The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-12-05
Free Press Map Of Blue Earth Co., Now on Sale

thereto. In direct defiance of the law forbiddins
the maintenance or construction OF any such UNI
lawful Enclosure of public land. For various
reasons there has been little interference with
such Enclosures in the past, but ample notice mas
now been gyyl he trespassers, and all the re.
sources at the command OF the government VIII
hereafter be used to put stop to such tFespass1ng
In view of the capital Importance OF these mat
tiers commend them to the earnest consideration
OF the congress, and if the congress finds DIM
Guilty In dealing with them from lack OF thorough
Of the subject | recommend that pro-
vision be made for commission Of experts sps-
cialy to investigate and report upon the conn
plicated questions involved
| especially urge upon the congress the need OF
wise legislation for Alaska. 1t IS not to our
credit as a nation that Alaska which has been
ours for thirtyfve years. should sill have as pooT
a system of laws is the case. No country has
more valuable possession in mineral wealth. IN
fisheries, furs, forests and also in land available
for certain kinds Of farming and stock growing.
1t is territory OF great size and varied re-
sources, we'll fitted to support large permanent
population Alaska needs good land law and
such provisions for homesteads and prescriptions
as will encourage permanent settlement. we
should shape legislation with view not to the
exploiting and abandoning OF the territory, but
to the building up OF homes therein. The land
laws should be liberal In type so as to hold our
inducements to the actual settler whom we most
desire to see take possession Of the country. The
forests of Alaska should be protected, and, as
secondary. but still important matter, the game
also, and at the same time ii Is imperative that
the settlers should be allowed to cut timber, I'M
der proper regulations, for their own use. Laws
should be enacted to protect the Alaskan salmon
fisheries against the greed which would destroy
them. They should be preserved as permanent
industry and food supply. Their management
and control should be turned over to the commits
sion of fish and fisheries Alaska should have 9
delegate in the congress. 1t would be well II
congressional committee could visit Alaska and
investigate its needs on the ground
In dealing with the Indians aim should be
their ultimate absorption into the body OF eur
people, but in many cases this absorption must
and should be very slow. In portions Of the In
dian Territory the mixture Of blood has gone on
at the same time with progress In wealth and
educatioe, so that there are plenty Of men with
absolutely indistingushable in point Of social,
political and economic ability from their white
associates. There are other tribes which have s
yet made no perceptible advance toward such
equality. To try to force such tribes too fast 10
to prevent their going forward at all. Moreover,
the tribes live under widely different conditions
Where tribe has made considerable advance and
lives fertile farming soil it 10 possible to aot
the members lands in seyeralty much az 10 the
with white settlers There are other Tribes
where such a course Is not desirabie On the
arid prairie lands the effort should be to induce
the Indians to lead pastoral rather than sgrtcul"
tursl lives and to permit them to settle In nF
lagos rather than to force them into isolation
The large Indian schools situated remote IRON
any Indian reservation do q special and peculias
work Of great Importance; but, excellent though
these are. an immense amount OF additional wosk
must be done on the reservations themselves
among the DID, and above all, among the young
Indians.
The first and most important step toward the
Absorption OF the Indian is to teach him to earn
his living yet it is not necessarily to be assumed
that in each community all Indians must become
either tillers of the soil or stock raiSers Their
industries may properly be diversified, and thoss
who show special desire adaptability for indus
trial or even commercial pursuits should Be en-
couraged SO far as practicable to follow out each
his own bent.
Every effort should be made to develop the In
dian along the lines Of natural aptitude and to
encourage the existing native industries peculiar
to certain tribes, such the various kinds Of
basket weaving, canoe building, smith work and
blanket work. Above all, the INDIAN boys and
girls should be given confident command Of col.
ioquial English and should ordinarily be prepared
for vigorous struggle with the conditions under
which their people live rather than fos immedt-
ate absorption into some more highly developed
community.
The officials who represent the government In
dealing with the Indians work under hard eondi-
lions and also under conditions which render 1t
easy to do wrong and very difficult to detect
wrong. Consequently they should be amply paid
| ucularly high standard Of conduct should be de-
manded from them, and where misconduct can b
proved the punishment should be exemplary:
In no department Of governmental work In re-
| cent years has there been greater success than
| In that OF giving scientific aid 10 the farming
population, thereby showing them how most en- .;
GENTLY to help themselves There 10 no need o.
insisting upon its importance, for the welfare Of
| the farmer Is fundamentally necessary to tbs
| welfare Of the republic as whole. In addition
| to such work quarantine against animal and
vegetable plaques, and warning against them when
here introduced, much efficient help has been rem.
dsrsd to the farmer BY the introdgstion q new .r
/ peculiar conditions existing In different portions
Of the country. New cereals have been established
IN the Semand west Sos instance lance tns prncGii
1 wheats in regions Of an annual rainfall Of only
| cen inches or thereabout has been conciusively
Through sa the e
| nce In this country has been made to about equal
the home demand. In the southwest the possihn'
ty Of regrassing overstocked range lands na: osea
| crops have been introduced, while In the east II
| has been shown that some Of our choicest frrnt'
| can be stored and shipped In such way ~ ID
| and profitable market abroad.
| again recommend to the favorable considera
ton Of the congress the plans OF the Smithsonian
Institution Tor ma5 a the museum mus I'm unasr y
| at the national capital not only records o. IN
vanishing races OF men, but OF the animals Of TIL
| continent which, like the buffalo, Will soon be
come extinct unIAss specimens from which thei
representatives mSv be renewed are sought
their native regfns and maintained tA<rs u
safety.
The District Of Columbia is the only part 0
our territory in which the national goyernmsn
exercises local or municipal functions and wher
In consequences the government has nee nan
in reference to certain types OF social ana eco
nomic legislation which must be essentially icca
or municipal in their character. The governmen
should see to 1t, for instance, that the nysieni.
| and sanitary legislation affecting Washington
OF high character. The evils OF sium dweinngs
whether in the shape OF crowded and congests
tenement house districts or Of the back aug
| Washington. The city should be model In ever
. respect for all the cities Of the country. IN
charitable and sOrestions ~. z, f hands
the congress to the end that they may emDoo
the results OF the most advanced thought In thet
industrial city, there is some industrialim her
, | and our labor legislation, while 1t would not
J important in itself, might be made model (
the rest OF %s the mDdTsrs M sby act or
r tr.ct Of Columbia, and We need sucn an scI
, | our navy yards Railroad companies In the Di
> trict ought to be required by law to block the
frogs. 49,.
e | lection os the lives and limbs OF railway en-
Effect on Aug. l, 1901. 1t has resulted In aver
a | ing thousands OF casualties. Experience show
\ | however, the necessity OF additional legislatte
passed the senate at the last session. It is to
Y hoped that some such measure may now De {
n acted into law.
It There is growing tendency to provide Tor =
r | publication Of masses of documents for Will
there Is no public demand and for the printing
; which there is no real necessity. Large numbe
: Of volumes are turned out by tne g0seLnnie
e Nothing Ghould be printed by any OF the oepal
r ments unless it contains so1ething Of permane
It value, and the CONGRESS It'd with advantage,
Il Il has now h,s~.n. visionary to provide.
d excessive c1., II -. eminent printing Is stro
,r arQurrer- s,-P:a< we ycs.tion Of those who Q
F. -, abstract grounds to advocate the &c
ID MEETS doing any work which can with pa
. rrie,y be left in private hands.
g Gratifying progress has been made during
8 year in the extension OF the merit system @ na
lie Ing appointments in tbs government service
', should be extended by law to the District q
m lunbia. It b much to be desired that our g
r enlaY system be established BY law on @
re nroyiding for appointment and promotion only
Re consequence Of proved fitness
al Hrough a wise provision Of the congress at
E. last session the White House, which bad becol
Of 6isheured by incongruous additions and chang
3 80 now been restored to what It was planned
b. Be by Washington. In making the restoratie
or The utmost care has been exercised TO come
p near as possible to thu early plans and to supp
Up ment these plans by Q careful study q 81
bufidings as that OF the University Of Virgin
e which was built by Jefferson: Inc wn' e ho s