The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-04

Z account OF railroad and wagon'rOad grants
I during the year So. SIS g acres OF land.
I and at the close OF the year 29,Qo0eo acres
were embraced in the list of selections
made BY railroads and wagon roads COM
panies and awaited settlements.
] The selection Of swamp lands and that
taken as indemnity therefor since the
passage OF the act providing for the same
I IN 1854 amount 10 nearly or quite e0nvvl1
acres. in which $4,000 have been pat
ented during the last year. Nearly S1o.0l0
] acres Of school and education grants were
approved during the year and al its close
l-250, 363-sl acres remained unadjusted.
II 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 mad
equate for an efficient performance OF
the work. a larger sum Of money than
has been appropriated during a number
Of years past on this account has been
returned 10 the government as a result
Of the Iabors Of those employed in the
particular service mentioned, and hope
DC viii not be crippled by insufficient ap-
preparation.
I fully iudorse the accommodation Of
the secretary that adequate protection be
provided for our forest reserves, and
that a comprehensive forestry system be
inaugurated. Such keepers and super
intendents as are necessary TO protect
the forests already reserved should be pro-
Sided.
am Of the opinion that there should
be an abandonment of the policy sane
toned by present laws under which the
government is for a very small con-
sideration rapidly losing title TO inn
meuse tracts Of land covered with timber
which should be properly reserved as per
manent sources Of timber supply The
suggestion that a change be made in the
manner of securing surveys of the public
lands is especially worthy Of cOnsidera-
ton. ! am satisfied that these surveys
should be made by corps or compe-
tent surveyors unser the immediate con-
troll and direction Of the commissioner Of
the general land office.
An exceedingly important recOmmenda-
ton of the secretary relates TO the manner
i'm which contests and Irrigated cases
growing out of efforts to obtain govern
ment lands are determined. The entire
testimony upon which these controversies
depend in all their stages is taken before
the local registers and receivers, and yet
these officers have no power to subpoena
witnesses or to enforce their attendance
to testify. These cases, numbering three
or four thousand annually, are sent by
the local officers to the commissioner Of
the general land Office for his action The
exigencies of his other duties oblige him
to act upon the decisions of the registers
and receivers without an opportunity of
thorough personal examination. Nearly
1900 of these cases are appealed an
nually from the commissioner to the
Secretary of the Interior. Bur
dened with other important administra-
tive duties his determination of these APP
peals must be almost perfunctory and
based upon the examination of others
though this department of the secretary
operates as final adjudication upon
cur in the opinion that the commissioner
of the general land office should be re-
lieved from the duty of deciding htigated
land cases. that a non-parusan court
should be created to pass on such cases
and that the decisions of this court should
be final, at least so far as the final de-
cisions Of the department are now final.
The proposed court might be given au-
thority to certify questions of law in mat
tiers of special importance to the supreme
court of the United States or the court
of appeals for the District OF Columbia
for decision. The creation of such trl-
bunal would expedite the disposal of cases
and insure decisions of more satistac-
tory character. The registers and re-
ceivers who originally hear and decide
these disputes should be invested with
authority to compel witnesses to attend
and testify before them.
Though the condition of the Indians
shows a steady and healthy progress, their
situation Is not satisfactory in all points.
Some of them to whom allotments of land
have been made are found to be unable
or disinclned to follow agricultural pur-
suits or to otherwise benefcally manage
their land. This is especially true of the
Cheyennes and Arapahoes, who, as il ap-
pears by reports of their agent, have in
many instances never been located upon
their allotments, and in some cases do no5
even know where their allotments are.
Their condition has deteriorated. They
are not self-supporting, and they live in
camps and spend their time in idleness.
/ have always believed that ~allOtments
of reservation lands to Indians in several
ty should be made sparingly, or at least
slowly, and with the utmost caution. In
These days when white agriculturists and
stock raisers of experience and intelll-
gence find their lot a 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. If the
self-supporting scheme byl allotment fails
the wretched pauperism of the allottees
which results is worse than their original
condition of regulated dependence. 1t is
evident that the evil consequences of i'll
advised allotments are intensified in the
cases where the false step cannot be re-
tracted on account of the purchase by the
government of reservation lands remain
ing after allotments are made and the
disposition of such remaining lands to
settlers or purchasers from the govern
ment.
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 intelli-
gence and honesty of the reservation
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 citizenship and allot-
ment of their lands, and his advice as to
any matter concerning their co-welfaro
will not mislead. An unfit agent will make
no effort to advance the Indians on his
/ reservation toward civilization or prepare
ton OF the allotment of lands in severalty,
/ and his opinion as to their condition in
this and other regards is needless and
/ Valueless. The indications are that the de-
/ tail of army officers as Indian agents will
result in improved management on the
/ reservations. Whenever allotments are
/ made and any Indian on the reservation
/ has previously settled upon a lot and cul-
/ tivated it, or shown a disposition to inn
prove it in any way, such lot should GER
/ tainly be allotted to him. and this should
/ be made plainly obligatory by statue. In