The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-09-02
H0KESAYS GOODBYE
HIS LAST DAY At TIE INTERIOR
DEPARTMENT GONE
And Now That He is Out of Public Affairs
Forever and Day. Someone, Not His
Enemy, Writes . Nice Piece About Him,
TO Put in the Fapers-Special Points
Made of the Land and Patent Office
Business and Indian A1airs-But Never
aword of the Cherokee Strip and the
"Waiting In Line"


"wsiting In Line-''
Washington, D. c., Sept 1.-Secre
tary Hoke Smith closed his administra
ton OF the affairs OF the interior depart
ment today and retired from the caoi
net The last papers in the rou1in
business of the department were signes
and his work closed yesterday after
noon. Today the secretary was at IN
department, but he devoted almost hi
entire time 10 callers and in taking
leave of his associates and Of the EN-
pIoyes In the department.
When Ex-Governor Francis viii ar
rive from Missouri and take the oati
of Office. IS not yet definitely known
though it will be before the end Of th'
week The arrangement OF his affair:
at ST. Louis preparatory TO his removal
10 Washington has taken more tins
than was expected. but it is yet posi-
bic that he viii be here tomorrow after
noon In that event, Secretary Smith
has planned TO leave for Atlanta to-
morrow night, but IL advised that his
successor viii not be here until after
that time, ii is probable that he VIII
go this evening, leaving Assistant Sec
Rotary Reynolds in charge All i'm
portant matters that have been pend
ing have now been disposed of, 50 that
Mr. Francis, as secretary, VIII have a
clear field to begin with.
SPEAKS WE'LL OF THE DEAD.
The record of the department for
volume Of work performed during the
rast three and a half years is probably
= IT, IT.
rotary Smith has enforced the strictest
civil service rules, making merit the
sole ground OF promotion, both in and
outside the civil service. He fas unhes-
itatingly discharged his own appoin-
tees if their work was not we'll done,
and the force Of the department all over
the country has been brought 70 high
standard of proficiency
In the general land Office, the work is
now practically up This has involved
not only a disposition Of current work.
but a large quantity OF accumulated
work which was on hand March 6, 1898.
The following statement of the work
of some Of the land divisions will Illus
trate:
AZ the beginning OF the administra-
tiCn there were pending IN the pre-emp-
ton division Of the general land office
proofs in presumption, timber culture
and desert land claims, besides con-
siderable amount OF other business. This
division has not only disposed of cur
rent work as II came into the office, but
Is now practically up TO date.
Appeals from the land office are made
10 thu secetary's Office. The business
was about two years behind March 1,
1893. Current work is now being trans
acted. There were a large number Of
Old cases pending for years, notably,
tie Jennie Davis case, the Florida and
Peninsula railroad case and the Termini
IF the Northern Pacific. The secretary
has disposed Of all these old cases and
leaves no such business 10 his Success
sor.
The general policy Of the department.
IN disposing Of the public lands mas be- I
70 sustain, wherever II could be justly
done. the right of the settler and TO
facilitate timber culture entries. In con-
n+sction with the land office, Secretary
Smith has given much attention 70 the
forestry question Upon his application,
the National Academy of Sciences has
appointed q committee of skilled men
who are now engaged in preparing a
general forestry plan for the United
States. Il is believed that the result OF
the work VIII be a great stride toward
the protection and cultivation OF the
timber interests of the country.
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
The administration of Indian affairs
has been marked by the greatest eff
cheney. Early in the administration.
Secretary Smith obtained the services
OF a trained educator TO take charge of
r1e school work among the Indians. !
Summer Institutes were held among the |
Indian teachers and educational enthu- |
sIasm was aroused among teachers and /
scholars.
The agents have been given wider au- |
thority TO require the grown Indians 10 1
work wherever It was possible to make |
them do 50. Business principles have |
been impressed, toward the use OF the /
resources of the agencies. that the In |
dians may be made self-supporttng. |
Fieli matrons have been more generally 1
Slse'i TO go among the homes OF the In
dams and introduce civilized customs.
The service has been conducted 50 sue
ce7Ssfully that for at least two years
past IL has received the unstinted praise
or the friends of the Indians in the east
While progress marks the management
Of most OF the reservations Secretary
Smith has felt a deep interest IN the In
dian work. He has urged upon con-
gross the desirability Of changing the
office OF commissioner of Indian affairs
into a commission of three men. two 10
be civilians Of different political faith |
and one an army officer; the objact be
ing to thus prevent politics from get
ting into the service. and also to free
the head OF the bureau from change Of
policy.
PENSIONS
At the first Of his administra ton
there were pending 400 appeals from
the pension Office undisposed Of in the
office. The current work
has been kept up and these accumTnSl-
lated cases disposed OF. Considerable
friction was created for awhile by the
effort in the pension Office 70 bring the
a administration OF the act Of June %,
1890. down to the terms OF the act sp-
plcable 70 disabilities and 70 remove
fnom the rolls those improperly upon
them II = said by the commissioner
that this excitement was due largely TO
a mfsappCehension OF whae was beng
done and a fear OF action which was !
not contemplated. For over a year
past the work OF the bureau has been
moving smoothly and cases are being
OF rapidly.
PATENT OFFICE.
The most important change IN the pa
tent Office during this administration
mas been the prevention OF delay IN the
prosecution OF applications for patents.
when, prior 70 the present admiaistra-
l'"h, had caused complaints and soma
St~a''ca4- The Beriiner patent, which
was issued more tSan fourteen years
oIter the application was filed. was one