The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-08

| boats have also been commissioned. The
| Iowa, another battleship, viii be com
! pIeted about March /, and at least four
! more gunboats will be ready for sen i'm
/ the early spring.
| There have been authorized by Con
/ gress since March, 1893, five battleshipS,
| six iight-draft gunboats, sixteen torpedo
! boats, and one submarine torpedo boat.
| Contracts for the building OF all Of them
| have been let The Secretary expresses
| the opinion that we have for the present
! a sufficient supply Of cruisers aud gum
| boats, and that hereafter the construction
| Of battleships and torpedo boats will sup
| ply our needs.
The discipline among the officers and
| men Of the navy has been maintained
! to a high standard, and the percentage
| Of American citizens enlisted has been
very much increased.
| The naval militia, which was authorized
| a few years ago as an experiment has
| now developed into a body OF enterpris-
| ing young men, active and energetic in
! the discharge OF their duties and prom
! Using great usefulness. This establish
| ment has nearly the same relation to
| our navy as the National Guard in the
! different States bears to our army; and
| it constitutes a source Of supply for our
| naval forces, the Importance " which
| is Immediately apparent,
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
The appropriations in the last fiscal
year amounted to more than 1871, 100000.
cr a great.1 sum than was appropriated
| for the entire maintenance Of the govern
ment for the two fiscal years ended June
| 30 1896.
Our public lands originally amounted
| to /, $40, 100000 acres, have been so re-
| duced that only about 600,000,000 acres
| still remain in government control, eX-
/, Guiding Alaska The balance, being by
far the most valuable portion has been
| given away to settlers, to new States,
| and to railroads, or sold at a compare
| lively nominal sum- The patenting Of
| land in execution of railroad grants has
| progressed rapidly during the year, and
| since the 4th day Of March, 1888, about
| % million acres have thus been convey
ed to these corporations.
The total Indian population Of the Uni
ted States is 1T $50, according to a cen
| sus made in 1895, exclusive Of those
| within the State Of New York and those
comprising the five civilized tribes Of this
| number there are approximately $4,000
/ children of school age. During the year
| 23.393 Of these were enrolled in schools
! The progress which has attended recent
| efforts to extend Indian school facilities,
and the anticipation of continued iber
| al appropriations to that end cannot
| fail to afford the utmost satisfaction to
| those who believe that the education Of
| Indian children is a prime factor in the
| accomplishment Of Indian civilization.
| The Secretary, the commissioner Of
| Indian affairs and the agents having
| charge of Indians to whom allOtments
! have been made, strongly urge the pas
| sage Of a law prohibiting the sale Of IL
| quor to allottees who have taken their
| lands in severalty. | earnestly join in
| this recommendation, and venture to ex-
| press the hope that the Indian may be
| speedily protected against this greatest
| Of all obstacles to his well being and adj
| yancement.
! The condition Of affairs among the FIVE
/ civilized tribes, who occupy large tracts
OF land in the Indian territory and who
| have governments Of their own, has as
sumed such an aspect as to render it al
| most indispensable that there should be
an entire change in the relations Of these
Indians to the general movement. This
seems to be necessary in furtherance Of
their interest, as well as for the protec-
ton of non7Indan residents of their ter
ritory. n commission organized and en-
powered under several recent laws is
/ now negotiating with these Indians for
the REIMBURSEMENT of their courts and
the division Of their common lands in
severalty and are aiding in the settle
ment Of the troublesome question Of tribal
membership The reception of their first
prefers of negotiation was not encourage
ing, but through patience and such con-
duet on their part as demonstrated that
their intentions were friendly and in the
interest of the tribes, the prospects of sue
cess has become more promising.
/ endorse the recommendation made
by the present secretary of the Interior
as well as his predecessor that a perma-
nent commission, consisting of three
members one Of whom shall be an army !
officer, be created to reform the duties |
now devolying upon the commissioner |
and assistant commissioner of Indian af- |
fairs.
The diminution Of our enormous pen |
sion roll and the decrease of pension ex-
penditure which have been so often con
fidently foretOld still fail in material real |
ization. The number of pensioners on |
the rolls at the close of the fiscal year |
ended June 80, 1896, was 970,67S. This |
is the nargest number ever reported. The |
amount paid exclusively for pensions |
during the year was $138, 124, 761 "a, |
slight decrease from that of the preced- |
ing year, while the total expenditures on
account of pensions, including the cost of |
maintaining the department and expen- |
SEES attending pension distribution, a.
mounted to S142, BOG 550.59, or within a
very small fraction of one-third Of the /
entire expenses of supporting the gov |
ernment during the same year. The |
number Of new pension certificates is |
sued was 90,640. OF these, 40,374 rep |
resent original allowances of claims and