The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-12-07
FOR ALASKA.

"frhe Territory of Alaska is said to re
quire the prompt and early attention of
Congress. The conditions now existing
demand material changes in the laws
and much remains to be done for that
vast and remote, yet promising, port,on
of our country. If, in the ensuing year,
the conditions justify it. the additional
land district authorized by law will be
established with an Office ut some point
in the Yukon Valley, and an appropria-
ton is now necessary for that purpose
The President concurs with Secretary
Alger as to the necessity of military
force in the Territory, and also author
ICES the establishment of some flexible
system Of government. Referring to the
startling, though possibly exaggerated
reports of the probable shortage of food
for the miners, the President says that
although access to them in the winter
is most difficult and perhaps impossible
task, yet if these reports be verified.
every effort ut any cost should be made
to carry them relief.
Reference is made to the fact that
there is no provision for the protection
of right or property of the many white
citizens now in the Indian Territory;
school age, but the doors of the schools
Of the nation are closed against them.
1t is said that leading Indians have alb
sorbed great tracts of land, to the ex-
clusion of the common people, and the
government by Indian aristocracy has
been practically established. The work
of the Dawes Commission is slrccincty
described. 1t is said that the Choctaws
and Chicasaws have ratified the agree
ment reached by the commission, and if
the other tribes of the nation failed to
enter into similar arrangements, then
legislation must be had, for, says the
President, II concur with the Secre-
tary of the Interior that there can be
no cure for the evils engendered by the
perversion of these great trusts except
ing for their resumption by the govern
ment, which created them"
| The President concurs in recon-
mendation of the Secretary of the
| Treasury that the quarantine laws be
amended to give the Treasury Depart
ment requisite authority to prevent the
introduction Of epidemic diseases from
/ foreign countries, and he also suggests
the appointment of an expert commits
sion to discover the exact cause of yell
low fever.
PACIFIC RAILROAD SALE.
The message deals briefly with the
history of the Pacific Railroad sale of
the past season. 1t is said that the up
set price on the sale of the Kansas Pa
cific will yield the government $500
0OU over all, and if no better bid is made
that is all that the government viii re-
ceive on its claim of nearly $13,000,O00,-
600. 1t is not known whether a better
bid will be received so the question pre-
scented is whether the government shall
not purchase or redeem the road in the
event that a bid is not made by private
parties covering the entire government
claim. The President says he believes
he has the authority to do this, and
unless Congress takes action he shall
direct the Secretary of the Treasury to
deposit the 100000 required to qualify
as a bidder, and to bid a sum equal to
the principal of the debt due to the gov
eminent. He suggests, however, the
passage of a law Immediately, expressly
covering this case, saying that while it
IS clear to his mind that the government
s,ould not permit the property to be
sod at price which will yield less than
onthalf Of the principal of its debt and