Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-29
INTERNAL AFFAIRS
Secretary Smith Discusses Many
Topics.
PATENT LAW REFORMS URGED
Recommendations Concerning the
Pacific Railroads.
THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE

The annual report of the Secretary of the
Interior was made public today, presenting
a review Of the business transacted by the
Interior Department during the last fiscal
year.
In discussing Indian affairs the Secretary
says:
The plan for the conduct of the Indian
bureau, indicated in my last annual report.
has been executed so far as existing laws
permitted. While only a portion of the
offices are covered by the civil service, all
removals. promotions and appointments
have been made solely for the good of the
service. Accurate information has been
sought as to the character of work being
done by those occupying all positions; the
higher places have been filled by promot-
ing tine most capable. without regard to
any consideration except efficiency, and
new employees have been given subordinate
places. Applications for promotion have
been discouraged. I have considered i. the
duty of the Indian bureau, which has
knowledge as to the character OF work re-
Quired. to possess also the necessary in
formation about the men in the service
most suited to do 1t. For twelve months
past no agent has been appointed whose
pecially for the position. and the man
believed to be the best suited to a partic-
ular agency has been designated, his first
information that his name was being con-
sidered usually having been the notice of
his appointment The Indian reserva-
lions are scattered all over the United
States. While the work Of education, both
on and off reservations must prove eff
fective, l do not consider it of SO much i'm
portance as. the business management of
the reservations. which should require the
Indian to be self-supporting. by the cult
walton of land or by ordinary occupations
outside of the reservations. The effort to
make the Indians farm has proved most
satisfactory. Nearly two-thrds of the fam
lilies have raised at least. small crops of
corn. and in some instances vegetables.
They have cut their hay and stacked it.
Captain Baldwin, the agent, reports that
there is no difficulty in making these peo-
pie work, if the proper course Is taken
with them"
To secure the permanency of the office Of
Indian agent the Secretary recommends:
First. That instead of a single commits
charge of three commissioners, two of
them to be civilians appointed from differ
ent political parties and one to be a detailed
army officer.
Second That the tenure of office Of an
Ir.dian agent shall be conditioned alone
upon the faithful discharge of his duties,
and that appointments and removals be
made by the President upon the recon-
mendation of the three commissioners of
Irdian affairs.
Third. That the classified service be ex-
tel ded over all the subordinate positions
both at the agencies and at the schools.
The Indian schools have had an enroll
ment during the past fiscal year of 23,O36
pupils. This is an increase during the year
of 1,411. which does not include the Five
Civilized Tribes nor the Indians of New
York state The government day schools
show an enrolment of 1884 pupils. nearly
one-half of the increased attendance being
in these schools. An increased appropria-
ton for Indian education Is asked from
Congress to meet the pressing demand tcr
schools for children not now provided for,
and also to furnish buildings for those
children who, by the reduction Of he aid
to contract schools, must be cared for by
the government These new buildings and
appliances, howe amount to a perma-
nt mt investment, and when it becomes Dos
sible to accommodate the children in day
schools upon the reservations the annual
expense will be less than at the boarding
schools.
In reviewing the work of the law force
in the Interior Department. the Secretary
rec ommerds the creation of a board of
principal examiners among the assistant
attorneys in the Secretary's office
Referring to the subject of allotments
the Secretary says there are a number of
changes which should be made IN the pres
ent allotment system, which require con-
greSsiOnal action. According to the present
law an Indian becomes a citizen of the
United States upon receiving his allot-
Hent. In many cases he Is ready to receive
land before he is prepared for the con-
be made long before reservations are open
ed. Each Indian should be settled upon
his homestead and be self-supporting be-
fore citizenship is conferred upon Kim
When citizenship is conferred the govern
ment ought to let him alone and allow him
to take his place, surrounding him with
80 more restraint and giving him no more
help than is accorded to other citizens.
Under the present system Indians to whom
allotments have been made and upon whom
citizenship has been conferred still re-
ceive enormous Sratuities ana need every
dollar they receive Upon each reservation
a part of the Indians will be ready for
citizenship before others, and all are ready
to own land and work 1t before they are
ready for citizenship. The law should be
changed SO that allotment can be made
upon the recommendation of the agent to
those who are ready for it, and patents
should be issued iater with the approval of
the Secretary of the Interior to those In
dams showing themselves fitted to receive
the lands so assigned.
The Secretary also recommends that gen.
eral authority. with the approval of the
President be given to the; Indian bureau,
to sell parts of Indian reservations, the
money to be used exclusively in the i'm
provement of allotted lands, or for the pur-
pose of furnishing agricultural implements
and cattle to the Indians who may reside
upon the remaining lands.
The report reviews the Jacksoa Hole dis
turbanceS and gives an account of the ac-
tive means taken By the department to,se-
cure justice for the killing of the Bannock
Indians on July 15last. and also to preserve