The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1898-12-03
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
ston, Indian, Land. Patent, Educa-
Ionni and Territorial bureaus.

tiOnni and Tcrritoriui bureaus.
Washington, Nov. 25.-The annual repor
Of Secretary OF the Interior Bliss review
In detail the progress OF pension. indian
land, patent, educational and territorial
affairs Reviewing the gradual diminu
ton of pubic land area. secretary Bls'
says: "Of 3Ul.Oo0.oVO acres OF desert !ant
requiring irrigation TO render them valu
able farming lands, the available water
supply Is sufficient for only II, 100000 acres
leaving .t0.676.OVO acres suitable only fol-
grazing purposes There are 30 forest res
1 ervations embracing an estimated area
/ of 4O,lly.i,] acres"
The Indians are declared 10 have made
substantial progress and the Chippewa out
break was the only serious disturbance OF
the year Referring to this trouble the re-
port points to Commissioner of Indian Az
fairs Jones successful efforts in bringing
about the surrender of the Indians and
gays the origin OF the trouble Is now under
joint irvt stigation by the departments OF
the Interior and OF Justice.
Considerable effort has been made TO In
Ggce the Mile Lac Chippevas to go TO
White Earth reservation, but with mcager
success. though Chippewa Commissioners
Han hopes quite number Will remove
this autumn, The senate Is urged TO tify
the treaty with the Uintah Indians to re-
ctiVc such CncompahBros as should be al
lottCd to lands OH the Cintah reservation
No agreement, however. can be made with
the Cintahs for the sale Of all their lands
iu order that all not needed for allotment
might be offered for sale The commission
reports It's failure and says the terms
specified were not acceptable 10 the tribe.
The workings IF the Curtis Indian territory
act are praised and the more progressive
element OF the Indians IN the territory are
reported as inclined to accept the situa-
ton in good faith
Reviewing pension matters. Secretary
Bliss reports 5000 claims of all classes
pending, and says a separate division has
been organized for the adjudication of
claims grow ing out of the war with Spain.
These soldiers will receive their pensions
under the general law for permanent dis
abilities contracted in the service. lie also
ccncurs in the recommendation for the
creation OF commission TO revise the penl
SION laws and regulations IN the interest
of a future reliable. intelligent and uni
form practice. Early legislative enact
mcnt for the taking of the twelfth census
Is urged In view of the necessary large
amount of work preparatory TO the enum-
Grafton of the population,
Assistant Secretary of the Interior Web
stcr Davis, in his annual report. says the
l2,6Sl appeals from the pension bureau and
G26 motions for reconsideration filed dur
Ing the year make up number unprece-
dented In any one year or TWO years in the
history of the board of pension appeals
and on October l last there were Ii $50
such appeals and motions pending and
Secretary Bliss concurs in Assistant Sec
rotary Davis recommendations for provid-
ing for three additional members of this
board; for additional legislation amending
the act OF August Z. 1882, relating TO mar
riages; legislation regulating the payment
of pensions TO soldiers who deprive their
families of the use thereof because of i'm
moral habits and incompetency; and leg
whose husbands died while in the service
death not being the result of any viola ton
OF any law. regulation or rule of the mill
tary or naval service, death under such
conditions to be held to be equivalent to
an honorable discharge. as now required.
The advancement along educational lines
is outlined by an increase of over $780, 900 of
school pupils in the United States for the
fiscal year 1867. over the previous one. but
yet the total average amount Of schooling
per individual for the whole United States.
measured by the present standard. does
not quite equal five years of 200 days each
for each inhabitant The total number of
school pupils in the country. In elementary
public and private schools, colleges. uni
versities, high schools and academies. is
put at l6.255,CJ3.
Secretary Bliss. summing up the report
OF Gov. Brady. of Alaska. calls attention to
the difficulty of preventing the smuggling
of liquor into Alaska 1t being impossible
TO enforce present regulations without a
fleet of revenue cuttess and steam launches
to patrol the tortuous channels Of south
east Alaskan waters. Smuggling prevails
and saloons are open In all of the towns
and mining camps. The governor reports
a consensus of opinion in favor of q strin-
gent high license law which would tend to
stamp out smuggling and liquor selling to
the natives, The application 10 Alaska of
the liquor laws In force In the District of
nj
tons, is urged as meeting a majority APP
prevail. The governor believes that Alaska
should and can pay revenue into the United
States treasury. Under high license law
he estimates that the liquor traffic would
yield an annual revenue of not less than
S2O0, 600; tax of a few cents per case of
salmon would produce from $4,000 TO $780,
coo: ten cents per ton on wharfage collected
during the past year would have yielded
500, 900 lie recommends. however. that
any system of taxation for the territory be
deferred until land laws shall have been
provided
Many sections of Alaska 1t is shown. ire
suitable for agricultural purposes. With
proper care, cattle can be raised in the
milder districts. 1t cannot be doubted that
in the course of time vast herds of reindeer
will cover the plains of northern Alaska
and a few thousands of dollars spent now
in helping the Eskimo to obtain herds will
save the expenditure of many thousands
In the future.
Representation in congress for the citi-
zens of Alaska Is strongly urged
The past year has been one of great
progress in mining operations. Many
Americans who located claims In the north
west territory have abandoned them and
have settled on the Alaskan side OF the
international boundary line where a new
town. Eagle City, has sprung up There
has been great development in quartz min
ing In southeast Alaska and along the Goa st
as far as Unalaska. Coal has been dis
covered near the upper Yukon, the Tanana,
and on Prince William sound.
Public buildings at Sitka are urgently
needed for the accommodation OF the Of
ficials. 1t Is recommended that congress
appropriate $4,000 for the erection OF u
penitentiary and other buildings.
Killed n Constable.