Mexico weekly ledger., 1896-12-10

1t may be SAID In general teftns tnat III every
particular the Improvement OF the Indians
under government care has been most marked
ana encouraging. The secretary. the commits
charge OF Indians TO whom aliotments have
prohibiIing the saie Of liquor 70 alfottees Who
have taken their lands In seyeralty. earnest
ly Join in this recommendation, and venture TO
express the hope that the Indian may b
obstacles to his well being and advancement.
The Five Civilized Tribes.
The eonditiou Of affairs among tho i've civil
lied tribes. who occupy largo TRAITS Of land In
the Indian territory, and b have govern-
rect as to render Il almost indispensable that
there should be an entire change in the rela-
l1ens Of rms mss seems sauss 70 be necessary e1e s@i in fursSer-
ance OF their own interests. as well as Tor the
protection CT non-Indtan residents In their ter
powered under several recent laws is now
negotiating with these Indians for the
reiinquishment OF their courts and the dt-
and arc aiding in the settlement OF the trouble
some Equestion Of tribal membership The
reception Ct their first profiers Of negotiation
such conduct on their part as demonstrated
that their intentions were friendly. and In the
has fnssf become NJ sn more sei promising taG pt Tse efforts II s should
be to save these indians from the consequences
OF their own mistakes and fmproyidence. and
against .intruders and professed friends who
profit by his ~retrogresston
A change Is also needed to protect life and
property through the operation Of courts con-
Quoted according TO strict justice and strong
enough to ENFORCE their mandates. As e sin-
S SERIOUS 5rlsa ssa q these ses i reforms ! s s% lee1sS be saoong
plished with the consent and aid OF the tribes,
and saas II no ar nsssssi ,ss,s may be presented sses sS. tor
fore, that the commission now conducting ne
g~otiation will soon be able to report that pro-
gress has been made toward q friendly adjust
mapt of existing difiOnlbfe4. 4-E-E
Utah GiIsonite Deposits.
1t appears that o very valuable deposit OF
gilsonite or asphaltum has been found on the
reservation in Utah occupied by the Unoom.
care for the public interest. and every sensible
business reason, dictate such management or
revenue as will except It from the general
rules and incidents attending the ordinary dis
position of public lands and secure TO the gov
ernment @ far share, at least, OF its advantages
In place OF its transfer for O nominal sum to IN
terested tndividualtsm.
A PermancnE Indian Commission.
I indorse the recommendation made by the
present secretary OF the interior. as we'll as
his predecessor. that o permanent commission,
consisting of three members, one OF whom
shall be an army officer, be created to perform
the duties now devolvlng upon the commits
sioner and assistant commissions OF Indian
affairs. The management Of this bureau In
the advantages of an Uninterrupted policy are
so apparent that I hope. the change suggested
will meet the approval OF the congress
The Pension Roll.
The dimfnution OF our enormous pension roll
| and the decrease Of pension expenditure which
have been so often confidently foretold still fatl
| In material realization. The number OF pen.
| year ended June so, 1895, was e70,s7s. This Il
the largest number ever reported. The amount
paid exclusively for pensions during the yea,
OF the preceding year, while the total expendt.
lures on account OF pensions, including the
cost of maintaining the Departments and
enHsnsssd to a.' sisa .acs. sst pss'l OF within aiSiaiS q Ter,
small fraction of one-third Of the entire ex.
the same year. The number Of new pension
certificates issued was 9o.64a. or these 40,374
| represent original allowance Of claims, and 49,
/ Der Of persons receiving pensions from the
United States, but residing in foreign countries
at the close OF the last fiscal year, was s,ysI.
ans 81 g.. a 4ss y. R Fee s to ih sPpr oprlas sh iei y e.
year, ending June 70, 1897. is sllOlOoe.eoo, and
for the succeeding year 1t Is estimated that the
same amount will be necessary.
The commissioner OF pensions reports that
during the last ascai year 49, indictments were
Upon these indictments lG7 convictions re-
suited.
Abuses Have CreptIn.
In my opinion. based upon such statements
es these and such other Information and OBJ
servations, the abuses which have been al
lowed to creep into our pension system have
done fncaleulable harm in demoralizing our
people and undermining good citizenship. !
have endeayored within my sphere OF official
duty to protect our pension roll, and
make it it should te, q roll OF
honor, containing the names OF those
disabled In their country's service and worthy
OF their country's afieotionate remembrance,
When 1 have seen those who pose as the sol
diers' friends active and alert in urging greater
laxity and more reckless pension expenditure,
while nursing selfish schemes, 1 have depre-
Gated the approach OF q situation when neces-
sary retrenchment and enforced economy may
lead to an attack upon ponsion abuses SO de-
termined as to overlook the discrimination due
to those who. worthy Of q nations care, ough,
to live and die under the protection OF q ma
tion's gratitude.
Pacific Railroad Obligations.
The secretary calls attention to the public
interests involved in an adjustment OF she Oh
legations of the Pacific railroads to the govern.
ment. l deem 1t to be an important duty Il
especially present this subject to the consider
On January j, 1897, with the amount already
matured, more than Sl3, 100000 OF the principal
OF the subsidy bonds issued by the United
Paoifc railway, Including It's Kansas line. ant
more than s6,00J,oO0 OF like bonds, issued in ali
of the Central Pacific railroad. including those
issued to the Western Poetic Railroad Co.
Will have fnlien due and been paid, or must or
thai day be paid by the government, with.
out any reference to the application Of
the sinking fund now in the treasury
This will create such q default on the part OF
give It the right to at once institute proceed
ings to foreclose Its mortgage lien.
In addition to this Indebtedness which will
be due January /, 1897, there viii mature be-
tween that date and January ], 1889, the re-
naming principal of such subsidy bonds, which
must also be met by the government. These
amount to more than &c., O0 900 on account OF
the Union Pacific lines, and exceed 81 ,0Oo,00l
on account of the Central Pacific lines.
The situation of these roads and the cordi-
tion of their Indebtedness to the government
have been fully set forth In the reports OF
yw.ious committees to the present and prior
congresses; and as early as 1887 they were
thoroughly examined by o special commission
appointed pursuant TO an act of congress. The
/ considerations requiring an adjustment Of the
| governments relations to the companies have
been clearly presented, and the conclusion
reached with practical uniformity, that If
| these relations are not terminated they should
tinuance.
Under section 4 of the act of congress passed
March 3, 1887, the president is charged with
the duty in the event that any mortgage or
other ineumb.anee to the interest
Pacific railroads shall exist and be lawfully
liable to be foreclosed, to direct the action OF
IN in IL. Sey proteetion % Of the the ' interest a q sh =, E }ustsee
States by redemption or through judicial pro-
ceedtngs. including foreclosures of tho gov
congress has for q number of years almost
constantly had under consideration various
between these roads and the government, /
| have thus far felt justified in Withholding ae-
ton under the statute above mentioned.
An Urgent Situation.
| In the case of the Union Pacific company,
however, the case has become especially and
| Immediately urgent. Proceedings have been
instituted to forecl0se q first mortgage upon
these aided parts of the main lines upon
which the government holds q second and
| subordinate mortgage lien. In consequence of
| these proceedings and increasing compiica-
| tons, added TO the default occurring on the
| first day OF january, 1897, q condition will be
| presented ut that date, so far as this company
| Is concerned, that must emphasize the man
date of the act of 1887 and give to executive
aspect. ~
Therefore, unless congress shall other wise
direct or shall have previously determined
upon a different solution OF the problem there
will hardly appear to exist any reason for de-
| laying, beyond the date OF the default above
Use to subserve the public interests and save
the government from the loss threatened By
further inaction.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
| Worthy of Constant Care and Encourage
mcnt.
Ths department OF agriculture Is so init
/ mately related to the welfare of our people and
tfei prosperity OF our nation that It
should constantly receive the care
and encouragement Of the government.
From a small beginning IL has grown to be
| the center of agricultural intelligence and the
source of aid and encouragement TO agricul-
| tural Efforts. Large sums OF money are an
| nually appropriated for the maintenance OF
| this department, and 1t must be confessed that
| directed In the interest Of practical farming or
| uroperIy guarded against waste and extraya-