Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-12-06
THE RED NAN.
ALLOl1IyC LANDS IN SEyERALTY.
The General Land Once Tho Protection Of
Forest Reservations Contssted Land
Casss-Ths Work Of the PEN
sion Department.

WAsHINaroN, Nov. S0.-The annual
report Of Secretary Hoks Smith, Of
the interior department, deals largely
with Indian affairs and he presents
some practical suggestions for the de-
velopment and civilization Of the
Indians
Upon the subject Of allotmenta he
says:
I do not otquestion the advisability Of allotting
land 10 Indians In severalty, but do most seri-
ously question the proprIety Of this course be-
fore the Indians have progressed suficlcntly
10 utilize the land when taken, The allotments
should be made to the Indians In severAlty for
the good Of the Indians for the advancement
Of the Indians not for the purpose Of obtaining
land connected with the Indian reservations TO
satisfy the Unsuitable desire Of the bordermen
who obtain It frequently not for homes, but for
speculation.
The secretary then states his views
as TO how the Indian should be edu-
Gated, and, although opposed 70 sec
tartan schools, he says.
II would scarcely be Just to abolish them en-
tirely to abandon policy 70 long recognized.
Ny own suggestion Is that they should de-
crease at the rate Of not less than 70 per cent
year This is the policy which Is now con-
trolling the department, mud unless It Is
changed by legislation 1t will continue. The
decrease Ia the amount allotted for the present
fiscal year Ia 10 per cent
Secretary Smith next takes up the
general land Office, the bureau only
second In Importance TO the indian
Office. He recommends change In the
system Of surveying and the establish
meut Of land court In the interior de-
partment. The present system OF sur
veying the public lands Is criticized as
slow and defective mode Of procedure.
Reference Is made TO the amendment
Of the sundry civil bill proposed at
the last session, asking authority
for the geological bureau to survey
such lands as might be recommend
ed by the commissioner Of the gen
eral land office as substitute for the
present system. 1t was believed that
the plan would prove economical and
satisfactory and that II could be en-.
larged until 1t included the entire work
Of public surveys and dispense with tho
Office Of surveyor-general. IT. is urged
that II this surveying could be done by
tho government employees II would
save much time now consumed In max
Ing contracts with deputy surveyors,
in rcexamining their work and In
handling the returns In the Office Of
the surveyor-general.
The great Importance Of tho special
service division Of the general land
Office Ia urged. II is shown that tho
money which It recommends from cash
forfeited In entries which have been
Cancelled through the action Of the
special agents and from the prosecu.
tion Of timber trcspasses has been In
years past very much larger than the
cost Of the service.
Referring TO tho protection OF forest
reserves, the secretary says:
On account OF the small appropriation for
special agents II has thus far been impossible
10 detail my OF them for the protection Of tho
Immense forest reserves which have from time
to time been created Practically, this great
extent Of reserve land Ii no more protected by
the government than arc nnrcseryed lands Of
tho United states, the sole difference being
that they are not subject to entry or other dis
posal under tho public land laws.
Congress Is urged to make sufficient
appropriations TO employ at least one
superintendent on each reservation and
upon the larger reserves to provide a
sufficient force Of assistants to prevent
public property from being wantonly
destroyed.
The importance OF giving the register
and receiver the power to compel the
attendance Of witnesses, inasmuch as
the testimony Of these officers furnishes
the basis for the final adjudication
OF facts, Is mentioned, and legisla-
tion to that end Is recommended.
It Is also shown that between
a. 900 and 1000 contested cases reach
the commissioner, and that while. theo.
retically. he decides them, practically,
they are decided by large force Of
law clerks. The physical impossible.
ity for tho commissioner to examine
with any degree Of care,
ali these eases, is represented.
The report shows that the entire
Of pensioners upon the rolls
lime 30 1894. was 0GO.5lj. The esti.
mate for the fiscal year 1895 is sliO, ,OOO..
600. Pensioners added 10 the roll dur
ing the wear were a9,O,5; number
dropped. 1851.
The greater part Of the cases now
IN The DurtHu are OH CubeS,