Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1897-11-23
THE INTERIOR Department
Secratary Bliss in His First Annual
Report Discusses the Interests
Under His Charge.
MILLIONS OF MONEY FOR VETERANS.

MILLIONS OF MONEY FOR VETERANS.
Condition of Affairs i'm the 1nd1an VA
tion-The Coming Twelfth Cen"ns-
Work in the Patent Ofhce-'ferrt-
torfal Government for Alaska-
Other dations Made
WASHINGTON: Nov. 19.-Secretary OF the
Interior Bliss, in his annual report, suomlts
estimates aggregating $15e. ssz,As aof esa,,
preparations by congress LOT tne "'oA'
year ending June 30. 1889.
Discussing PENSIONS, he says 200.0 900 pen
sion claims are awaiting adjudication, ana IL
is estimated that 40 or so per cent OF tnese
will be finally admitted. If they are 1ap!u-
ly adjudicated. they VIII SVEN tne peh hw
roll from IS, 600 600 to 100000 When, now
ever, these claims:are adjudicated the itrae
payments made thereon, the amount OF the
pension roll will decrease very raPldly' pos
sihly to sl25,000.00O or $50, ooo'ooo the nsS'
year.
The total Indian population of the United
States, exclusive Of the New York Indians
and the five civilized tribes, approxlmates
! l7717S located on 1T reservations. which
! contain approximately 33,404,S5 acres. OF
| these 4,545 have accepted allotments OF lana
which aggregate about 644.1H acres
The Dawes Commission.
Referring to the work of the Dawes COM
| mission, it is announced that the 1nVestlga-
| 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 %, 1897, is before con-
gress, and has been ratified by those tribes.
That made with the Creeks September II last
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.
The Twelfth Census.
Speedy action in securing proper legisla-
ton for the coming twelfth census is
urged, lack Of sufficient time in the past two
or three enumerations is complained of, and
the necessity of many reforms in the way Of
| lessening the bulk Of reports and the elm
ination of several branches of inquiries
from the twelfth census either by post
| pOnement or transfer to bureaus already in
| existence is urged.
Work OF the Patent Omcc.
In the report on the bureau of patents
| the secretary says:
The report shows there were received
within the year 1884 applications for
applications for reissues, 2,137 caveats.
1854 applications for trademarks, and 81
applications for labels and prints. There
were 1884 patents granted, including re-
| issues and designs; LOO trademarks, three
| labels and 80 prints registered. The num-
Der of patents which expired was 1854.
The number Of allowed applications, which,
/ were by operation Of law forfeited for nom
payment Of f1yal fees was 5.O34.
The total receipts were 81, 343. 1874; the
expenditures, approximately, were $l026.-
4.39, leaving a surplus of $751;, 1886. The
> moneys covered into the treasury on &C
count of receipts from fees, ETC., in patent
cases, from July 4. 1885, up to and including
t June 30, 1897, and in excess of the cost of the
, management Of the patent office. amounts
to $5.09 3.6l4.2S.
? 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
tended to that district, that additional land
offices be created and appropria tons made
to carry them into effect that the granting
of rights of way for railroads, 'telegrap nh
, 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
7 ! 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 tc
= tho Motl To h1
from British Columbia and, under author
| ity Of an act of congress approved March
3. 1891, now occupy Annette island; thai
= complete territorial government be author
! lied and established. and that representa-
ton in congress be granted.
Nicarngunn Canal.
Work on the Nicaragua canal Is still sus
, pended, and the company reports liabilities
l consisting of the amounts still due unde,
the concessions to the company of SC, 705,
| bilities outstanding unpaid; assets. unused
capital stock, $518,500 first mortgage bond:
and the 2,42O shares Of capital stool
: received in liquidation, the conces
sions, rights, privileges, franchises
etc., which it now owns. plant, equipments
lands. railway supplies and other propert,
in Central America. including the lands be
tween the lake and the Pacific.
Some Recommendations.
Recommendations are submitted Cor Sep
e diaee apr opria tlohs LOT the civil service
commission to be expended under it's ow1
supervision; that Indian agents be held re-
S sponsible on their official bonds for all fund
, in their custody, the law to apply to arm,
officers as well as civilians, and that wher
5 desired. the United States provide suct
: bonds for army officers acting as India,
: agents. Appropriations for the needs O.
troops stationed in Yellowstonezpark. am
the repair of roads and bridges there. ar,
recommended.
! Mckenna for judge
a Washington, Nov. 1s.-Attorney-Geu
r eral McKenna's appointment as asso
e ciate justice OF the supreme court t.
= succeed Justice Field has been formally
decided upon by the president ane
heartily approved by the cabinet. The