The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1895-12-04
THE INTERIOR.
Secretary Smith Tells of His De-
partment's Work.
Condition of the Nations Wards-The
Public Lands-Protection of the For
ests-The Pension Ofice-Bond
Aided Railroads.

Washington, Nov. 29.-The report of Mr.
Hoke Smith. secretary Of the interior.
deliberately reviews the varied work of
the interior department. 1t begins with
the Indian service and calls attention to
the strict enforcement which has been
given to civil service reform, both as to
those places covered by the classified
service and those to which the rules Of this
service do not apply. 1t dwells upon the
necessity of eliminating politics from the
management Of Indian affairs, and of con-
Quoting each reservation upon strictly
business principles, the object being to
make every Indian who remains upon the
reservation self-supporting and ready, as
soon as possible. to assume the duties of
citizenship and be freed from the paternal
care of the government. He recommends
that instead of single commissioner of
Indian affairs the service be placed In
charge Of three commissioners-two of
them to be civilians-to be appointed from
different political parties and one to he
detailed army officer.
The report shows that the attendance
upon the Indian schools increased 1.50O
during the past year, nearly one-half of
the increase being in the government day
schools. The reduction of 20 per cent
which the law required to be made in con-
nection with the contract schools has
been strictly carried out, and the secre-
tary adds that there seems to be no rea-
Ison why such reduction should not con-
unue from year to year until the system
Of government aid to sectarian schools
shall terminate.
The secretary also recommends that gen.
eral authority, with the approval of the
president, be given the Indian bureau to
sell parts of Indian reservations, the
money to be used exclusively in the In
provement Of allotted lands or for the
purpose of furnishing agricultural imple-
ments and cattle to the Indians who may
reside upon the remaining LANDS.
The report reviews the Jackson's Hole
disturbances and gives an account OF the
active means taken by the department TO
secure justice for the killing of the Ban
mock Indians on July Is last, and also TO
preserve peace between the Indians and
che whites. He commends the peaceful
course of the Indians under circum-
stances so extremely aggravatlnS on the
part OF the whites.
The report estimates the amount of
public lands undisposed of to be about
600 900 900 acres at the close of the fisca,
year, and shows that the total receipts
during the year for public lands amounted
to over 5000 ,OOO, 600. The unadjusted land
grants to railroads amount to nearly &c.,
600, coo acres. The secretary suggests the
advisability Of patenting the arid lands
to the states after it is fully determined
that the selections made by them under
the Carey act are arid lands.
tary calls attention to the fact that 17.0OU
600 acres are now included within forest re
serves, the object being to thus preserv'
the forests for future use and through
their preservation to control the supply III
water so that it may be stored and utilized
for irrigation. There are but 80 special
agents TO protect the timber upon the en-
tire public domain, to examine swamp
lands, to investigate fraudulent land en-
tries-a force too small to permit anything
to be done towards guarding the forest
reservations. Unless some plan is devised
by congress for the protection of the for
ests, either by the army or by foresters liN'
ing upon the reservations, 1t is manifest
that the object sought to be accomplished
will fail
The review of the pension office show
the aggregate of the pension roll at the
close OF the year to be 1,O12,935 Referring
to the number of pending cases, the state
ment is made that the greater part of these
are old cases, lacking some Quallty u:
proof which the law requires.
One of the interesting features Of the re
port is the discussion of the relations BE-
tween the government and the bond
aided roads and the possibility of collect
ing the amount due the government from
these roads. The report urges that TWO
things are to be considered: l. The COL
ection of the debt due to the government.
g. The creation of a great through line
from the Missouri to the Pacific, which was
the original purpose of the government
leading to the issue of subsidy bonds. He
states that the government Is already out
Sill, 436, 900 upon these roads, and that the
first mortgage bonds only amount to $64.
613 900: that the property is worth vastly
more than the first mortgage bonds. an
that the government interests can be pro
tected, If necessary, by taking up tnesa
bonds.