Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-12-05


port of Hoke Smith secretary OF INC
interior, opens with reference TO IN
dian affairs. and in this connection
the secretary says that the plan 1oi
the conduct OF the Indian bureau. IN
.dicated in his last annual report, mas
been executed 80 far as existing laws
permitted. While only a portion OF
the Offices are covered by the clVi
service, all removals, promotions and
appointments have beer made solely
for the good of the service. For twelve
months past no agent has been ap'
pointed whose experience III the serV-
Ice did not 1T him especially for the
position, and the man believed to be
the best suited to particular agency
has been designated, his first nfor'
nation that his name was being con
sdered usually having been the notice
of his appointment.
The secretary points out that In hif
last annual report he dWet upon the
necessity Of permanency In the serV-
Ice, and stated that 1t would be possl-
BILE to develop competent, pcrmn-
nent, non-partlsan Indian service.
The comml ssloner now agrees with
him in tho opinion that the subordin-
ate force has reached standard OF ef-
flciency where no injury to the service
would result from an extension OF The
civil service regulations over all OF the
places not excluded by law. II Ia, how
ever, also important that the office of
agent should be made continuous
one and that tho head OF the entire bn-
reau should be free from unnecessary
change. 70 secure this requisite per
manencc OF the service, the secretary
submits the following recommends
tions:
First That instead of n single
commissioners the Indian service he
placed In charge OF three commission
ers two of them to be civilians ap-
pointed from different political parties
and one to be detailed army officer
Second. That the tenure of office Of
an Indian agent shall be conditioned
alone upon tho faithful discharge OF
his duties and that appointments and
removals be made by the president
upon the recommendation OF the three
commissioners of Indian affairs,
Third That the classified service
be extended over all the subordinate
positions both at the agencies and at
the schools.
The appropriation for the entire In
dian service for the fiscal year 1896 IL
less by 1885,, 73d70 than for 1895, ant
the aggregate of the amount provided
for the current expenses Of the s2rV
ice Ia SIG ,290.34 less than for similn'
purposes for 1895. Comparing The
two years the account stands thus
! Current expenses for 1895, $G,733 ,003,
1S; current expenses for 1896, $6.7lG
1924; difference In favor of 1896, SIG
2909d. The appropriation for 1896 Il
1889 less than the estimates.
In reference to education among thu
Indians, Secretary Smith says that ,h'
schools have had an enrolment durn,
the past fiscal year Of 2303G pupils
This Is IN Increase during the year o
lil7. which does not include the Nv,
civilized tribes nor the Indians of Nov
York state. The government da,
schools show an enrolment of $50
pupils, nearly onc-hnlf of the in
creased attendance being In thes,
schools. The fact has been recognize,
that eventually the indian childr":
must be absorbed by the public schools
of their respective states, and an earn
est effort has hcCn made to place them
wherever practicable, In such schools
during the past year So far but littl,
ans been accomplished In this dircc
ton, although iS6 pupils nearly
double the amount OF the previous
year have been placed by contract il
1tate public schools. Most of thCa,
schools are in Nebraska and Okla
homa. Decided prejudice has been
shown both by Indians and white,
against tho mingllnG OF tho races |,
tho same school -Four thousand ST,
hundred and sevcuty-thrcc children
were enrolled In schools spcclall,
equipped for thorough industrial train
ing.
The report next deals with the gen
oral land office and points out that
very important part Of the work OF tn
land office Is the adjudication of con
tested cases. Theoretically the com
missioner passes upon these cases Il
point OF fact. In the great majority q
instances he is compelled to accent tn
work Of some member Of his force. +
these circumstances Secretary Smlt
advises the creation Of a board Of thrc
principal examiners in tho Office of tn
commissioner. to whom, under his II
rectton, may be referred for final It
cision, so far ne the decision of III
land office Is final, such class of case
as the commissioner may deem advh
able, The public lands were dispos
during the fiscal year MS follows. Gus
sales, dlG.STS.3s acres: miscclanco,
entries, 7,9i7i21S0 acres; India
lands, 42,5iS.S6 acres, an aggregate
S,406Si9.0i acres. The area of uunl
lands undisposed Of At tho close Of II
fiscal Vpnr nmouDtnl IN zoo OCo 40