Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1895-12-06
HokE SMITHS REPORT.
The Condition Of Affairs In the Interior
Department.

| Washington, Nov. 30. = Secretary
Hoke Smith, Of the interior depart.
ment, has made his annual report to
the president. II reviews the work Of
the department beginning with the In
dian 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.
The secretary dwells upon the neces-
sity Of eliminating politics from the
management Of Indian affairs, and Of
conducting each reservation upon
strictly business principles, the object
being to make every Indian who re-
mains upon the reservation self sup
porting and ready, as soon as possible,
to assume the duties of citizenship and
be freed from the paternal care of the
government. The secretary thinks that
If the resources of the reservations are
treated intelligently, and the Indians
accustomed to labor, in few years
practically all the Indians can be made
self-supporting.
The secretary recommends the reor-
ganization Of the bureau as follows:
First-That instead Of a single COM
missioner Of Indian affairs, the Indian
service be placed in charge of three
commissioners, two OF them to be ci.
vilians-to be appointed from different
political psrties-and one to be de-
tailed army officer.
Second-That the tenure Of Office Of
an Indian agent be dependent upon the
faithful! discharge of his duties, and
appointments and removals be made
by the president upon recommendation
of the three commissioners of Indian
affairs.
| Third-That classified service be ex.
tended over all the subordinate posi-.
tions. both at the agencies and at the
school.
The reduction of 20 per cent, which
the law required to be made in connec.
tion with the Indian contract schools,
has been strictly carried out, and the
secretary adds that there seems to be
no reason why such reduction should
not continue from year to year until
the system Of government aid to sec
tartan schools shall terminate.
Referring to the allotments, the
secretary says there are number Of
changes which should be made in the
present allotment system, which re.
. Iquire congressional action. According
to the present law, an Indian becomes
citizen of the United States upon re
ceiving his allotment.
In any case he is ready to receive
land before he is prepared for the con
sequences of citizenship. Allotmenti
should be made long before reserva
tions are opened. Each Indian should
, be settled upon his homestead and b.
, self-supporting before citizenship il
conferred upon him. When citizen
ship is conferred, the government ough
to let him alone and allow him to take
his place, surrounding him with nj
more restraint and giving him no NOR
, help than is accorded to other citizens
! Under the present system, Indians t.
. whom allotments have been made ant
! upon whom citizenship has been con
ferred still receive enormous gratuities
, and need every dollar they receive.
: Upon each reservation part of tn
Indians will be ready for citizenshi
!, before others, and all are ready fo
7 land and to work it before they ar
ready for citizenship. The law shoul
!. be changed so that allotments can b
: made upon the recommendation of tn
! agent to those who are ready for il
= and patents should be issued later wit
). 1.-THE approval of the secretary of the in
9 terror to these Indians upon shown
themselves ready to receive the land
4 assigned.
He also recommends that general az
! thority, with the approval of the pres
q dent, be given the Indian bureau
{ sell parts of Indian reservations, Il
money to be used for the payment {
:. lands for the purchase of agricultur'
! implements and cattle for the Indial
a who may reside on the remainir
" lands.
= Referring to the Uncompaghre rese
walton, he calls attention to the ia
that through the geogolical survey, 8
examination has been made of the 81
Al sonite beds, which seem to be of vel
is great value, and he recommends legi
to lation to allow these deposits to be so
Q. or leased to the highest bidder.
o. The report reviews the jackson Ho
n disturbances, and gives an account
I'd the active means taken by the depal
r. ment to secure justice for the killing
the Bannock Indians July 10 last, al
. also to preserve peace between the
dians and whites. He recommends t
D peaceful course of the Indians und
\ circumstances so extremely aggrav;
! ing on the part Of the whites.
Harry Hayward Confesses.
Minneapolis, Nov. 2s. Harry HI
y