The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-11-25
4 r lev LEW o b IT'S " DRK
Condition OF Affairs Ia the In-
terror Department.
Secretary Bliss Presents His Annual
Report-Pension List GrOwing-ln-
dian Matters an Important
Issue-Needs OF Alaska.

=
year ending June 80. 1889.
renslOn Claims.
Discussing pensions. he says 200, 900 PEN
sion claims are awaiting adjudication, and 1t
is estimated that 40 or so per cent. of these
will be finally admitted. II they are rapid
ly adjudicated, they will swell the pension
roll from s., 000, 900 to 81, 600 600. When, how
ever, these claims are adjudicated the first
payments made thereon. the amount of the
pension roll will decrease very rapidly. pos
sibly to $125.O0o.ooo or $130.o0o.ooo the first
= The Indians.
The total Indian population Of the United
States, exclusive of the New York Indians
and the five civilized tribes, approxfmates
l7,178, located on 1T reservations, which
contain approximately 80, .8S7 acres. OF
these 4.as have accepted allo Of OF land
Secretary Bliss says while the opening Of
the Wichita reservation. in Oklahoma. to
white settlement would greatly promote
the development of that country. yet. in
view OF the unsettled condition OF the ques-
tons affecting their rights until there IS
further legislation, he does not see how It
can be done without causing great injury
and distress. To guard against this. rec
ommendation Is made that the Dawes COM
mission be authorized to investigate ques-
tons as to their rights and claims. and re-
port recommendations for speedy and just
settlement.
The Dawes Commission.
Referring to the work of the Dawes COM
mission, 1t Is announced that the invest!ga-
ton Of the rights of applicants for citizen
ship in the five nations has been practically
completed; the commission has been pre-
pairing the rolls of citizenship of the sew
eral tribes, and has negotiated three agree
ments. That, with both the Choctaws and
Chickasaws of April q, 1897, Is before con-
gress, and has been ratified by those tribes
a M do vxyif h hn Ire nhor a Of
was rejected almost unanimously by the
Creek council. and there is little prospect OF
any further agreement with them. The
Cherokees have refused to make agree
ment, and negotiations with them have
been abandoned for the time being. Such
agreements as have been concluded. vary
so in their provisions, that in view of the
fact that eventually uniform system Of
government must be provided for the In
dian territory, it is questionable, the re-
port says. whether any of the agreements
should be definitely ratified by congress
until the desired and necessary uniformity
can be secured.
Agreements Violated.
The secretary says the five tribes have un-
doubtedly violated in many ways the spirit
of their agreements with the United States
under which the territory is now held and
governed, and while he does not recon-
mend any harsh government action, the
secretary calls the attention of the presi-
dent and congress to the chaotic condition
ofaffairs of the territory. growing out of the
several tribes methods of administration.
Leading Indians have absorbed great tracts
to the exclusion of the common people, and
government by an Indian aristocracy has
been practically established to the detri-
ment Of the people. From zoe, 900 to $50. 900
whites, by permission of the Indian govern
ment. have settled in the territory, but are
merely tenants by sufferance. No govern
ment for the Indian territory will be sat-
isfactory until congress shall provide for
the establishment Of single uniform sys-
tenn for the entire Indian territory that
shall place all its inhabitants in possession
Of the rights of American citizens.
Work OF the Patent Office.
In the report on the bureau of patents
the secretary says:
The report shows there were received
within the year 1884 applications for
patents, 2,08S applications for designs. 60
applications for reissues, 2.1s7 caveats,
1864 applications for trademarks, and 81
applications for labels and prints. There
were 1884 patents granted, including re-
issues and designs; !, 200 trademarks. three
Der of patents which expired was 1854.
The number of allowed applications which
were by operation Of law forfeited for nom
payment of fi.al fees was 5.034.
The total receipts were $1.343, 1874: the
expenditures, approximately, were S1.02e.-
CASE, leaving a surplus Of ssh. la5.05. The
moneys covered into the treasury on &C
count of receipts from fees, ETC., in patent
cases, from July 4, 1896. up to and including
June 30, 1897, and In excess Of the cost Of the
management of the patent Office, amounts
to $5,O93.614.
Concerning Alaska. Secretary Bliss says,
existing conditions demand radical
change in the laws relating thereto, and he
recommends that the public land laws be ex-
49, A. - Al@<
offices be created aid appropriations made
to carry them into effect: that the granting
of rights Of way for railroads. telegraph
and telephone lines and the construction of
roads and trails be specifically authorized:
that provision be made for the incorpora-
ton Of municipalities, providing for the
holding of elections, defining qualifications
for voting, and giving such powers as are
used and exercised by municipalities else
where; that the legal and political status
of the native population, which is in doubt.
be defined; that citizenship be extended to-
the Metlakahtla Indians, who emigrated
from British Columbia and. under author
ity of an act of congress approved March
3, 1891, now occupy Annette island: that
complete territorial government be author
lied and established. and that representa-
ton In congress be granted.
Nicaraguan Canal.
Work on the Nicaragua canal Is still sus-
pended, and the company reports liza bilities
consisting Of the amounts still due under
the concessions to the company of $e,705,-
900 Of bonds, and not exceeding 500 cash Tia
bilities outstanding unpaid; assets, unused
capital stock, $51S,500 first mortgage bonds
and the 2,420 shares of capital stock
received in liquidation, the conces-
sions, rights, privileges, franchises.
ETC., which it now owns, plant, equipments,
lands, railway supplies and other property
in Central America, including the lands be-
tween the lake and the Pacific.
Some Recommendations.
Recommendations are submitted Cor sep
arate appropriations for the civil service
commission to be expended under its own
supervision; that Indian agents be held re-
sponsible on their official bonds for all funds
in their custody. the law to apply to army
officers as we'll as civilians. and that when
desired, the United States provide such
bonds for army officers acting as Indian
agents. Appropriations for the needs of
troops stationed in Yellowstone park, and
the repair, Of roads and bridges there, are
recommended.
New Counterfeit.
WASHINGTON. Nov. 19.-The secret