of success has
become more promising. The effort should be to save these Indians from
the consequences of their own mistakes and improvidence and to secure to
the real Indian his rights as against intruders and professed friends
who profit by his retrogression. A change is also needed to protect life
and property through the operation of courts conducted according to
strict justice and strong enough to enforce their mandates.

As a sincere friend of the Indian, I am exceedingly anxious that
these reforms should be accomplished with the consent and aid of the
tribes and that no necessity may be presented for radical or drastic
legislation. I hope, therefore, that the commission now conducting
negotiations will soon be able to report that progress has been made
toward a friendly adjustment of existing difficulties.

It appears that a very valuable deposit of gilsonite or asphaltum has
been found on the reservation in Utah occupied by the Uncompahgre Ute
Indians. Every consideration of care for the public interest and every
sensible business reason dictate such management or disposal of this
important source of public revenue as will except it from the general
rules and incidents attending the ordinary disposition of public lands
and secure to the Government a fair share at least of its advantages in
place of its transfer for a nominal sum to interested individuals.

I indorse the recommendation made by the present Secretary of the
Interior, as well as his predecessor, that a permanent commission,
consisting of three members, one of whom shall be an army officer, be
created to perform the duties now devolving upon the Commissioner and
Assistant Commissioner of Indian Affairs. The management of the Bureau
involves such numerous and diverse details and the advantages of an
uninterrupted policy are so apparent that I hope the change suggested
will meet the approval of the Congress.

The diminution of our enormous pension roll and the decrease of pension
expenditure, which have been so often confidently foretold, still fail
in material realization. The number of pensioners on the rolls at the
close of the fiscal year ended June 30, 1896, was 970,678. This is the
largest number ever reported. The amount paid exclusively for pensions
during the year was $138,214,761.94, a slight decrease from that of the
preceding year, while the total expenditures on account of pensions,
including the cost of maintaining the Department and