The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-11-30
TWO, SECRETARIES PRESENT
THEIR ANNUAL REPORTS.
A Br::ezz Sy.c-s:s CT Work of Int.
ri.r Dep -riment-Recommen.
datio1s Made on Vari-
Gus Subjects.

Washington, Nov. 25-The annual re-
port of Secretary Hitchcock. of the inte-
rior department, has been made public.
1t 1ndorses 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 UNI
der existing conditions, is mot 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 dtsa-
bility, physical or otherwise; the dtscon-
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"
The income of the various Indian tribes
from all sources during the year aggre-
gated s5,SSS,SS0, 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 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
| 10 acres of their allotment.
The Dawes commission to the five
civilized tribes in Indian territory re-
hnf fh1 pN11 r@Rs.o zl.f-
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 commits
sion 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 men,
bers. He also favors modification of
the law requiring distribution of lands
| on the basis of equalized valuation and
f.! 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 report says that the act Of June 5,
1887, known as the timber and stone act.
| II not repealed or radically amended will
Jesuit ultimately III the compete QRSCruC.
tion of the timber on the inappropriate
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
cessful If maintained, however, without a
thorough system of forest protection. This
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 1iberate
the smallest amount of scrip, should be
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-
servative use of the people. Systematic
| investigation designed to make them &C.
cessible and useful should be undertaken
and each forest reserve and part thereof
| should be dealt with on its own merits.
On the question Of reclamation Of the
arid region the secretary says: '"The In
vesttgations which have been carried on
demonstrate that there 10 no one question
now before the people 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 commune
ties" It is recommended that construc-
ton at once be begun as follows: The San
| Carlos storage reservoir in Arizona, re-
claiming 100000 acres or more of public
land. at an estimated cost of 100000;
reservoirs in the Sierra Nevada in Cali
| fornia for retaining desert lands in Ne
i vada; the diversion of st. Mary river into
| the headwaters of Milk river in Montana.
| An appropriation of $250,000 is asked to
carry on the photographic work of the
| geological survey.
The secretary says the net earnings OF
the bond-aided and Immigrant railroads
amount to over s13,o0OCoO and the increase
in gross earnings to s37, 100000 The in.
crease in expenses for the year was over
! $A,OO0,0G0. The debt OF the Central Pacific
road to the United States now stands
, at $5S.S12,715.
Secretary Fitchcock's report also dis
cusses the affairs of the various bureaus
already made public.