Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1901-11-29
HITCHCOCK REPORTS.
Secretary of Interior Tells of Work
of His Department.
Income of Indian Tribes shows q
Falling OT-EducntionnI Ques-
tion-Dangers to Forestry
Are Pointed Out.


Washington. Nov 25-The annual re.
port of Secretar4' 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: THE man.
agement of the Indian service in the field
and In the schools, while satisfactory un-
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 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 S5,33S $50, a falling off of S26O,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 disqualfies them from
! working any part of their allotments and
! in 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.
f,,a
! 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 n vast amount of
| labor yet to be performed by the COM
mission in investigating the claims of APP
| 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.
Danger to the Forests.
The report says that the act of June 8
1887, known the timber and stone act
If not repealed or radically amended will
result ultimately in the complete destruc'
ton of the timber on the inappropriate
and unreserved public lands. The time has
| arrived, according to the secre tary wher
reservoirs must be built and managed as
a part of a national system of forest an6
water conservation. They cannot be sue
cussful 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 as announced in an outline
memorandum to the commissioner of the
land office is that additional forest re-
serves with boundaries drawn to liberia tt
the smallest amount of scrip, should bt
created during this winter; the good viii
of residents in or near the reserves
should be gained, forest fires guarded
against and the resources of the reserve:
should be made available for the con
servative use of the people. Systematic
investigation designed to make them ac
and each forest reserve and part thereof
should be dealt with on its own merits.
The Arid Lands.
On the question of reclamation OF tn,
arid region the secretary says: The in
vestigations which have been carried OF
demonstrate that there is no one question
now before the people of the United
conservation of the water supply and tn,
reclamation of the arid lands of the ives
and their settlement by men who viii
actually build homes and create communi
ties" 1t is recommended that construc
ton at once be begun as follows: The Sai
Carlos storage reservoir in Arizona, re
claiming 100000 acres or more of public
land at an estimated cost of s1,0i0, 900
reservoirs in the Sierra Nevada in Cali
fornia for reclaiming desert lands in Ne
vada; the diversion of st. Mary river int,
the headwaters of Milk river in Montana
An appropriation of $250,000 is asked t
carry on the photographic work of tn
geological survey.
Land Grant Railroads.
The secretary says the net earnings o
the bond-aided and iand-grant railroad
amount to over Sl3. 900, 900 and the increas
in gross earnings to S37,00O.00O The in
crease in expenses for the year was owe
s24 000, 600 The debt of the Central Pa
cific road to the United States now stand
at 5S.Sl2.7l5.
Secretary Hitchcock's report also dis
cusses the affairs of the various bureau
H.. a.. lla