uncertainty of the en-.
tire Indian situation end exigenoies in
the future, am not only disposed to be
very cautious in maEing allotments, but
incline 70 agree with tho secretary Of
the interior in opinion that
whom allotmsnts are made, the balance
Of reservation lands remaining after
allotment, instead Of being bought by
tho government from the Indians and
opened for settlement with such scan
dals and unfair practices a. seem un.
nvoidable, should remain, for q 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 desira.
OAIky au0 bu0b tu0 pIVCooOb l0H5 cA =
pensss should be held in trust for the
benefit of the Indian proprietors.
The intelligent Indian school manage.
msnt OF the past two years has been fol.
lowed by gratifying results. Efforts
have been made to advance the work in
. sound. practical manner. Five
institutes OF Indian teachers have
been held during the year and have
proved very beneficial through the
views exchanged and methods discussed.
particularly applicable to Indian educa-
tion. Efforts are being made in the di-
rection of q gradual reduction of the
number of Indian contract schools 80
that In comparatively short time they
may give way altogether to government
schools. and it 10 hoped that the change
may be 80 gradual as to be perfected
without too great expense to the gov.
eminent, or undue disregsrd of the in
vestments msds by those who have es-
tablishsd and are maintaining such con.
tract schools.
The appropriation for the current year
ending June 80. 1895, applicable to the
ordinary expenses Of the Indian service,
amounts to Sc, ,733. .0o3. is, being less by
$6G3, 240.64. than the sum appropriated
in the same account for the previous
year. sAss S.s
THE PENSION LIST.
At the close OF the last fscal year, on
the 30tb day of June, 1894. there were
969.944 persons on our pension rolls,
being net increase of 3532 over the
mum Der reported at the end Of the pre-
vious year. These pensioners may be