Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-11-25
PRAISE FOR THE CURTIS LAW
MUCK SPACE GIVEN TO CHIPPEWA
INDIAN MATTERS.
Field Surveys of Indian Te%rritory-
Marked Advancement Along Ed
ucationnl Lines-The AIEer
and Drivers
Alaskan Affairs.

port Of Secretary of the Interior Bliss,
made public tonight, reviews in detail the
progress of the pension. Indian. land. pat
ent. educational and territorial affairs.
Reviewing the gradual diminution Of pub
lie land area, Secretary Bliss says:
of 200 and odd million acres of desert
lands requiring irrigation to render them
valuable farming lands. the available water
supply is sufficient for only 1l,500,eo acres,
leaving 260.616,C0 acres suitable only for
grazing purposes. There are thirty forest
reservations. embracing an estimated area
OF 4O,7ls, f4 acres"
The Indians are declared to have made
substantial progress. and the Chippewa out
break was the only serious disturbance
of the year. Referring to this trouble, the
report points TO Commissioner of Indian
Affairs Jones successful efforts in bringing
about the surrender of the Indians. and
says the origin of the trouble is now under
joint investigation by the departments OF
The interior and Of justice. A. to the log
slng operations there. which figured so con-
fpicuously in the discussion OF the out
break, Secretary Bliss says:
The aggregate acreage of the Chippewa
Jtne and agricultural lands to be sold orig
fnally was 2.sS4.2gz, exclusive of the land
allotted TO the Indians. There have been
disposed of to date SG.545 acres of pine lands
and S2O.6S4 acres of agricultural lands. ag-
gregating 407,179 acres. The total amount
received from the sale of pine and agricult-
pral lands Is. approximately. 1858. sl3, which
has been deposited in the treasury to the
credit OF the Indians, as required by law.
of the agricultural lands sold. 32o.63i acres
were embraced in homestead entries. on
which there are due SiO0.5i3."
Congress has so far appropriated, as an
advance to the Chippewa Indians, s.. 00, $50,
which appears TO be reimbursabIe to the
government. The approximate value of all
The lands coded by the Indians aggregates
s5.y13.Gl0. Upon the disposal of all such
lands" the secretary says. "it is doubtful
whether compliance with the requirements
of this act regarding the disbursements OF
moneys advanced by the United States
would impose any very great hardship on
the Indians.
y complaints Of the differentiation of
timber by the present corps of examiners
lave been made. The result of the dead
and down timber logging operations on the
reservations during the year clearly indi-
Gates the wisdom OF carrying on the work
by the Indian contractors under the regula-
lions promulgated, as Icing in the interest
of the Indians. Logging operations on this
reserve were discontinued some time ago,
bur the Indians recently have petitioned
for a resumption OF the work, which will
receive favorable consideration. the work
~ piOBitsS uIO the same TtSlElCIlOlS as
heretofore"
The senate is urged to ratify the treaty
with the Uintah Indians to receive such
U~ncomphagres as should be allotted to
lands on the Uintah reservation. No agree
ment, however. can be made with the
Uintahs for the sale of all their lands in
order that all not needed for allotment
might be offered for sale. The commission
reports its failure. and says the terms
Gn.TfGad nat anra-talHa 80 81 ..gIo
The workings OF the Curtis Indian ter
ritory act are praised and the more pro-
Gressive element of the Indians in the
territory are reported as inclined to &C
cept the situation in good faith.
Reviewing pension matters. Secretary
Bliss reports 637. 900 claims of all classes
pending and says a separate division has
been organized for the adjudication of
claims growing out of the war with Spain
These soldiers will receive their pensions
under the general law for permanent dis
abilities contracted in the service.
He also concurs in the recommendation
for the creation of a commission to revise
the pension laws and regulations in the
interest of a future reliable. intelligent and
uniform practice.
Early legislative enactment for the TAX
ing of the twelfth census Is urged, in view
of the necessary large amount of work
~ N"N "a NbI bSp-
ulation.
During the year. the geological survey
has surveyed geographically So.G57 square
miles. making a total now completed OF
approximately one-fourth of the area OF
the entire country, exclusive OF Alaska.
The field surveys Of Indian Territory
were completed last June. This latter work
has demonstrated that 1t is more economI-
cal to survey large areas in this manner
than under the contract system heretofore
employed by the government in its land
subdivision surveys. 1t is anticipated that
the 60.e0 square miles of forests now in
cluded within the forest reserves can be
thoroughly and economically surveyed
within five years, If adequate appropria-
tions are made.
The advancement along educational lines
is outlined by an increase Of over a quar-
ter Of a million 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 .he
present standard. does not quite equal five
years OF 40 days for each inhabitant. The
total number of school pupils in the coun-
try. in elementary. public and private
schools. universities, high schools and
academies. is put at l6.255.oyS.
The reindeer and theiT Iapland drivers In
Alaska have largely passed into the serv-
fee of the postoffice department. and are
now being distributed for carrying the Yu-
RNl TTldll uI anu ~ ~ u Nilt dAl' VI the u
Lon through a thousand miles OF scattered
mining settlements in the wilderness.
The report makes no mention OF the rec
ammendation Of Commissioner of Railroads
longstreet for the government con-
struction and operation for "A new trans
continental trunk line from Kansas city.
Mo-, TO San Diego. Cal. Secretary Bliss.
summing up the report OF Governor Brady.
Of Alaska, calls attention 10 the difficulty
of preventing the smuggling of liquor into
Alaska. IT being impossible TO enforce pres
emf regulations without a feet of revenue
cutters and steam launches TO patrol the
tartuous channels of Southeast Alaskan
waters. Smuggling prevails and saloons
are open in all of the towns and mining
camps. The governor reports a consensus
license law which would tend to stamp out
smuggling and liquor selling TO the natives.
Thu application to Alaska Of the liquor
laws in force in the District of Columbia
with several minor notifications, is urged
as meeting a majority approval
The governor believes that Alaska should
and can pay revenue into the United States
treasury. Under a high license law. he
estimates that the liquor traffic would yield
an annual revenue OF not less than Sac9.Oe0:
n tax of a few cents per case of salmon
would produce from $4,000 to 5000: 10
cents per ton on wharfage collected during
the past year would nave yielded $4,000.
lie recommends. however. that any system
of taxation for the territory be deferred
until land laws shall have been provided.
Many sections in Alaska. il is shown,
ars 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
Alaska, and a few thousand dollars spent
now in helping the Eskimo to obtain herds
will save the expenditure Of many thou
sands in the future.