The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1895-12-05
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
The Annual Report of Secretary Smith
Dwells Largely on Indian Affairs.

I'm CnlOH DEPAR MEN
The Annual Report of Secretary Smith
DweIIs Largely on Indian Affairs.
Washington, Nov 80. - Secretary
Hoke Smith, of the interior depart
ment, has made his annual report to
the president. 1t reviews the work of
the department, beginning 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.
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 remain
upon the reservation self-supporting
and ready, as soon as possible, to as
sumo 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 will be made
self-supporting.
The secretary recommends the reOr-
ganization of the bureau as follows:
First-That instead of single COM
missioner of Indian affairs, the Indian
service be placed i'll charge of three
commissioners, two of them to be CT
vilians-to be appointed from different
political parties-and one to be de-
tailed army officer.
Secondhand 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 on recommendation Of
the three commissioners of Indian af-
fairs.
Third-That classified service be ex-
tended over the subordinate positions,
both at the agencies and at the school
The reduction of 30 per cent, which
the law required to be made in cOnnec-
ton 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 Sec
rotary says there are number of
changes which should be made in the
present allotment system, which re-
quire congressional action. According
to the present law, an Indian becomes
a 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 consequences of citi-
zenship. Allotements should be made
long before reservations are opened.
Each Indian should be settled upon his
homestead and be self-supporting be-
fore citizenship is conferred, the gov
eminent ought to let him alone and
allow him to take his place, surround
ing him with no more restraint and
giving him no more help than is ac-
corded to other citizens. Under the
present system, Indians to whom allot-
ments have been made and upon whom
citizenship has been conferred still re-
ceive enormous gratuities, and need
every dollar they receive.
Upon each reservation a part of the
Indians will be ready for citizenship
before others, and all are ready for
J.
ready for citizenship The law should
| be changed so that allotements can be
made upon the recommendation of the
agent to those who are ready for it,
and patents should be issued later with
the approval of the secretary of the in
terror to these Indians upon showing
themselves ready to receive the lands
assigned.
He also recommends that general au-
thority, with the approval of the presi-
dent, be given the Indian bureau to
sell part of the Indian reservations,
the money to be used for the payment
of the allotted lands Or the purchase OF
agricultural implements and cattle fo1
| the Indians who may reside on the re-
manning lands.
Referring to the Uncompaghre res
ervation, he calls attention to the fact
that through the geological survey, an
examination has been made of the gil
sonite beds, which seem to be of very
great value, and he recommends legis'
lation to allow these deposits to be sold
or leased to the highest bidder.
The report reviews the Jackson Hole
disturbances, and gives an account OF
the active means taken by the depart
ment to secure justice for the killing OF
the Bannock Indians July Is last, and
also to preserve peace between the In
dams and whites. He commends the
peaceful course of the Indians under
circumstances so extremely aggravat
ing on the part of the whites.