The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1894-12-15

completion, will constitute a feet which 1t Is
believed Is sufficient for ordinary cruising pur-
and in process Of construction but four first
GLASS battleships and but few torpedo
boats. II we are to have o navy
~fensive, W certainly ought to increase both
the number Of battleships and torpedo boats.
l recommend that provision be made for the
construction Of additional battle-ships and tor
pedo boats.
ORDNANCE AND ORDNANCE
The secretary recommends the manufacture
not only of O reserve supply OF ordnance and
ordnance material for ships OF the navy, but
also q supply for the auxiliary fleet. Guns and
their appurtenances Should be provided and
kept on hand for both these purposes. We
have not to-day o single gun that could be put
upon the ships Paris or New York Of the Inter-
national Navigation Co., or any other ship Of
our reserve navy. The manufacture OF guns at
the Washington navy yard is proceeding sat-
isfartorily, and none Of our new ships will be
required to wait for their guns or ordnance
equipment.
AN ORDER
An important order has been issued by the
secretary OF the navy c~o-ordinatlng the duties
Of the several bureaus concerned in the con-
Struction Of ships. This order. 1t Is believed
will secure to a greater extent than has hereto
fore been possible the harmonious action OF
these several bureaus, and make the attain
ment of the best results more certain.
ACTIVE WORK FOR n NAVY.
During the past fiscal year there has been an
unusual and pressing demand in many quarters
OF the world for the presence OF vessels to guard
American interests. In January last, during
the Brazilian insurrection, a large feet was
concentrated in the harbor OF Rio de Janeiro.
The vigorous action of Rear-Admiral Benham
in protecting the personal and commercial
rights OF our citizens during the disturbed con-
ditionS afforded results which will. it Is be-
lieved. have Il far-reaching and wholesome in
fuence whenever in like circumstances it may
become necessary for our naval commanders to
interfere on behalf Of our people in foreign
parts. The war now in progress between China
and Japan has rendered 1t necessary or ex-
pedient to dispatch eight vessels to those wa
tiers.
TIE COAST URv
Both the secretary of the navy and the
secretary of the treasury recommend the
transfer of the work of the coast
survey proper to the navy department.
1 heartily concur in this recommendation.
Excluding Alaska and q very small area be-
sides, all the work Of mapping and chartlng
graphic work which must be done over and
over again, by reason of the shifting and vary
ing depths of water, consequent upon the &C
tion of streams and tides, has heretofore been
done under the direction OF naval o1icars in
subordination to the SuperiE.=-=--- -
coast survey. There seems to 20 ~ szss.
reason why the navy should not nave unGIr1
charge hereafter of such work.
a&ND
l feel it my imperative duty TO ca: ee:-n::.n
to the recommendation OF the secretary in re-
gard to the personnel OF the line Of the navy.
The stagnation OF promotion in this the vital
branch of the service is so great as to serious
~ impair its efficiency. consider it Of the ut
most importance that the young and middle
aged officers should before the eve of retire
ment be permitted to reach 4 grade emitting
them to active and important duty.
The Interior Department.
RECOMMENDATIONS COMMENDED.
The report OF the secretary OF the interior
exhibits the situation OF the numerous and in
tereSting branches of the public service con-
nected with his department. 1 commend this
report and the valuable recommendations of
the secretary to the careful attention ofthe con-
gress. The public land disposed OF during the
year amounted to 10, 400, fO0.77 acres, including
2s,S7805 Of Indian lands.
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
1t is estimated that the public domain still
remaining amounts to a little more than Co.,
10000 acres, excluding, however, about $780,
OOO.O acres in Alaska. as well as military
reservations and railroad and other selections
of lands yet unadjudicated.
RECEIPTS AND PATENTS.
The total cash receipts from sale OF lands
amounted to S2,674 ,2S5. 20. including S9l ,9S1. 0a
received for Indian lands. Thirty-tve thou
sand patents were issued for agricul-
tural lands and 3,10o patents were is
sued to Indians on allotments of their
holdings in severalty. the land SO allotted be-
ing unalienable by the Indian allottees for
q period of thirty-tve years after patent
There were certified ana patented on account
OF railroad and wagon road grants during the
year S6o, $50 - acres of land and at the close OF
the year q 1900. 90 acres were embraced In the
list Of selections made by railroad and wagon
road companies and awaited settlement. The
selections of swamp lands and that taken as
indemnity therefore since the passage Of the
nearly or quite 80.5O0, 900 acres, of which IS, o0O,-
600 have been patented to states.
INDIAN ALLOTMENT
Though the condition of the Indians shows n
steady and healthy progress, their situation is
not satisfactory at all points. Some OF them to
whom allotmentS Of land have been made are
found to be unat e or disinclined to follow ag-
ricultural pursuits or to otherwise beneficially
manage their land. This is especially true Of the
CheyenneS and ArapahoeS. who, as IL appears
by reports of their agents, have in many in
stances never been located upon their allot-
ments, and in some cases do not even know
where their allotmentS are. Their condition
has deteriorated.
1t is evident that the evil consequences OF i'll
advised allotment are intensified in cases
where the false step can not be retraced on &C
count OF the purchase by the government of
reservation lands remaining after allotmentS
are made, and the disposition OF such remain
ing lands to settlers or purchasers froT the
government. l 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
ana honesty Vi the TestfNdIlOn agents, ana The
interest they have in their work.
ARMY OFFICERS AS INDIAN AGENTS.
The indications are that the detail OF army
officers as Indian agents will result in i'm
proved management on the reservations when
ever allotments are made, and any Indian on
the reservation has previously settled upon a
lot and cultivated 1t, 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 statute. In the light OF
experience, and considering the uncertainty of
the Indian situation and its exige1cies in the
future, l am not only disposed to be very eau
tious in making allotmentS, but I incline to
agree with the secretaryo OF the interior in the
opinion that when allotments are made the
balance Of reservation land remaining after
allotment, instead OF being bought by the gov
eminent from the Indians, and opened for set
Element with such scandals and unfair prac-
tees as seem unavoidable. 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 deter
mined by its location and desirability, and
that the proceeds. less expenses, should be
held in trust for the benefit OF the Indian
proprietors.
INDIA o
The intelligent Indian school management 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 Indian teachers have been
held during the year, and have proved very
beneficial.
THE PENSION ROLL
AT the close Of the last fiscal year, on the
30th day of June, 1894. there were 9e9 .544 pei
sons on our pension rolls, being a net increase
OF 3,5S over the number reported at the end Of
the previous year. These pensioners may be
classified as follows: Soldiers and sailors,
survivors OF all wars, 753.96S: widows and rela-
tiyes Of deceased soldiers, 2l5.162: army nurses
in the war OF the rebellion. Al. or these PEN
sioners g.. O39 are surviving soldiers of Indian
aDI afhar nrinr IN tho lnfR civil Wnr