The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-12-07
RHEUMATISM

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or munitions of war and for an Increased
number of officers and enlisted men.
Some additions are also necessary to oui
navy yards for the repair and care Oh odi
large number of vessels. AS there are
now on thu stocks i've battIeships OF the
largest class which cannot be cOmpleteu
for year or two | concur with the recon-
mendaJon of the Secretary of the Navy ioi
an appropriation authorizing the con
structiOn of one batbeship for tbs PaclHo
coast. where at present there is only one
in commission and on under construction
while on the Atlantic coast there are
three IN commission and four under con
sSruotlon, and also that several torpedo
boats be authorized in connection with
our general system of coast defense.
ALASKA.
The territory of Alaska requires the
prompt and early attentions of Congress.
Ehe conditios now existing demand ma
terial changes in the laws relating to the
territory. The great influx of population
curing the past summer and fall and the
prospeoJ OF still larger Immigration in
1ne spring wi IL not permit us to long ne
greet the extension of civil authority
wltnin the territory or postpone the estab-
llsnihen6 OF more thorough government.
4 general system of public surveys has
| not yet been extended TO Alaska and all
entries thus far made in that district are
upon special surveys. The act of Congress
extenulng so Alaska the mining laws OF
| Une United States contained the reserva-
ton that it should not be construed to
pus IN force the general land Jaws of the
eountfy. ny act approved March 8, 1891,
authorlsy was given for entry of lands for
| town site purposes and also for the pur-
chasing of not exceeding one hundred
and sixty acres then or thereafter occu-
PIED for the purpose of trade and manu-
faoture. The purpose of Congress as thus
far expressed has been that only such
rights should apply to that territory as
should be specifically named.
| l5 wall De seen how much remains to
be Gone for that vast and remote and yet
promising portion Of our country. special
authority was given to the President by
the aUG OF Congress approved July "a,
1897. to divide that territory into two
land Districts and to designate the boun-
daries thereof and to appoint registers
and surveyors Of saIo land off 3es and the
President was also authorized to appoint
a surveyor general for the entire district.
Pursuant to this authority a surveyor
general and receiver have been appointed
with offices at Sitka. If, in she ensuing
year, the conditions justify it. the addi-
tionai land district authorized by law
will be established with an office at some
point in the Yukon valley. No approprI-
alton, however, was made for this pur-
pose and that is now necessary to be done
for the two land districts into which the
| territory is TO be divided.
l concur with the Secretary of War in
his suggestions as to the necessity for q
military force IN the territory of Alaska
for tine protection of persons annd proper
| Gy. Already small force, consisting of
Gwenty five men with two officers under
command Of Lieut.. Col. Randall of the
| Eighth Infantry, has hesn sent to st.
| Michael to establish military post.
AS it is to the interest of government to
encourage the development and settle
nent OF the country and its duty to fol-
| low up its citizens there with she benefits
of legal ministry, I earnestly urge upon
| Congress the establishment of a system,
Of government with such fiexipility as
will enable it to adjust Itself to the fu-
ture areas of greatest population.
DISTRESS IN YUKON.
The startling though possibly exaggera-
ted reports from the Yukon river country
OF the probable shortage of food tor the
large ndmner Of neople who are winter
ing there without the means of leaving
| the country are confirmed in such meas
ure as to Justify bringing the matter to
the attention of Congress. Access to that
country in winter can be had only by
the passes from Dysa and vicinity which
| is q most difficult and perhaps an imposs-
lhle task However. should these reports
of the suffering Of our fellow citizens be
further verified, every effort at any cost
should he M ada to carry them relief.
THE INDIANS.
| For number of years past it has bsen
apparent that the conditions under which
sne five civilized tribes were established
in the Indian Territory under treaty pro-
visions with the United States with the
right Of self-goyernmenr ANA the sxclus-
ion of sill white persons from within their
| borGers, have undergone go complete a
change az to render the continuance OF
| tina system thus inaugurated practically
impossi BILE. The total number Of the i've
| civilized tribes as shown by the last CEN
sus is as, 494 and this number has not ma
terially increased; while the whitepopula-
ton is estimated at from 200 600 30 $50 O0O
which by permission of the Indian gov
| eminent has settled in the territory. Ih 6
| present area Of the Indian Territory con-
| teins 25, 6q4, 564 acres much of which 10
very fertile land. The United States oiGt-
|
whom have gone there by invitation or
with the consent of the tribal authorities,
have made permanent homes for them
selves Numerous towns have been built
in which from SEQ. to a0U0 white peoDle
now reside. Valuable residences and
business houses have been erected in many
of them. Large business enterprises axe
carried ON in which vast sums of money
are employed and yet these people who
have invested their capital IN the develop
ment of the productive resources OF the
country are without title to the land they
Occupy and have no voice whatever In the
government either of the nations or
tribes. Thousands of their children VINO
were born in the territory are OF sohooi
age, but the doors Of the schools of the
nations are shut against them ana what
education they get is by private contrihu.
tion. No provision for the protection OF
the life or properety OF these white cltl-