Gilpin observer., 1905-12-14
LAND and TIMBER
SECRETARY OF INTERIOR SAYS
THEY ARE BEING WASTED.
ARID LAND RECLAMATION
Would Retire Superannuated Clerks.
Increased Land SaIes-large Dis
Bursements for Pensions.

Bursements for Pensions.
Washington.-In his annual report
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 1, 1908, the number of en-
ployes of the department in Washing
ton aggregated 4,166, of which number
1853 were between SO and SO 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 a law
under suitable conditions OF aged gov
ernment employees.
1.-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 a healthy public
sentiment in the localities involved and
throughout the country that the law
must De computed WIN.
Great progress has been made in
the administration of the act of June
12, 1902 (32 Stat. L., 3SS), known as the
reclamation act. Twelve projects are
now under process of construction, and
number Of others have been approved
with a 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 communication 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| selves, and unless they are repealed or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 SUBJ
/, 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 it 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.
| NJ ctir LOT ant
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 to 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 are
i 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, n type of sO-called private enter
prise which is not merely seeking le-
gitimate investment, but is endeavor-
ing to fasten upon the country a water
and land monopoly with the view OF
building up a tenantry population SIM
liar to that existing in the older coun-
tries of the world.
! There were disposed of during the
fiscal year ended June 80. 1905, public
lands aggregating 17,056,G22.27 acres,
classified as follows: Cash sales, L.
4 q xt,;.,
bracing homesteads, land warrants,
scrip locations. state selections, swamp
lands, railroad and wagon road selec-
tions. Indian allotments, etc, 15,332,-
424.O1 acres, and Indian lands IT,
1869 acres, showing an increase of
$50. .S0002 acres as compared with the
aggregate disposals for the preceding
fiscal year.
"The disbursements for pensions
from July l, 1890. to June 80, 1865. were
$96.445,, ,,444.23. Since 1865 the disburse.
ments for pensions were $3.224 ,414,-
57S.75, and for cost of maintenance and
expenses $103,219. .133.7S, or u total OF
S3,327 ,633, 712, ,53, baking the entire cost
of the maintenance of the pension sys-
TEN since the foundation of the govern
ment, $3.424,0!9,156.76. This is exclu-
sive OF the cost of the establishment
of the various soldiers homes and OF
bounty, land warrants granted, amount
ing to nearly 69,000,000 acres.
"The present system of examining
applicants for pension is most uncer-
tain, expensive and unsatisfactory
method, the system being liable to out.
side control and political dictation, and
generating an enormous amount OF DO.
litical friction"