Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-11-25
SECRETARY BLISS REPORT.
Head of the Interior Department
Makes Recommend dations.

Secretary of the Interior Bliss, in his
annual report, submits estimates aggre-
eating $156, ,532, ,4l9 for appropriations by
Congress for the fiscal year ending June
80, 1899.
Discussing pensions, he says 100000
pension claims are awaiting adjudication
and Il is estimated that 40 or 80 per cent
Of these will be finally admitted. Ii they
are rapidly adjudicated they will swell the
pension roll from $5,0OO,OO0 to $1,000
600. When, however, these claims are
adjudicated and the first payments made
thereon, the amount of the pension roll
will increase very rapidly, possibly to
$125, ,0OO,O 900 or $13O,OO00O0 the first
year.
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
questions affecting the rights of the In
dians, until there is further legislation, he
does not see how it can be done without
causing great injury and distress. To
guard against this recommendation is
| made that the Dawes commission be au-
thorized to investigate questions and re-
port recommendations for speedy and just
settlement
Referring TO the work OF the Dawes
commission, ii is announced that the in
vestigation of the rights Of applicants for
citizenship in the five nations has been
practically completed; the commission has
prepared the roll of citizenship of
the several tribes and has negotiated
three agreements. That, with both the
Choctaws and Chickasaws Of April %,
1897. is before Congress and has been rat
ifed by those tribes. That made with the
Greeks Sept. % last was rejected almost
unanimously by the Greek council and
there is little prospect of any further
agreement with them. The Cherokees
have refused to make an agreement and
negotiations with them have been aban-
doncd for the time being.
The Secretary says the five tribes have
undoubtedly 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
recommend any harsh government action
the Secretary calls the attention of the
President and Congress to the chaotic
condition of affairs of the territory. No
government for the Indian territory will
be satisfactory until Congress shall pro-
vide for the establishment Of single uni
form system for the entire Indian terri
tory.
Recommendation is made that the pc
riOd for the allotment OF lands to the Um-
paghre Indians be extended such time
beyond April /, 1898, as Congress shall
deem best.
The sum of $1,216,SSG is now in the
treasury TO the credit of the Utes' fund,
resulting from the sale of the Colorado
lands, and in addition there must yet be
realized from the sales over $50O,0O0 to
reimburse the Government, the expenses.
etc, of the removal, and the $1,25O, 900
set aside from the public moneys as a
trust fund.
Secretary Bliss recommends that the
public land laws be extended to Alaska !;
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 incorporation of munich
palties, providing for the holding Of cleo
tions, ETC.. that the legal and political
status OF the native population, which is
in doubt, be defined; that complete terri
tOrial government be authorized and es-
tablished, and that representation in Con-
gress be granted.
Work on the Nicaragua canal is still
suspended and the company reports liabil-
tiles consisting of the amounts still due
under the concessions to the company Of
$6.7O5,0OO Of bonds and not exceeding
500 cash liabilities outstanding unpaid.
Assets: Unused capital stock, $51S,500
first mortgage bonds and the 2,42o shares
Of capital stock, received in liquidation,
the concessions, rights, privileges, fran
chises, ETC., which it now owns. plant
equipments, lands, railway supplies and
other property i'm Central America, in
cludng the lands between the lake and
the Pacific