The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-05
.SECRE TARY FRANCIS
MAKES A REPORT
Millions of Acres of Land
Could Be Reclaimed
by Irrigation.
More Economy Urged in the
Payment of Pensions to
Old Soldiers.
Recomme ndations of Predecessors in
Reference to Bond Aided Rail.
roads Are Repeated.

dent.
The appropriation for the last fiscal year
amounted to $l57. 179, 656. The estimates
for the present fiscal year are about
81, GOO 600 less than was appropriated last
year. The actual public domain is now
l,849, or 5S7 acres. The public lands still
vacant amount to over 600, 100000 acres,
not including Alaska. About IS. 729, ISL
acres have been patented to railroads and
there are yet due railroads and wagon
| roads under their grants an aggregate of
| LA, 756 $50 acres. The total acreage segre-
gated from the public domain was $780,
| 2l9. 160 acres.
The Secretary deems it desirable that
our waste acreage should be taken up by
| actual settlers, who should be given every
encouragement, and says If the rate of
settlement continues in the future as in
the past but little vacant land will be left
| in thirteen years time. He urges legisla-
ton for the preservation of the forests and
states that a report will be submitted to
Congress by the Forestry Commission,
which has lately returned from tour of
| inspection.
The Des Moines River land grant mat
ter has been adjusted. About $1s8, 856 in
| awards wasi agreed upon, OF which $117,-
632 has been paid and tae remainder will
be paid at the end of this year.
Secretary Francis calls the attention of
Congress to the necessity OF legislation
looking to the retaining of lands. and
says that of the 500. OO0. 900 acres of arid
lands 100, ZOO, 900 might be reclaimed by
the conservative use of water, but it is i'm
possible for the laws in operation to con-
troll the reclamation of the arid regions so
as TO prevent the improvident use OF water
over which the Government has no con-
troll. This should be done by system
which contem plates the reclamation OF
the entire territories from common
source of supply and the utilization of
that supply, or the adoption or the sug-
gestion of the Com missioner OF the Gen.
eral Land Off &c would be good one.
I hat is 10 place the lands in the control
of the States for reclamation. He briefly
men tons the diff culties between the Otoe
and Missouri Indians, which he states is a
complicated one. No settlement has yet
been agreed upon.
In speaking of the decis of his prede-
cessors that the eastern terminus of the
Northern Pacific Railroad has been fixed
this decision was to exclude from the
land grant of the com pany all lands lying
east of Duluth that had been appropriated
by settlers and PAID for at the double
minimum rate OF 81 so per acre upon the
assumption that they tell within the lin
it's of the railroad grant and therefore
within the operation of section 1852 OF the
Revised Statutes"
After the FORMULATION of these deci-
sions numerous applications were made
by persons who had paid the double mini
mum price for lands to have tie excess of
81 25 per acre refunded, pursuant to the
provisions of June 16, 1880. Inasmuch as
the railroad company had never acqui-
esced in the decision OF the department,
all such applications have been suspended
to await the final and authoritative loca-
ton of the eastern terminus OF said road
by court of competent jurisdiction.
He has been officially informed through
counsel of the company that suit will in
short time be brought for that purpose.
In the meantime, while he has not ques-
toned the propriety OF the ruling OF the
department, he deems it the safer course
to direct the large disbursements involved
in a compliance with the request OF the
settlers.
No steps have been taken to make allot-
ments to the Wichita Indians, as the act
of Congress LETT this to the discretion OF
the department.
Regarding the opening of what is known
as the leased district of the Choctaw and
Chickasaw Indians, which is now before
the Court OF Claims, he says that II the
alIotments were made and the land
thrown open before decision is rendered
upon the claim of the Choctaws and
Chickasaws the Government would be
placing the Indians upon land under
an agreement which involved the transfer
of good title and would also be throwing
open the land to settlement, when, In
point of fact, it did not have clear title
thereto. He recommends that all the
Oklahoma townsite boards be abolished.
Secretary Francis is OF the opinion that
the free use of timber on public lands for
commercial purposes should be dlscon-
tinued.
On the pension question he says that
970678 pensioners are drawing about $l4O,-
100000 per annum in pensions, and the
branch of the service should be conducted
with great care and discretion. de gives
table which shows that the total amount
paid out by the Government in pensions
and the cost of disbursing tie same our
ing the last thirty-one years was $2O34, :
817 1859, which lacks only $346, 712,O52 OF
being equal to the high-water marx OF the
interest bearing public debt. he suggests
number of amendments to the pension
laws, some of which have already been
made public, notably those IN regard 10
| pensioners resident in Germany.
One hundred and forty million dollars
| is thought to be sufficient for the payment
of pensions during the next fiscal year
| unless pensions are increased by further
legislation. The Secretary recommends
that from So to $12 per month be granted
| to all survivors of tie Mexican war who
are wholly disabled or destitute.
The Indians, he says. now occupy about
| $4,000, 600 acres of land and they should
! be protected from the sinister machina-
| tions of INSCRIPTIONS men. he recon-
mends that the Indian Bureau should be
conducted by commission of three MEM
bers, two to be civilians of different politl-
cal parties and one an army officer.
| Concerning the bono-aided railroads,
| the Secretary summarizes the recommen-
| dations of his predecessors and the result
of the litigation. He calls attention TO
| the fact that the tables he presents clearly
show that the Central Pacific Railroad is
in default.
| There is in default to the Government,
or inquest ionably will be January next,
when 81, 432 600 additional OF the Central
Pacitc's Indebtedness, together with
! thirty years interest thereon, will fall
due and must be redeemed by the Gov
eminent. On January l, 1897, Sc, $40, 600
additional bonds of Union Pacific will