The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-11-30
SMITH ON INDIANS
Secretary Of Interior Discusses
the Indian Question.
The Educational Problem is
Considered at Length.
MAKES SUGGESTIONS.
Contract Schools Are the Best
Thing Just Now.

WAsHrveroS. Nov. 3O-The annual
report of Score tary Ho<e Smith Of the
interior department. deals largely
with Indian affairs. and he presents
some practical suggestions for the de-
velopment and civilization Of the Sacs-
Besides giving a sueeinct history Of
the progress Of the Indian bureau
during the past twelve months the
secretary reviews the problem Of eff
fective work for the advancement Of
the Indians. He discusses the sub
ject of education and Of allotments OF
land in severalty and urges that the
education Of the Indians should be for
the purpose of fitting them to per-
form the particular possibilities
most likely to fall to their after lot
He presents the posi- b1llties OF
the reservation as land to
be improved and developed,
to which the Indians should be taught
to apply those modes of agriculture
recognized in civilized life. Their edu-
cation should fit them for this work,
and they should be led on with the as
surance that the government dealing
with this land Will treat the Indians
with perfect honesty and make no
further effort to trade them out of it
for the benefit of those who wish to
keep their lands.
An appendix to the report publishes
I'm fun the report Of the commission
to the five civilized tribes The Sec
rotary insists that law and order in
the Indian Territory IN asst be enforced
as duty without regard to the
wishes Of those who control the
tribes.
He speaks of the land Office as sec
ond in Importance to the Indian Of
al
system OF surveying and establish
ment Of a land court.
on the subject of contract schools
the secretary SAYS. I agree fully
with those who oppose the use of pu b
tic money for the support Of sectarian
schools. But this question should be
considered practically The schools
have grown mp. Money has been in
vested i'm their construction for the
time when they we're recognized as
wise instrume ntalities for the accom-
plishment of good do not think 1t
proper to allow the intense feelin of
opposition to sectarian educa on,
which is showing itself all over the
land, To induce the departm emit to dis
regard existing institutions We
need the schools now or else we need
"a large appropriation to build schools
to take their place
1T would scarcely be just to abOl-
ish them entirely, to bandon policy
SO long recognized. Nv own sugges-
tion is that they should decrease at
the rate Of not less chan 20 per cent
year
This is the policy which j. now
controlling the department.. and un-
less it is changed by legislation it will
continue The decrease in the amount
allotted for the present fiscal year is 20
per cent"
The report shows that the entire
number of pensioners upon the rolls
June 80. 1894. was 969, 5i4- The esti-
mate for the fiscal year 500 is S14o,-
00n 900. Pensioners added to the roll
during the year, SO, o55i number
dropped. 81. 951.
The greater part of the cases now
pending in she bureau are old ca ses-
Many Of them have been pending for
years. and have been examined one
or more times prior to the present adj
ministration- Upon examination it
has been found, IN many Instances,
that proof was not sufficient to sus-
tain pension The attention of the
applicants having been called to the
defect IN some cases, efforts have
been made 70 supply the needed testi-
mony.
The great discrepancy between the
mum Der of cases now being allowed
and the uum Der allowed two or more
years ago grows out OF the fact that
the pending cases constitute a rem
nant Of a a Immense nam Der Of claims,
Of which those we'll esta bllshed have
already been Rdjud icated-
The secretary says the work &C
complished in eighteen and a half
months is unprecedented in the his
terry of the departIne being more
than twice the mum Der of cases dis
posed Of in a like period By the prior
administration