The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-12-08
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
continued from pnge )

| states and to railroads or sold ut Il com
| paratively nominal sum. The patentine.
of land in execution of railroad grants
has progressed rapidly during the year.
and since the 18th day of March, 1898.
about 25,000,00O acres have thus been
conveyed to these corporations. | agree
with the secretary that the remainder of
| our public lands should be more carefully
| dealt with and their alienation guarded
by better economy and greater prudence
Forestry Commission.
The commission appointed from the
membership OF the national academy of
sciences, provided for by an act of Con
Sress to formulate plans for national Tor
estry system, will, it is hoped, soon he
prepared to present the result of thor.
ough and intelligent examination of this
important subject. The total Indian
population of the United States is III 23j.
| according to census made in 1895, eXclu-
sivc OF those within the State of New
York and those comprising the five civ
ilized tribes. OF this number there are
approximately IS. GOD children of school
age.
Thc Indians
The secretary, the commissioner of In.
Iiau affairs and the agents have CHARGE
OF indians to whom alotments have been
matte strongly urge the passage of IL law
prohibiting the sale OF liquor to allotters
who have taken their lands in severalty.
earnestly join in this recommendation
and venture to express the hope That the
Indian may be speedily protected against
TINS greatest of all obstacles to his wull-
being and advancement. The condition
OF affairs among the five civilized tribes
who occupy large tracts OF land i'll the In
a. f.4Itrs ff,rsR Il
ot their own has assumed such an aspect
as to render it almost INDISPENSABLE tlnr
there should be al entire change in the
relations OF these Indians to the general
government. This seems to he necessary
III iurthcrancc of their own interests ns
well us Tor the protection OF the non. In.
dian residents in their TERRITORY. 4 com
mission organized and empowered under
several recent laws is now negotiating
with these Indians for the REIMBURSEMENT
OF their courts and the division OF TIL ,ir
common lands in sevcraity. and are aid
ing III the settlement CT the troublesome
question OF tribal membership. The re.
ception of their first proifers of negotia-
ton was not encouraging; but through
patience and such conduct on their part
rs demonstrated that their intentions
We're friendly and in the interest of the
tribes, the prospect of success has become
more promising. The effort should he to
save these Indians from their own mis-.
takes and improvidcncc and to secure to
the real Indian his right, as AGAINST in
truucrs anu professed friends who pro-
lit by his retrO:yrcssioa. hope therefore
tnat TIL" commission now conductin..
negotiations will soon be able to report
that progress has heen made toward Il
friendly adjustment OF existing difficult
ties.
Ii appears that very valuable deposit
OF Eilsohltc or aspl!altum has been found
on The reservation in Utah occupied by
the tncompahgrcutc Indians Every
consideration of care for the public In
terest and every sensible business reason
dictate such management or disposal Of
this important source of public revenue
Us Will except it from the general rules
ana incidents attending the ordinary dis.
position Of public lands, and secure to
the Government II fair share mt least of its
advantages iii pnce of its transfer Tor n
nominal sum to Interested individuals
endorse the recommendation made by
the present Secretary of the Interior, as
well rs his predecessor, that II permanent
commission, consisting OF three mem
Ders, one of whom shall be IN army Off
Ger, be created to perform the duties now
ueNolVlhS upon the commissioner and as
slstant commissioner of Indian affairs
me management OF the bureau involves
such numerous ard diverse details, and
the advantages of an uninterrupted pol
ICY are so apparent, that | hope the
cnnnSe suggested will meet the approval
OF the Congress-
The Pensi0ncrs
The diminution o. our enormous pen.
nd Z ln .,
penditure, which have been 50 often con-
fdently foretold, still fail in material
realization. The number of pensioners
on the roll ut the close of the fiscal vcar
ended June 30, 1896, was 9,0.67S. This
Is the largest number ever reported The
amount paid exclusively for pensions dur
ing the NcAr was &l:iS Oh 1Gl ll a sli,.ht