Omaha daily bee., 1896-12-05
" FIVE CENTS.
,ECRETARY FRANCIS REPORT
Pension Administration and Indian Prob
lens Dealt With,
PROPOSES A PACIFIC ROADS COMPROMISE
Suggests that the Government wiz
Gain by Accepting Lump sum
Now In Full settlement in
order to Avoid Delay.

WASHINGTON. Dec. 4.-The annual re-
port Of Secretary of the Interior Francis
was made public today. 1t deals with all
| the affairs of the various branches of the
| Interior department during the past year
| and makes number of important recon-
| mcndatons. 1t proposes a solution Of tho
| veXed problem of the bond-aidcd roads, deals
exhaustively with the pension administra-
ton, reviews the progress OF the Dawes
| commission. and touches upon various other
matters of especial significance in the west.
| The report opens with discussion of the
| public domain. 1t shows that the total num-
Der of acres disposed of up to June 30 last
was 946 900 600, leaving public domain still
I vacant estimated at over 600 900 600 not in
J Guiding the Alaska area of over 500, 100000
acres. Since the homestead act was passed.
| on May 90 1862, there have been 162,S9l ,132
acres entered by homestead settlers. or
, this almost 1903 900 600 acres will all be pat
ented when the legal conditions have been
made OF the remainder, d2OOOOOO acres
! represent entries cancelled, and almost Is
| 900 900 acres Commutcd to cash The total
number of mineral entries is 29,S2O. Patents
! to railways and wagon roads since the first
grant was made reach S5,729,15l acres. There
( also have been 3S9 659 752 acres disposed OF
/ by pre-emption cash sales. scrip, locations.
military bounty land, warrants, townsites.
! desert land, timber culture. timber and
J stone entries Indian allotments and dona-
/ tions to settlers. There are yet due to rail-
roads and wagon roads under their grants
| 114,736, ,639 acres. of which not more than
! 60 per cent is available for patenting under
| the conditions of the grants. The total
! grants of lands to the various states and
| territories up to March II last aggregated
! 1Sl, ,S5S, $50 acres, in addition to agricultural
| college scrip for 1880 600 acres. The total
nF op1g a ntnl rnr o.
main aggregates 9i6 2l9, 100 acres. The re-
| port says:
COUNTRY RAPIDLY SETTLED.
| "These figures demonstrate that the coun-
| try is being settled with rapidty, and that
| the public domain is being diminished by
| great strides. If the rate of disposition OF
the last thirteen years, which is 25,OOO,OOO
acres Is continued for thirteen years to
come, there will be little of the public do
main outside of Alaska in possession OF tho
government at the expiration OF that time.
| OF the ia 900 acres granted to railroads
but not patented there can be no objection to
! transferring possession and control OF what-
| over portion has been earned by complying
| with the grants and that may be available
| Hereunder ESTIMATED at 10000 600 acres).
with as much promptness as possible, but
until these grants are adjusted no addi-
tional ones should be made During the
year 15,S57si4 acres We're patented to rail-
roads under congressional grant
| Discussing forest reservations, the report
saws no permits to cut timber on public
lands should be granted for any purpose
other than to supply the needs OF actual set
| tiers in the neighburhood OF the forests
where timber is to be cut, and should be
| accompanied by impossible safeguards.
| OF the Des Moines river land claims over
| III 632 have been paid, and the remainder
will be paid by the end of this calendar
| year.
Secretary Francis urges upon congress the
| necessity for legislation for the reclamation
and disposal of lands within the arid regions.
| Unless the Carey act could be amended so
| as to give the state power TO pledge lands
for their reclamation he says 1t would be
better to place the lands under the direction
| of the states only so far as may be necessary
| to secure their reclamation for the beneit
of actual settlers. All applications made Ivy
persons who had paid the double minimum
price for lands lying east of Duluth, along
| the Northern Pacific railroad grant to have
the excess of $l.25 per acre refunded have
| been suspended to await the final location or
| the eastern terminus of the Northern Pacific
by court of competent jurisdiction. The
department has been unoiticially informed
| that a suit will shortly be brought for that
purpose.
| UNCLE SANS PENSION BILL.
The total amount paid by the government
| in pensions, and the cost of dsbursng the
same for the last thirty-one years is $2,304,-
S17769 This lacks only little over $346,-
| 712500 of being equal to the high water
mark of the interest-bearing public debt.
| The present number of pensioners, which is
| $40 67S is greater by 4, 666 than in 1898,
when the maximum annual cost was reached.
and Is greater than ever before. This Is
| due to the death OF old soldiers, and the
continued payment OF allowances to their
| heirs, while the amount paid Is decreased
| through the death OF invalid pensioners leav-
| ing no dependents. The pension policy for
! the government has been to make the pen
sion list roll of honor. rather than to save
| money to the government; the effort has been
| to defeat the designs of impostors, while
| recognizing the claims of the needy and de-
serving General public sentiment, how
ever is that the obligation of the govern
ment is confined to these who fought for ito
maintenance, and those dependent upon
| them. The total number of our pensioners
in foreign countries was 37Sl, who were paid
| $5S2, 1876. The commissioner OF pensions has
| been directed to accept from pensioners re-
siding in Germany only such declaration and
| other papers Of claimants as may be made
! before a United States minister or consul or
| other consular officer OF the United States.
| The State department has been requested 10
| instruct our representatives. abroad to make
| the notarial fee 20 cents, the compensation
! in vogue here. Increase OF from SS to $l2
| per month is recommended for all wholly
| disabled and destitute Mexican war sur
| vivoTs
Under the head Of Indian affairs the sec
| retary repeats the recommendation of his
| OF whom shall be an army officer, to take
| the place OF the commissioner and assistant
commissioner of Indian affairs. With re-
| gard to the dispute over the Uncompahgre
| Indian reservation in Utah, in which val
! liable deposits OF asphatum have been dis
| covered Secretary Francis expresses tho
opinion that the commission which treated
with the Indians for the allotment OF their
| lands totally misunderstood the agreement
| OF 1880 by which the UncompahgrCs were
| removed from Colorado. The Indians de-
| clned to pay $l25 an acre for the lands
allotted to them, because they were led to
| believe the purchase money would come out
OF their trust fund OF $3.50 900, which
| furnishes them $4,000 per annum This
| Is not the case. The purchase money would
not disturb the trust fund, but would event
| ually come out OF the proceeds OF the sale
OF their Colorado lands. The commission
was dissolved last February.
VALUABLE INDIAN LANDS.
at Is my judgment" said the secretary,
that some legislation should be enacted
whereby the people OF the United States
can at an early date have the benefit OF
these valuable and useful deposits. II the
lands containing them were owned by an
individual or a corporation instead OF tho
government, business methods would be
pursued in dsposing of Them; they would
be sold to the highest bidder at public auc-
ton, or by sealed bids, or would be leased
or the right to work the deposits would
ha cd fpr "a confederation "a no Eh ma