Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1901-11-30
HITCHCOCK REPORTS.
Secretary of Interior Tells of Work
of His Department.
Income of Indian Tribes Shows n
Falling Off-EducatiOnaI Cues
tion-Dangers to Forestry
Are Pointed Out.

Washington Nov 25.-The annual re-
port of Secretary Hitchcock, of the inte-
rior department., has been made public.
In indorses the conclusions submitted by
Commissioner of Indian Affairs Jones re-
garding the present Indian educational
system. The secretary says: 1.-The man.
agement of the Indian service in the field
and in the schools, while satisfactory I'M
der existing conditions, is not deemed to
be the best for the welfare of the In
dams, and different methods will hereaft-
er be adopted. This policy contemplates
requiring the working by Indian allottees
able to do so of a fair portion of lands
allotted them and the contributing by
their industry to their own support of all
not entirely disqualified by actual disa-
bility, physical or otherwise; the discon-
tinuance of the issue of rations to those
able to support themselves, and the ex-
tension to the latter of every possible
aid for their well-being and encourage
ment; the Inauguration of industrial
training in all schools where not now es
tablished so that such Indians of both
sexes may be taught the trades or indus
tries adapted to their circumstances"
Income Decreased.
The income of the various Indian tribes
from all sources during the year aggre-
gated $5,93SSSO, a falling off of $260,952,
mostly due to the expiration of treaty
obligations.
In the future full leasing privileges Will
be confined to those whose disability or
inability actually disqualifies them from
working any part of their allotments and
in a lesser degree to those whose disabili-
ty prevents their working more than a
small part of their allotments, those con-
ditions to be clearly shown: all other al
lottees to be required to work at least
40 acres of their allotment.
Enrolment of Tribes.
The Dawes commission to the five
civilized tribes in Indian Territory re-
ports that the rolls of membership of only
one nation, the Seminoles, so far have
been approved, and their lands have not
yet been entirely allotted. The time can
not be fixed with certainty when the en-
| rollment of the four remaining tribes will
be finished There is a vast amount of
labor yet to be performed by the COM
mission in investigating the claims of ap
plicants for enrolment and equalizing the
value of the lands already classified, and
Secretary Hitchcock recommends that the
commission be increased by four mem
| berS. He also faVorS a modification of
| the law requiring distribution. of lands
| on the basis of equalized valuation and
that definite period be fixed for the COM
| pletion of all work pertaining to the al
| lotment of lands among the Indians in
the territory.
the fOrests.
The report says that the act of June 8,
| 1887, known as the timber and stone act,
| If not repealed or radically amended will
| result ultimately in the complete destruc-
| ton of the timber on the unappropriated
and unreserved public lands. The time has
arrived, according to the secretary, when
| reservoirs must be built and managed as
a part of national system of forest and
| water conservation. They cannot be sue
| C1SSfll if maintained however without q
| thorough system of forest protection. The
| introduction of practical forestry on the
! forest reserves has now begun. The gen.
| eral policy announced in an outline
memorandum to the commissioner of the
| land office is that additional forest re-
| serves, with boundaries drawn to lberate
| the smallest amount of scrip, should be
| created during this winter; the good will
| of residents in or near the reserves
should be gained, forest fires guarded
| against and the resources of the reserves
should be made available for the con-
sentative use of the people. Systematic
investigation designed to make them ac-
| cessible and useful should be undertaken
and each forest reserve and part thereof
| should be dealt with on its own merits.
The Arid Lands.
On the question of reclamation of the
| arid region the secretary says: THE in
| vestigations which have been carried on
demonstrate that there is no one question
| now before the people of the United
| States of greater importance than the
| conservation of the water supply and the
| reclama ton of the arid lands of the west
| and their settlement by men who will
! actually build homes and create communi-
ties 1t is recommended that construc-
| ton at once be begun follows: The San
| Carlos storage reservoir in Arizona, re-
claiming 100000 acres or more of public
| land, at an estimated cost of 81, 040, 900;
reservoirs in the Sierra Nevada in Cali
fornia for retaining desert lands in Ne
| vada; the diversion of st. Mary river into
| the headwaters of Milk river in Montana.
An appropriation of $780, COO is asked to
carry on the photographic work of the
| geological survey.
Land Grant Railroads.
| The secretary says the net earnings of
| the bond-aided and Immigrant railroads
amount to over s13, 600 and the increase
in gross earnings to $37,0O0,00O. The in
crease in expenses for the year was over
s24, 100000 The debt of the Central Pa
| cific road to the United States now stands
ct s5S, So, 715.
Secretary Hitchcock's report also dis
| cusses the affairs of the various bureaus
| already made public.
MAY BE RECALLED.