Evening star., 1901-11-25

recommend that said commission
be increased by four members; that a modi-
hcat1on be made Of the law which requires
the lands to be distributed upon a basis
Of equaifzed valuation, and that definite
period be fixed for the completion of all
the work pertaining to the allotment of
lands, etc, among the Indians in the terri-
tory
Practical Forestry.
The Secretary says that the time for the
introduction of practical forestry on the
forest reserves has fully come States and
private owners of forest land are, he saws,
already cooperating with the government
for the better handling of their holdings to
the extent of more than j. 600, ,OG0 acres.
Forestry, dealing as it does with a source
OF wealth produced by the soil is properly
an agricultural subject. he continues The
presence OF properly trained foresters in
the Agricultural Department. as well as the
nature of the subject itself makes the ttIti-
mate transfer, if found to be practicable of
the administration of the forest reserves to
that department essential to the best inter-
ests, both of the reserves and OF the people
who them.
Attention is called to abuses that sill ex-
ist and are the chief obstacle to the extern
SION OF the forest reserve system. Early
is recommended as absolutely
essential to correct the abuses in regard to
lieu land selection.
The Secretary devotes several pages to a
description of the opening of the Kiowa,
Commapche and Apache Indian lands in
Oklahoma territory and comments on the
quiet and orderly manner in which the
opening was accomplished, especially when
contrasted with the utter disregard of law
and order, the outrages and the contest
which characterized the former openings on
the sooner" plan.
Commissioner Evans CompIimented
The Secretary makes this personal refer
ence to Pension Commissioner Evans:
The report of Commissioner Evans
should be carefully read by his countrymen
IN order that they may properly understand
the great responsibilities of his Office and
the exceeding difficulties which he has en-
countered in faithfully discharging its du-
ties He has no option, and should have no
desire, to do otherwise than conform to the
plain direction of the law in the disburse-
ment of the enormous appropriation made
for the payment of pensions. The veterans
nave 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 de-
fends the honor OF their patriotic Service
when, refusing to ignore both the letter and
spirit of the law, he declines to permit the
impostor. whether claimant or agent to
share in the bounty which is provided for
the veteran and lhose dependent upon him."
Permanent Census Bureau,
Concerning the subject of permanent
census bureau, which promises to receive
the attention Of Congress the coming WIN
ter, Secretary Hitchcock says:
The present system of organizing CEN
sus office every ten years does not per
NIT of the keeping together Of skilled sta
tlsticians. experts and trained clerks, or
of keeping open channels of statistical in
formation. The remedy which naturally
suggests itself is the establishment of
permanent census bureau with a limited
force which could be increased as the
work of preparing for a new census is
entered upon or diminished after the CEN
sus is taken. The establishment of the
census as permanent bureau would un-
doubtedly be in the interest not only of
economy and statistical science, but would
result in more efficient work generally
and permit of the early publication of the
statistical data compiled
Irrigation Discussed.
Discussing irrigation the Secretary says:
There is no one question now before
the people of the United States of greater
Importance than the conservation of tie
water supply and the reclamation of the
arid lands of the west, and their settle
ment by men who will actually build Lomcs
and create communities The apprec.a-
ton of this condition is shown by the fact
that both the great political parties in
serted in their platforms articles calling
attention to the necessity of national aid
for the creation of homes on the public
domain"
Dfsbursfng Clerk for st. Elizabeth.
The Secretary urgently recommends the
incorporation in the sundry civil bill by
Congress of a paragraph providing that
hereafter the disbursing clerk of the De-
partment of the Interior be required to act
as disbursing clerk for the Government
Hospital for the Insane In the District of
Columbia, and to disburse all moneys ap-
DrODrtated fha Il 4
rection of the Secretary of the Interior, on
vouchers duly certified by the superinten-
dent and approved by the Secretary of the
Interior
Freedmen's Hospital.
The Secretary indorses the recommends
tions of the acting surgeon Of the Freed
mems Hospital and urges unon Congress
the necessity for new hospital buildings.
1.-The dual control OF this hospital stll