The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-11-25
Indians Must Contribute by Their
Industry to Their Own Support
Says Secretary of Interior
Hitchcock
TEXT OF HIS ANNUAL
REPORT MADE PUBLIC
Reclamation of the Arid Lands Of
the Far West Also Urged by
the Secretary = Interesting
Data Collected for the Annual
Report

Washington, Nov 24.-The annual re
port of Secretary Hitchcock of the In
terror Department was made public to-
day. 1t endorses the conclusions sub
mitted of Indian Affairs Jones regard
ing the present Indian education sys'
TEN. The secretary says
THE management of the Indian ser
vice in the field and in the schools
while satisfactory under existing con
ditions, is not deemed best for the well
fare of the Indians, and different meth
DDS will be hereafter adopted. This
policy contemplates requiring the work
ing bv the Indians of a fair portion 81
the lands allotted to them; the con-
tributing by their industry to their own
support of all not entirely disqualified
by actual business ability, physical OF
otherwise"
The income Of the various Indian
tribes from all sources during the year
aggregated $5.33S, $780, falling of OF
$3.50 .952, mostly due to the expiration OF
treaty obligations.
The curriculum of the Indian school
is still restricted In the future full
leasing privileges will be confined 10
those whose ability disqualifies them
from working any part of their allot-
nnents and in a lesser degree to those
whose disability prevents the working
more than a small part of their allot-
ments. those conditions to be clearly
shown, all other allotments to be re-
uuired to work at least 40 acres.
There is a vast amount of labor yet
to be performed by the commission in
investigating the claims of applicants
for enrolment and the value of the
lands already classified and they ask
that the commission be increased by
four members to aid in the work.
The report says that the act Of
June 30, 1897, known as the timber and
stone act, if not repealed or radically
amended, will result ultimately in the
complete destruction 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 part of ma
tional system of forest and water re-
servations. They cannot be successful
if maintained, however, without a tho
rough system of forest protection.
The introduction of practical forestry
on the forest reserves has now begun.
Legislation to correct the abuses
that have grown up in the practice of
lien selections Of land IS urged. The
report highly endorses the work and
recommendation of Commissioner of
Pensions Evans and says that the vet
Grams have no more sincere friend than
their comrade the commissioner.
On the question of reclamation Of
the arid region, the secretary says:
1.-THE Investigations which have been
carried on demonstrate that there is
no one question now before the peu-
pie of the United States of greater
Importance than the conservation of
the water supply and the reclamation
of the arid lands OF the west and their
settlement by men who will actually
build homes and create communities ."
It is recommended that construction
be commenced at once as follows:
1.-The San Carlos storage reservoir in
Arizona, reclaiming 100000 acres or
more of public land at an estimated
cost of S1,040.0O0 reservoirs in the
Sierra Nevada in California for re-
claiming desert lands in Nevada: the
diversion of ST. Mary's River into the
headwaters of Milk River in Montana.
An appropriation Of $3.50, 600 is asked to
carry on the photographic work of the
geological survey.
The secretary says the net earnings
of the bond aided and land grant rail-
roads amounts to over $4,000, 900 and
the increase in gross earnings to $37,-
900, 900. The increase in expenses for
the year was over s24. OOe. 900. The debt
of the Central Pacific road to the
United States now stands at s5S.s12,-
us.
The secretary submits the annual re-
port received from the Maritime Canal