New Britain herald., 1922-12-06
Secretary of Interior Pre- pares Annual Rcport-Oil Lands Pay Govt. $7,sOO,- 900 in Royaltics--Indians Get Over $22,OOO,OOO.

Washington, Dec. 6.---Use and de-
 velopment of the country's natural re- sources under control of the interior
 department have contributed in great
 measure to national stabilization and
 prosperity, Secretary Fall declares, in
 llis annual report. Tho secretary. list .
 cd the more outstanding Of these con
 tributions as opportunities for home
 making upon public lands by return ed soldiers and other citizens; the discovery Of new oil fields; develop
 ment of existing fields and increasing production of oil and it's products:
 the exploitation Of coal deposits, and 1 the opening of mines in the western states.
 Incidentally, the interior secretary declared, these developments have re- suited in very substantial cash returns to the federal treasury and to the various states in which these mineral resources have been developed under leading laws.
 The outstanding administrative ac. complishment of the department dur. ing the fiscal year ended last June 30 was declared to be the reaching al- most of current work in both the land office and the pension office. The examination of final homestead proofs is current in the former office, situ- ation which has not existed for many years, the secretary said. This. he added, has already resulted in plac- ing in the hands of the people assets valued at more than $30,000,0 GOO and has been done without increase in force of that office and in the face of greatly increasing work.
 Reclamation Policy
 Wider extension of the reclamation policy in former arid lands of the west was recommended in the report, which showed that while funds were restricted for that work the achieve ments of the reclamation service jus tified the continuation of the reclama- tion policy. One new irrigation pro- iect was started despite lack-1of funds, and the total value of crops raised on reclaimed lands was estimated at more than $475,000,000. The bene- fits in the way Of making homes, in crease of food production and addi- ton to the national wealth by the re- clamation of lands make that work of great value in return to prosperity, the report asserted.
 Education of Indians, which falls to the lot of the interior department, has been greatly promoted. The at tendance at Indian schools for the past year was 5000 greater than in any previous year. A special effort to provide greater health facilities to the Indian through more hospitals and more extensive nursing service was made.
 13O,000 Pension Claims.
 More than 13e,00O pensions claims were disposed of during the year by the bureau of pensions, and 99,000 applications for pensions, the accumu- ation in March, 1921. were handled, | practically bringing that work up to late. The total number of pensioners on the rolls at the end of the fiscal year was 547,o16. being 19,037 less han the previous year. The amount lisbursed for pensions was s253,s07,- ,S3. Increasing efficiency in this ervice was attested to by the de- rease in the cost of adjudication and ayment.
 A record breaking number of ap- 'lications for patents in this country tas received by the patent office, nore than 113,500. This has caused reat need of increased office forces, ; nd if the increase in the work con- { nues at the rate of the past three