The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-11-25
BLISS ANNUAL REPORT.
Secretary of the Interior Reviews
the Work of His Department.
THE INDIANS ARE PROGRESSING. G.
There Are 835,OOO Pension Claims
Pending. and the Secretary Urges
Revision of Pension Laws-Needed
Reforms For Alaska,

Revision of Pension Laws-Needed
Reforms For Alaska.
Washington, Nov. 25.-The annual re-
port of Secretary of the Interior Bliss
reviews in detail the progress of pen
sion, Indian, land, patent educational
and territorial affairs. Reviewing the
gradual dimunition of public land area
Secretary Bliss says that of three hun
dred and odd million acres of desert
land requiring irrigation to render them
valuable farming lands the available
water supply is sufficient for only H.
100000 acres. leaving 260, SIG, 900 acres
suitable only for grazing purposes.
There are 80 forest reservations, en-
bracing an estimated area of 40, us, ,474
acres.
The Indians are declared to have
made substantial progress, and the
Chippewa outbreak was the only seri-
Gus disturbance of the year. AS to
logging operations there, which figured
so conspicuously in the discussion of
the outbreak, Secretary Bliss says:
THE aggregate acreage of Chippewa
pine and agricultural lands to be sold
originally was 29S4,297. exclusive of
the land allotted to the Indians There
have been disposed of to date s6,545
acres of pine lands and ,634 acres of
agricultural lands, aggregating 407 179
acres. The total amount received from
the sale of pine and agricultural lands
is approximately 1858, ,913, which has
been deposited in the treasury to the
credit of the Indians, as required by
law. OF the agricultural lands sold
S20634 acres were embraced in home
stead entries, on which there are due
$40O 543."
Reviewing pension matters Secretary
Bliss reports. .635,00O claims of all classes
pending. and says a separate division
has been organized for the ajudication
of claims growing out of the war with
Spain. These soldiers will receive
their pension under the general law for
permanent disabilities contracted in the
service. He also concurs in the recon-
mendation for the creation of a com
mission to revise the pension laws
and regulations in the interest of a fu-
ture reliable, intelligent and uniform
practice.
During the year the geological sur
vey has surveyed geographically 80, =
057 square miles making a totalnow com
| pleted of approximately one-fourth OF
1 y
siye of Alaska. The field surveys of the
Indian Territory were completed last
June. The latter work has demonstrate
ed that 1t is more economical to survey
large areas in this manner than under
the contract system heretofore employ
ed by the government in its land sub.
division surveys. 1t is anticipated thai
the $4,000 square miles of forests now
included within the forest reserves car
be thoroughly and economically sur
veyed within five years If adequate ap.
propriations are made.
The advancement along educationa
lines is outlined by an increase of ovel
250,000 of school pupils in the United
States for the fiscal year 1S96-97 owe
the previous one, but yet the total av
erage amount of schooling per individ
ual for the whole United States, meas
ured by the present standard, does no
quite equal five years of 200 days eacl
, for each inhabitant. The total number
} of school pupils in the country, in ele
mentary public and private schools
colleges and universities, high schools
and academies, is put at 16,255,O93.
Secretary Bliss, summing up the re
port of Governor Brady, of Alaska
calls attention to the difficulty of pre-
venting the smuggling of liquor int
Alaska, it being impossible to enforc
present regulations without a fleet o
revenue cutters and steam launches t.
patrol the tortuous channels of south
east Alaskan waters. Smuggling pre-
walls and saloons are open in all of tn
towns and mining camps. The gov
ernor reports consensus of opinion il
= favor of stringent high license law
l., which would tend to stamp out SNUG
Cling and liquor selling to the natives
The application to Alaska of the liquo
8 laws in force in the District of Colum
bia, with several minor notifications
= is urged as meeting a majority ap
!, proval. The governor believes tina
), Alaska should and can pay revenu
into the United States treasury.
Many sections of Alaska, ii Is shown
are suitable for agricultural purposes
With proper care cattle can be raise
d in the milder districts. 1t cannot b
doubted that in the course of tim
:, vast herds of reindeer will cover tn
\ plains of northern Alaska, and fe
thousands of dollars. spent now in hell
u ing the Eskimo to obtain herds wi
O save the expenditure of many thou
l. sands in the future.
Inc luf SediS are uooHleu 10 eNtlIlt
- ton unless all pelagic sealing can /
y, stopped. The brands render the pelt
y, valueless, and show that the Unite
States has a property right to the an
NAL. The raising of blue foxes is b'
.. coming an important industry. Tt
hunting of the sea otter has been $
unremitting that very few are lef
~ The governor recommends that II
killing of them be prohibited for lor
- time.
Representation In congress for Il
citizens of Alaska is strongly urged.
Public buildings at Sitka are urgen
ly needed for the accommodation of Il
officials 1t is recommended that col
gress appropriate $4,000 for the ere
tion of a penitentiary and other built
ings.
e An appropriation of 100000 for II
education of children in Alaska is ca
III nestly recommended.
a Attention is called TO the fact tn
- the rapid increase In the number
er vessels plying Alaskan waters nece
states the erection Of many ligh
houses.
mha pauuIatior af dooh