The Indian Territory south of Kansas and west of Arkansas is sufficient
in area and agricultural resources to support all the Indians east of
the Rocky Mountains. In time, no doubt, all of them, except a few who
may elect to make their homes among white people, will be collected
there. As a preparatory step for this consummation, I am now satisfied
that a Territorial form of government should be given them, which will
secure the treaty rights of the original settlers and protect their
homesteads from alienation for a period of twenty years.
The operations of the Patent Office are growing to such a magnitude and
the accumulation of material is becoming so great that the necessity of
more room is becoming more obvious day by day. I respectfully invite
your attention to the reports of the Secretary of the Interior and
Commissioner of Patents on this subject.
The business of the General Land Office exhibits a material increase
in all its branches during the last fiscal year. During that time
there were disposed of out of the public lands 13,030,606 acres, being
an amount greater by 1,165,631 acres than was disposed of during the
preceding year. Of the amount disposed of, 1,626,266 acres were sold for
cash, 214,940 acres were located with military land warrants, 3,793,612
acres were taken for homesteads, 653,446 acres were located with
agricultural-college scrip, 6,083,536 acres were certified by railroads,
76,576 acres were granted to wagon roads, 238,548 acres were approved
to States as swamp lands, 138,681 acres were certified for agricultural
colleges, common schools, universities, and seminaries, 190,775 acres
were approved to States for internal improvements, and 14,222 acres
were located with Indian scrip.
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