Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-11-29
DEPT OF INTERIOR.
Report on Its Operations Of Secretary
HOke Smith.
Forests ana the Preservation
Characterization EoIi Pending
Pension Cascs--Government- Aided
Railroads.
Railroads.

WASHINGTON. d. c.. November 2s.-
Tn report OF SIR Hoke Smith, Secretary
Of tie Interior ellDorateiy reviews the
varied work Of the Int rior Department.
II begins with the Indian Service. and
calls attention 10 the strlct enforcement
which has been given TO civil service
form. both as TO those places covered
by the classified service. and those 20
which the rules Of this service do not
apply
Ii dwells upon the necessity Of eliminai-
ing politics from the management Of In
dian affairs. and OF conducting each re-
seryation upon strictly business princi-
pies. the object being TO make every
Indian who remains upon the ervation
self-supporting. and ready as soon as
possible 10 assume the duties OF cftizen-
ship ana be freed from the paternal care
Of the goyernment.
The Secretary recommends that instead
Of a single Commissioner OF Indian Al
fairs. the Indian service be placed in
charge of three commission rs-two OF
them 10 be civillans-to be appointed from
different political parties, and one To be
a detailed army officer.
The I port shows. that the attendance
upon the schools increased hfteen nun
drei during the past year, nearly one
half of the increase being in the govern
ment day-schOOls.
The reduction Of ~ per cent which the
law required to be made IN conhecuoi
with the contract schools has been strictly
carried out, and the Secretary adds that
there seems 10 be no reason why such
reduction should not continue from year
10 wear. until the system of government
aid 10 sectarian schools shall terminate.
PUBLIC LANDS.
The report estimates the amount OF
public lands undisposed Of 70 be about
f00Oo0.OO AT the close Of the fiscal year.
and shows that the total receipts during
the year for public .ands amounted 10
over 80 $4,000. The unadjusted Immigrants
10 railroads amount TO nearly @oOW'
The Secretary suggests the adNisablly
Of patenting the arid lands 20 the states
after il is fully determined that the stltc-
items made bv them under the Carey act
arc arid lands. He calls attention 10 th-
fact that the reservoir sites selected by
the Geological Survey remain without
proper legislation providing Tor their use
viii q the water they were exp cteH 10
store is being diverted 10 less practicibie
and economical sites.
FINDER the subject Of forests the Secre-
tary calls attention 10 the iact lhdt 49,
0nlooo acres are now included Withih
forest reserves. the object being 10 thus
preeervs th. forests for future use. ana
throurh this or reservation 20 control the
SUNNY Of water. so that it may be stored
ana utilized for irrigation. There are DuI
thirty agents 10 protect the timber upon
The entir. public domain. Co examine
swamp lands. and TO Investigate iraudu-
lent land entries. a force too small 10
teruit ANYTHING TO De done tOwairs
Guarding the forest reservations.
Unless some plan is designed by congress
10 protect the forests, either by the
army or 10y foresters living upon me
reservations. il is manifest that the OBJ
jet sought to be accomplished VIII
fail
PENSIONS.
The review OF the Pension-Ofice shows
the aggregate OF the pension-roll at the
close of the year TO be l,Ol2 $50.
Referring TO the number OF pending
cases. the statement is made that the
greater part Of these are Old cases, lack
ing some quality Of proof which the law
requires.
one OF the interesting features or
the report is the discussion Of the rela-
tons between the government ana the
bond-aided railroads, and the possibility
OF collecting the government debt from
these roads. The report urges that two
things are 10 be considered: % The col
lection Of the debt due to the govern
ment. and ~ the creation OF 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 $ll7 $1,000 upon
these roads: that the first-mortgage bonds
only amount to S5i.Gl30)); that the pro-
perty Is worth vastly more than the
Grst-mortgage bonds. and that the gov
crnments interests can be protected, If
necessary. by taking up these bonds.
All these bonds are now maturing and
draw 6 per cent. and Secretary Smith
believes they could easily be replaced
with 3-per-cent bond. if the govern
ment guaranteed them. The net earn
f,..rs Of each one OF the lines during the
mast ten years have made an average Of
nearly Der cent. on the sum Of the first
mortgage bonds and OF the government
subsidy bonds.