The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1894-12-07
ProteoLion oil Timber.


$91,9 S1.03 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 APP
propriated during number of years past
on this account has been returned to the
government as result Of the labors of
those employed in the particular service
mentioned, and I 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 a
comprehensive forestry system be inaugu-
rated.
Contested Land Cases.
An exceedingly important recommends
tiOn of the secretary relates to the manner
in which contests aud litigated cases,
growing out of efforts to obtain govern
ment land are determined These cases.
which number 3 600 or 1900 annually, are
sent by the local officers to the commits
siOner of the general land Office for his ac-
tion. The eXigencias of his other duties
oblige 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 pafunctory and based upon the
examination of others, though this deter
mination of the secretary operates as a
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 steady and healthy progress,
their situation IS not satisfactory at all
points
have always believed that alIottments
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
L am convinced that the proper solution
| of the Indian problem and the success of
| every step taken in that direction depend
TO a very large extent upon the intelligence
| and honesty of the reservation agents and
the int rest they have in their work.
The indications are that the detail of
army officers as Indian agents will result
in improved management on the reserva-
tions
In the light of experience, and consider
ing the uncertainty of the Indian situation
| and its exigencie5 in the future, l am not
only disposed to be very cautious in MAX
ing allotments, but incline to agree with
/ the secretary of the interior in the opinion
that when aIlOtments 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 a 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, on
the Both day of June, 1864 there were
500, 541 persons on our pension rolls, being
a 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 Of
all wars, 10, 96S; widows and relatives Of
deceased soldiers, 2l5, 1862; army nurses in
the war of the rebellion, 414. Of these
| pensioners 80, 039 are survivors of Indian
and all other wars prior to the late civil
war, and the widows and relatives of such
| soldiers
| The remainder, numbering 937,505, are
receiving pensions on account of the war
| of the rebellion, and the 469.3A are now
nnder the rolls under the authority fact
of June 27, 1890, sometimes called the de-
| pendent pension law. The total amount
expended for pensions during the year was
| $130, 604 461.05, leaving an uneXpended bal
| once from the sum appropriated OF $751;