The Washington herald., 1913-02-02

Jefferson's plan OF rectangular sections.
by the War Department. sales by the
Treasury. till in 1881 a Commissioner OF
the General Land Office was appointed.
and the entire business WAS transferred
TO the Interior Department on the lat
ter's foundation. The work continues
without abatement. Formerly the sur
veying WAS let to contractors, and the
results were often imperfect. Therefore
a plan OF testing Was adopted. an eN-
aminer going over and checking the
principal lines. But this required a fully
equipped surveying party: SO 1t was de-
Cided that the office with its strong
technical division could better do the
whole work. The new system has been
in operation two years. The survey and
plating Of 5000 square miles have been
accomplished at an estimated saving
over the old method OF s. Der mile, be-
sides a great advantage in time. An
average OF 10, OoO.0OO acres a year are sur
veyed and subdivided. Lands are dis
posed of through 1O3 district offices, each
under a register and receiver appointed
by the President. With their help set
tiers and purchasers make selections of
vacant lands. 1t is their duty TO see
that the requirements as to residence
under the free homestead law are COM
piled with. and the diverse laws per-
lands. desert or irr1Giblc lands. coal and
mineral lands. are obeycd, and TO settle
conflicting claims and contests Of entries.
or these there are many, resulting often
in formal hearings. with VOluminous
testimony and arguments by attorneys.
Appeals are taken to the Commissioners
at Washington. and again from his de-
cision 10 the final Judgment OF the Sec
retary. Through a corps OF inspectors
detected and prosecuted. and every pos
sibe effort is made TO prevent unlawful
appropriation OF valuable mineral and
| timber lands. The office force of the
Public Land Service is $50 and the field
force 30.
The policy of preserving for the public
| benefit lands mainly valuable for their
/ forests began in 1891, and by subsequent
| laws the Secretary Of the Interior was
| authorized TO establish such reservations.
define their limits, provide for their care.
protection from fire and trespass. the
sale of timber, &c. He committed the
immediate direction to the Commissioner
of the General Land Office, under whom
an extensive service Of forest rangers.
superintendents. and fire guards was
organized. But the growing interest in
the study OF forestry as science and
the training OF expert foresters, properly
1 I
culture, led the Secretary TO conclude
that the administration OF forest reser-
vatiOns should belong also to that de-
partment. Accordingly, on his recon-
mendation, they were so transferred in
lgJ5.
+ The Bureau OF Pensions has dispensed
to soldiers OF all our wars and their
widows and dependents four thousand
four hundred million dollars and nearly
teen hundred officials and clerks disburse
sl5O,OCO,OOO annually. in quarterly pay
ments. Formerly the payments were
made through eighteen agencies in diff
, ferent parts of the country, with a
troublesome system OF vouchers. re-
form has just been accomplished in the
. abolition of the agencies and payment
through the mails by checks. which, when
indorsed before witnesses, constitute suffi-
cient vouchers. The saving in expense,
labor and time. both to the Office and the
beneticiaries. is very great About 5,0o1
appeals from decisions of the Commission
e. OF Pensions are taken annually to the
Secretary OF the Interior. and disposed Of
through his Board OF Pension Appeals. The
highest number of pensioners on the rolls
at one time was 999.As, in 1902. The last
pensioned soldier of the Revolutionary
War died in 1863 at the age OF one hun
cupies the Pension Building, a noble en-
largement Cbut for the disfguring super
structure) OF the Farnese Palace Stand
ing forth in beautiful park. its court
has been a splendid setting for the in
augural balls. II the main structure
were raised by two or three additional
stories. this would be one of the grand
est buildings of the Capital, and would
house at a minimum cost the bureaus
of the department which are now
occupying rented quarters.
The Office of Indian Affairs is the me-
dunn for guarding the property inter-
estS and personal rights of the native
race. The governments attitude toward
the Indian, as eXemplified in treaties and
executive policies. has been strictly cor
rect and humane, the keynote being
peace and education. Its failures have
been due TO the fallibility of human in
struments, and the difficulties inherent
in the multiplicity of problems which
arise i'm administering real and personal
property OF every possible variety and
enormous valIe, and in training to civili-
zed life a large and scattered population
in every degree of advancement or back
Wardness.
Some of the matters this office deals
with arc: Management of lands of in
competent Indians so as to produce in
! guiding the owners to competence and
! industry; sale OF surplus lands of tribes
! and individuals and use of the proceeds
] for their best interests: development OF
unproductive lands by irrigation; pro-
! lection of forest lands and use and sale
| of timber; leasing OF coal and other min-
| eral and oil lands and the collection of
royalties and rents therefor ian i'm
mense business): general education and
Industrial training: sanitation and health;
prevention of the use of liquor and sup
preston of the traffic therein. The en-
ployes OF this service exceed 5000. The
last quarter century has been an era
of progress, and the Indians are gradu-
ally assuming their place among the
| citizens OF the States.
The Early DEVELOPMENTS.
The spread of population westward
away from the old centers of culture
] and the changed conditions in the
South after the war, showed the
iced Of an educational clearing hoGse