Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-12-02

Washington, D. c., Nov. 26.-In his
annual report Secretary Hitchcock of
the interior department indorses the
conclusions submitted by Commission
eli OF, Indian Affairs Jones regarding
the present Indian education system.
The secretary says:
"The management of the Indian SER
vice in the field and in the schools,
while satisfactory under existing con-
dttions, is not deemed to be the best
for the welfare of the Indians, and diff
ferent methods will hereafter be
adopted. The policy contemplates re-
curing the working by Indian allOttees
able to do so of a fair portion Of lands
allotted to them, and the contributing
by their industry to their own support
of all not entirely disqualified by ac-
tual disability, physical or otherwise;
the discontinuance of the issue of ra-
tons to those able to support them
selves"
The income of the various Indian
tribes from all sources during the
year aggregated $5,338,388O, falling
off of $260,952, mostly due to the ex-
piration of treaty obligations.
In the future full leasing privileges
will be confined to those whose dis
ability or inability actually disQuatiaes
them from working any part OF their
allotments and in a lesser degree to
those whose disability prevents their
inc small
their allotments, those conditions to be
clearly shown; all other allottees to
be required to work at least forty acres
of their allotment.
The Dawes commission to the five
civilized tribes in Indian territory re-
ports that 1he 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 cannot be fixed with certain
ty when the enrolment of the four re-
naming tribes will be finished
Secretary Hitchcock recommends
that the commission be increased by
four members. He also favors modl-
hcation of the law requiring distribu-
ton of lands on the basis of equal
valuation and that definite period be
fixed for the completion of the work.
The report says that the act of June
3, 1887, known as the timber and stone
act, if not repealed or radically amend
ed, will result ultimately in the COM
plete destruction of the timber on the
unappropriated and unreserved public
lands. The time has arrived, accord
ing to the secretary, when reservoirs
must be built and managed as part
of a national system of forest and
water conservation.
The report highly endorses the work
and recommendation of Commissioner
of Pensions Evans, and says that the
veterans have no more sincere friend
than their comrade, the commissioner,
"who himself served as an enlisted
man in the armies of the union, and
he but maintains and defends the
honor of their patriotic service, when,
refusing to ignore both the letter and
the spirit Of the law, he declines to
permit the impostor, whether claimant
or agent, to share in the bouny pro
VldCd for the veteran anu CnOse ue-
pendent upon him."
On the question of reclamation of
the arid region the secretary recon-
mends that construction at once be
begun as follows: The San Carlos
storage reservoir in Arizona, reclaim
ing 100000 acres of more of public
land at an estimated cost of 81 ,O4O, 900;
reservoirs in the Sierra Nevada in
California for retaining desert lands
In Nevada; the diversion of st. Mary's
river in the headwaters of Milk river
In Montana. An appropriation OF
$4,000 is asked to carry on the hydro
graphic work of the geological sur
Vey.
The secretary says that the net earn
ings of the bond aided and land grant
railroads amounts to over $4,000, 600,
and the increase in gross earnings to
$37 GOO 900. The debt Of the Central
Pacific road to the United States now
stands at $5S,812,15.
lMaratime Canal Report.
The secretary submits the annual re-
port received from the maratime