Page:Schurz Birthday 14.JPG

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14

foe of that which, in his judgment, seemed unwise in the policy of his party or the administration. It was in the Senate, the speaker declared, that Mr. Schurz first won the confidence and the affectionate admiration of all classes of his fellow-countrymen. With his presence there his career as a publicist of national reputation, and of constantly increasing strength, may properly be said to have begun.

In responding for “The Member of the Cabinet,” Mr. Welsh traced the course of Mr. Schurz as Secretary of the Interior under President Hayes, and dwelt especially on the reforms accomplished, through his efforts, in the administration of the Indian service, the preservation of the public forest lands, and in improvement of the methods of appointment of subordinates of the Department, in every class. The industrial education of the Indians, a work that is now thoroughly grounded and recognized as the chief factor in the solution of the Indian problem, was started at Mr. Schurz's instance. The practice of appointing and retaining competent reservation agents was practically unbroken during his term, and the improvement of general Indian conditions received an impetus, the effect of which has been of the highest permanent importance. The measures taken by Mr. Schurz for the care of the great Western forests and the prevention of depredations were to be counted as a second memorable achievement. The spoliation of these vast timber tracts had been