The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-12-04

an.
Comm,ssioner of the General Lana p' W.
Tor his action. The exigencies OF ne
duties oblige him TO act upon raceiveys
cisions OF the regis.ers, sho,ough per
without an opportunity VI
eonal examination. ue ,boae cases
are appealed annually ron nn , the Ipierior.
D,,dened with other important a1in,nIs-
sratiye duties his determination Oh tn NJ
appeals must be almost p ,inn ~ oihers
800 unon the examination OF otncas,
,hcush This Department Of the Secretaay
1870 as a nnal adjudication upon
rIrhts of very great importance III III :
s,nn.r Of The General Land once sh99s ulo
~ relieved from the duty OF deciuins
Irrigated land cases. that a non-ps' . .,,"t
court should be created TO pass on s .hI
.eses and that the decisions OF lhis
c"urt should be final. at least so Tar a.
the final decisions OF the DePd' '"''''
ar Tha ny nroposed court might be given an-
shortly to certify questions OF IA" IN
matters OF especial importahCcs ~ or
Supreme Court OF the United o'aVSs ,',ict
Inc Court OF Appeals for Inc he na,ion
~ Columbia. for decision, The creat non
~ such a tribunal would expedite tne
disposal Of cases and insure deoisi'iS srp pe
s.sSs1eTs and receivers who originally
hsar and decide these disputes shoul9
be invested with authority 20 IO l~dpva
witnesses TO attend and tesuiy pelore
Thou" Though the condition, Of the In
dian shows a steady and heaitny pro
sress their situation is not Satisfactory
some OF them TO whom allotments OF
land have been made are found 70 De
unable or disinclined TO follow dSIlGui,-
furaI pursuits or 10 otherwise benenclal-
iy manage their land. This Is espeClaHy
,yue OF the Cheyennes and AraPahoes,
who. as II appears Dy , rePoItS never
Seen located upon their allotments ana
in some cases do MOI even Know w VIII
their aliotments are. Ihelr eOHui,Un
porting. and they live in camps ana
spend their time I'm idleness-
THE INDIAN PROBLEM
7 have always believed that allotments
of reservation lands 10 INDIANS III sc 81
slty should be made sparlhsS' VI az
least slowly. and with the utmost eau
In these DAYS. when white agricultur-
alIsts and siock-raisers of experience
and intelligence find their Lo5 d MAJ a,,'
one we ought not 10 expect Indians, uii,
less far advanced I'm civilization anu
habits Of Industry. TO support themselyes
on the small tracts of land usually al
loted TO them. II.
II the self-supporting scheme by allot-
ment fails the wretched pauperlSm OF
the allOtees which results is worse thah
their original condition OF resulated uS
pendence. IL Is evident that the eNH
consequence OF iil-adVised allotments are
intensified in the cases where the iaIse
step cannot be retracted on account OF
the purchase oy tne i GEwefi after al.
lotments are made and the disposition OF
such remaining lands to settlers or pur-
chasers from the Government.
/ am convinced that the proper Solu-
ton of the Indian problem and the sue
cess OF every step taken in That dlrec-
ton depend to very large extent upon
the intelligence and honesty OF the reSer-
walton 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 citi-
zeEship and allotment of their lands,
and his advice as 10 any matter concern
ing their welfare will not mislead.
An unfit agent will make no effort to
advance the Indians on his reservation
toward civilization or preparation for
allotment of lands in severalty and his
opinion as TO their condition In this,
and other regards IS needless, and value
less.
The indications are that the detail
of army officers As Indian agents will
result in Improvement on the reserva-
tions. Whenever allotments are made
and any Indian on the reservation has
previously settled upon a lot and cult
waited IT, or shown a disposition to i'm
prove II IN any way, such Tot should GER
tainly be allotted TO him. and this should
be made plainly obligatory by statute.
CAUTIOUS IN MAKING AILoIMENIs.
III the HBnl OF experience ana con-
Sidering the uncertainty of the Indian
situation, and its eXigenCeS in the flu
ture, / am not only disposed to be very
cautious in making alotments. but /
incline 10 agree with the Secretary OF
the Interior In the opinion that when
anotments are made the balance OF
reservation land remaining after al
lotment instead of being bought by the
Government from the Indians and open
ed for settlement with such scandals
ana unfair practices as seem unavoid-
able. should remain for time at least
as common land or be sold by the Gov
eminent on behalf of the Indians. in an
orderly way and at fixed prices. 10 be
HeteI mined by Its location and desira-
billty, and that the proceeds less eX-
penses. should be held in trust for the
benefit OF the Indian proprietors The
fnteiligent Indian school management
or the past year has been followed by
gratifying results. Efforts have been
made TO advance the work i'm sound
and practical manner. Five institutes
OF indian teaches have been held during
the year ana have proved very benef-
cial, through the views EXCHANGED and
methods discussed particularly applica-
PIE 10 milan education. Efforts are be-
ing made In the direction Of a gradual
reduction of the number of Indian con
tract schools. so that I'm comparative
~ fort time they may give way alto
gether to Government schools ana n &c
hoped that the change may be so gradual
as TO be perfectly without too great eX-
pense TO the Government or undue dis
Itbdu VI investments made by those
VINO nave established and are maintain
Ing such contract schools The appro-
priatlon for the current year ending
June 80, 1885, applicable TO the ordinary
expenses OF the Indian Service amounts
10 N6,I8.O03lS, being less .v S663 240 ga
than the sum appropriated on the same
account for the previous year
AS TO PENsIoNs
At the close OF the last fiscal wear on
the SOth day OF June, 1894, there were
ybs,6i4 persons on our pension rolls he
ing net increase OF 1852 over the num
Der reported at the end of the preVious
year.
The pensioners may be classed as fol-
lows:
Soldiers and sailors. survivors of an
wars. l5SS6S; widows and relatives of
deceased soldiers. 5.l62. army nurses i'm
the war OF the rebellion, 4l4 OF these
pensioners 32.OS9 are surviving soldiers
OF Indian and other wars, prior TO The
late civil war, and the widows or re,a-
lives OF such soldiers
The remainder. numbering g37 5O5 are
receiving pensions on account of me war
OF the rebellion, and OF these 469. 3i4 are
on the rolls under the authority OF The
act OF June -. 1899, sometimes called the
dependent pension law.
The total amount expended for nen
sions during the year was Sl3S Sj4. 46i ieav-
ing an uneXpended balance from the sum
appropriated of &5,9o5.1l2
The sum necessary TO meet pension ex-
penditures for the year ending June "a
1886, is estimated at 100000 The com,
that the year 1886. being the thirtieth after
the close of the war OF the rebellion, must
according TO all sensible human Calcu,
latlon. see the highest limit of the non