The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-19
ESTIMATES AGGREG ATING $780,
2,4I9 SUBMITTED FOR THE
COMING FISCAL YEAR.
INCREASE IN PENSION LIST.
TOTAL LIKELY TO BE RAISED BY
SOME SEVEN MILLION
DOLLARS.
LEGISLATION FOR POOR Lo
Attention of Congress Called to the
Chaotic State of Affairs in the
Territory,

WASHINGTON, Nov 1S.-Secretary
of the Interior Bliss, in his annual re-
port, made public tonight. submits esti-
mates aggregating $156, 532. 4l9 for the
appropriations by congress for the ifs
cal year ending June 80, 1899. Discuss
ing pensions, he says 10000 pension
claims are awaiting adjudication, and
it is estimated that 40 or so per cent
of these will be finally admitted. If
they are rapidly adjudicated, they will
swell the pension roll from $4,000, 900 to
$1,OOO,OOO. When, however these claims
are adjudiCated and the first payments
made thereon, the amount of the pen
sion roll will decrease very rapidly,
possibly to $125,OOO,O 900 or $3.50, OOO, 600 the
first year.
Inc total Indian population of the
United States, exclusive of the New
York Indians and the five civilized
tribes, approXimates III, u.s. located on
III reservations, which contain approx
imately SO, 404, S37 acres. OF these, 4, 545
have accepted alIotments of land,
which aggregate about 644,147 acres.
Secretary Bliss says while the open
ing of the Wichita reservation in Okla
hCma to white settlement would great
ly promote the development of that
country, yet, in view of the unsettled
condition Of the questions affecting
their rights, until there is further Iegis-
lation, he does not see how it can be
done without causing great injury and
distress. To guard against this recon-
mendation is made that the Dawes
commission be authorized to investi-
gate questions as to their rights and
claims, and report recommendations
for speedy and just settlement.
Referring to the work of the Dawes
commission, it is announced that the
investigation of the rights Of appli-
cants for citizenship in the Five Ma
items has been practically completed:
the commission has been preparing the
rolls of citizenship of the several tribes
and has negotiated three agreements.
That, with both the Choctavs and
Chickasaws, of April 90, 1897. is before
congress, and has been ratified by
those tribes. That made with the
Creeks, Sept. q last, was rejected al
most unanimously by the Creek council
and there is little prospect Of any
further agreement with them. The
Cherokees have refused to make anv
agreement, and negotiations with them
have been abandoned for the time
being.
UNIFORM SYSTEM.
Such agreements as have been con-
cIuded, vary so in their provisions
that IN view of the fact tina eventual
Iy uniform system Of government
must be provided for the Indian Ter
ritory, it is Questionable the report
says, whether any OF the agreements
should be definitely ratified by con-
gress until the desired ana necessary
uniformity can be secured
The secretary says the five triEes
have undoubtedly violated, in many
ways, the spirit of their agreements
with the United States under which
the territory is now held and gov
erned and, while he does not recon-
mend any harsh action, the secretary
calls the attention of the president ard
congress to the chaotic condition of af-
fairs of the territory, growing out Ct
the methods of administrator
Speedy action in securing proper
legislation for the coming twelfth
census is urged; lack of sufficient time
in the past two or three enumacauions
Is cOmpldlneQ or, and the necessity Of
many reforms in the way Of fessen1ng
the bulk of reports and the elimination
of several branches of the inquiries
from the twelfth census either by post
ponement or transfer to bureaus al
ready in existence is urged.
Concerning Alaska, Secretary Bliss
says existing conditions demand rad
ical change in the laws relating there
TO- and he recommends that the public
land laws be extended to that district;
that additional land offices be created
and 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 author
lied; that provision be made for The
incorporation of municipalities, prOyid-
ing for the holding of elections, deffn-
ing qualifications for voting. and Civ
ing such powers as are used and ex-
ercised by municipalities elsewhere;
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 authority of an act of con-
gress approved March 3, 1891, now &C.
cupy Annette island; that complete
territorial government be authorized
and established, and that representa-
tiOn i'm GROSS no Otad