The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-12-08

is committed should for n limo ta,a tho
FORM or increased facilities commemorate
WIN tne increase of our naval vessels. II
IS an unfortunate fact that there is orIv
one dock on the Pacific coast CANA blo -,
oocking our largest ships, and only one
on tne Atlantic coast. and that the jottar
mas Tor the last six or seven months how
uhder repair and therefore incapable az
use' immediate steps should be taken TO
provide three or four docks of this ga
pacity on the Atlantic coast. at Ions, go.
tne racine coast and a floating dock In
the gull. This Is the recommendatio, -
a very competent board appointed to In.
Vestlgtte the subject. There should aI,a
we ainpie provision made for powder and
proJectiles and other munitions of war ara
Tor an increased number of oficers o.,
enlisted men. Some additions are alec
necessary 10 our navy yards for the ren.ir
and care of our large number of vessels
AS tneNe are now on the stocks five
battlcships of the largest class which n
not be completed for a year or two 7 con .
cur with the recommendation of tho Coz
retarN OF the navy for an appronria t;or
authorizing the construction of ono ~
tleship for the Pacific coast, where M nron-
eht there is only one in commission and
one under construction, while on tba ~
lantic coast there are three In connn,issta.
and four under construction. and also +bot
several torpedo boats be authorized In
connection with our general system NJ
yoast defense.
TERRITORY OF ALASKA.
The territory of Alaska reouires tho
prompt and early attention of conoras.
Ihe conditions now existing demand M
terial changes in the laws relating 70
the territory. The great influx of nonulaO
ton during the past summer and fail ana
the prospects of a still larger mmieratian
in the spring will not permit us to long
neglect the extension of civil autboritS
Wlthln the territory or postpone the CO
tablishment of a more thorough govern.
ment. "A general system of public SIR
VeNs mas not yet been extended to Alaska.
and all entries thus far made in that dis'
trict are upon special surveys. The MOI n,
congress extending to Alaska the mining
laws OF the United States contained tina
reservation hat it should not he COZ
strued 10 put in force the general land Ia ws
OF the country. BY act approved March 3.
1871, authority was given for entry of lands
FOR townsite purposes and also for the nur-
chase of not exceeding 100 acres then or
thereafter occupied for the purpose of
trade and manufacture. The purpose of
congress as thus far expressed has been
that only such rights should apply to that
territory as should be specifically named.
1t will be seen how much remains to be
done for that vast and remote and yet
promising portion oI orr country. Spe-
cal authority was given to the president
by the act of congress approved July "a,
1897, to divide that territory into two land
districts and to designate the boundaries
therefor and to appoint registers and sur
Veyors of said land offices, and the presi-
dent was also authorized to appoint a sur
VeNor general for the entire district. Pur-
$'aut TO this authority, a surveyor general
receiver have been appointed with Of
s at Sftka. If in the ensuing year the
'uditions justify it. the additional land
q strict authorized by law will be estab-
lished with an office at some point in the
Yukon valley. No appropriation, however,
was made for this purpose and that is now
necessary TO be done for the two land dis
tricts into which the territory is to be d.
vided.
l concur with the secretary of war in his
suggestions as to the necessity for a mill
tary force III the territory of Alaska for the
protection of persons and property. AL
ready Il small force consisting of 20 men,
WIN TWO officers. under of
Lieutenant Colonel Randall of the EIGHTH
infantry, has been sent to st. Michaels to
establish a military post. AS it is to the
interest of the government to encourage
the development and settlement of the
country and its duty to follow up its citi-
zens there with the benefits of legal min
istry, ! earnestly urge upon congress the
establishment of a system of government
with such neXibility as will enable IT to
adjust itself TO the future areas of great
est population.
Ihe startling, though possibly exagcer-
ated, reports from the Yukon river coun-
Try OF the probable shortage of food for
the large number of people who are win.
tering there without the means of leav-
ing the country are confirmed in such
measure as TO justify bringing the matter
10 the attention of congress. Access to
that country in winter can be had only by
the passes from Dyea and vicinity, which
is a most difficult and PERHAPS an limos.
Sl1lt TASK, HOWaVpr ShOtll tIa-.
OF the suffering of our fellow-citizens be
further verified. every effort. at any cost.
should be made TO carry them relief.
RELATIONS TO THE INDIANS.
FOR II number of years past it has been
apparent the conditions under which the
liVe civilized tribes were established in
the Indian territory under treaty provi-
slons with the United States, with the right
OF sell government and the exclusion of All
Whlte persons from within their borders.
nave undergone so complete a change as to
rehder the continuance of the system thus
~hausurated practically impossible. The
total number of the five civilized tribes "a
shown by the last census is AZ. 494. and tbis
number has not materially Increased.
While the white population is estimated at
from zoJ,OOD to 250, 000, which, by permission
OF the Indian government has settled in the
territory. The present area of the Indian
territory contains %, 694, 564 acres. much of
Wv allt Ill III
states citizens residing in the territory
most oil whom have gone there by invita-
tion or with the consent of the tribal an.
thorltles, have made permanent homes for
themselves. Numerous towns have been
putt in which from 500 to 5000 white neo-
pie now reside. Valuable residences and
business houses have been erected in MANY
OF them. Large business enterprises are
carried on IN which vast sums of money are
employed, and yet these people who have
invested their capital in the DEVELOPMENT
OF the productive resources of the country
are without tile to the land they occunv
ana nave no voice whatever in the govern
mehl, elther or the nations or tribes
thousands of their children who we're
born in the territory are of school age. hut
the doors OF the schools of the nations are
smut against them, and what education
they get Is by private contribution. No
provision for the protection of the life or
property OF these white citizens is made nv
the trlbal governments and courts.
me secretary of the interior reports that
leadlhg indians have absorbed great tracts
Oh lahd 10 the exclusion of the common
people ANA government by an Indian aris-
tocracy mas been practically established
10 the detrllnent of the people. II has been
Impossible for the states to keep its citi-
zehs out OF the territory, and the execu-
Tory conditions contained in the treaties
with these nations have for the most nart