The state herald., 1905-12-15
LAND AND TIMBER
SECRETARY OF INTERIOR SAYS
THEY ARE BEING WASTED.
ARID LAND RECLAMATION
Would Retire Superannuated Clerks.
Increased Land Sales-large Dis
Bursements for Pensions.

I
| the secretary of the interior says:
MANY branches of the service have
suffered by reason of the growing in
capacity of some of the clerical force,
for which there is no adequate rem.
edy without doing injustice in many
cases. July /, 1903, the number of en-
ployes of the department in Washing
ton aggregated 4,166, of which number
75S We're between so and 50 years Of
age, and $40 were 60 years and over.
Some provision should be made to
meet existing conditions, and this can
be effected by the massage of law
| providing for the retirement from duty
under suitable conditions of aged gov
ernment employees.
THE vigorous manner In which tres
pass upon the public timber and unlaw-
full Enclosures of the public domain are
being investigated and the offenders
| punished Is creating n healthy public
sentiment in the localities involved and
throughout the country that the law
must be complied with.
Great progress has been made in
the administration of the act of June
12, 1902 (32 Stat. L., 1881, known as the
reclamation act. Twelve projects are
now under process of construction, and
a number of others have been approved
with view to future construction.
"One of the most conspicuous facts
that has been developed by the So
called land fraud and investigations is
that the timber and stone act, the des-
ert land act, and commutation clause
of the homestead law are the conven.
lent handmaidens of crime; that they
have afforded the most effective means
for the conspirators with which we
have had to deal TO fraudulently trans
fer the title of the public do
main from the government to them
selves, and unless they are repealed or
materially modified or amended sub.
stantially as heretofore repeatedly rec
commended in my annual reports and
by The public lands commission, they
will continue to constitute the most
dangerous menace to the integrity OF
the public domain.
THE policy, to which attention was
invited in the last annual report, OF re.
Quiring able-bodied Indians to labor for
their own support, and Of Withholding
rations from all but the sick and indi.
gent, has been strictly adhered to and
is becoming more and more popular
with the mass of Indian adults, since
they realize that II provides direct and
tangible pecuniary benefits to all who
will avail themselves of the opportu.
mites offered for self.help.
THE operations under the reclama.
ton act have stimulated development
OF the West In many lines and have
aroused private enterprise TO take up
similar work. Experience has shown
that there are many localities where,
owing 10 the complications OF vested
rights and partial development Of the
country. such private enterprise can
conduct the work of reclamation TO bet
ter advantage than can the govern.
ment. On the other hand, there arc
many localities where. because of In
terstate problems or the magnitude OF
the work. only national agencies can
bring about the best development. The
work of the government Is being con.
Quoted In harmony with all such en-
terprises, whether under private. cor.
porate or state control There is, how.
ever. type of so-called private enter,
prise which Is not merely seeking le'
gitimate investment. but Is endcavor
ing to fasten upon the country water
and land monopoly with the view OF
building up tenantry population sim.
liar to that existing In the older coun'
tries OF the world.
of t.sHi. ha
fiscal year ended June 30. 1905. public
lands aggregating l7.056.622.27 acres,
classified as follows: Cash sales, L.
6i6,65l.57; miscellaneous entries, en-
bracing homcstcads, land warrants.
scrip locations. state selections. swamp
lands, railroad and wagon road selec.
tions. Indian allotments, etc. l5,332,.
i2i.0i acres, and Indian lands, a.
5iG.69 acres. showing an increase OF
G50.s00.02 acres AS compared with the
aggregate disposals for the preceding
fiscal year
"The disbursements for pensions
from July |, 1880. TO June 30, 1865. were
sg6.ii5.,i .,iii.23. Since 1865 the disbursc,
ments for pensions were s3.22i.Iii..
57s.75. and for cost OF maintenance and
expenses Si03,2i9.l337S, or total OF
s3.327 .G33.7 3.7l2, SO, baking the entire cos,
OF the maintenance of the pension sys.
ten since the foundation of the govern.
ment, S3.i9I. .07g. 1866. This Is exclu.
slve of the cost OF the establishment
OF the various soldiers homes and OF
bounty. land warrants granted. amount.
Ing to nearly 6g.0OO.000 acres,
THE present system Of examining
applicants for pension IL most uncer,
tain, expensive and unsatisfactory
method. the system being liable TO out.
side control and political dlcta,ion. and
generating nm enormous amount OF po,
ntlcpl friction"