The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1874-06-18

Mr.. HPILLlPS. There wa no intention
10 make INV sucn ci-crJmIna ion. / have b
agreed to amend the bill IN that Iespsot. Il
Mr.. SHANKS. There NAV have teen no
Intention to disci inmate against the In liar :,
but this would work 4 great injury to the o
Indians. am opposed to taking . mans
properly, appra,irg at n cash value, ard &
then converting ihst cash into credit of six
years. o
But it il aaid that this is not properly OF J
the United States, bar properly of tie H.
dams. wish to know ty wha, authority {
you can come in and take another msns Z
property and aFprsise it at low raie against
him. G
Mr.. FORT. The Indians are satisfied
that the lands shall he sold on credit. '
Mr.. ShANKS. These notes are 10 run {
ON six years time after giving bonds 10 Sc
cure the timber, and all the expense to be !
incurred in this way is TO be taken out Of
the Indian fund, and We are told that after
all these expenses 1--we been tsken out of
the Indian fund the ! lance is to go to civ
ilize the Indians. w'rt know whether
after You have taken Their properly and used
it in this way, and put all tnis expen. e upon
them, in what condition they will he to ac-
cept civilization at your hands? What viii
the Indian understand to be the civi ization
of sc. of men who take his property ard
use it in this way, keeping it f,om him 10.
six long years?
Mr.. FORT. l. net the gentleman willing
that the Indisn, should pay their debts?
Mr.. SHANKS. II the e Indians are in
debt, where will they get the n oney to pay
their debts, il you withhold this money
from them for Fix long wears? II they are
in debt. Won rrolong the time wit in which
that deb, can be paid by this very act you
are pass ng, the effect OF which Is 10 deprive
the Indians of their p, operty.
Now, Mr.. Speaker, sill l 6e'ire to say
further is that do not wan u see this bill
pase. Toe gentleman from kansa, has told |
you that tie committee have d-iiberated
long and seriously upon this measure. SIR,
it is measure which really wrongs the peo-
pie who own this property. 1t is a wong |
measure. one absolutely wrong, AMI if the |
Committee on Public Lands do TO; under |
stand Indian matters any better than this, |
hope they will not attempt to bring any bill |
| 10 relation to Indian affairs before the House |
again.
Mr.. PHILLIPS. now yield FIVE min
| utes to nv colleague from kansas, Mr..
LOWE
ME- LOWE. Mr. Speaker. l desire to
| cay few words only upon thi. bill. III
thought the bill! would work any Injury Ell h.
| er to the Indians or TO the Government,
| should be very far from giving it my indor-e-
| ment. The recent facts IN reier,n to this
reservation and these lands are these: This
| tract Of land WAS set apart by tresty with
| he kanss 1nd,ai and reserved fer that
purpose. In the year 1872 bill pis ei Con-
gre,s authorizing the removal OF the Indians
to the Indian Territory ard providing for
| the lie of these lands. The Indians have
substantially been removed. II was provided
| by the act OF 1872 that the lasdI should he
| appraised at their actual value by board
| appointed by the Secretary OF the Interior.
Such board was appointed by the Secretary
Of the Interior and an apprsisemtnt IL the
land was made aud they were offs REQ
| for sale at that apprai iemtnt, To the high
est bidder on sealed proposals, except as
| to a small portion Of the lands which were
| in the occupation OF settlers. That occupa-
| ton BY the set era was with the consent OF
| the Indians who were then upon the l'nds.
| II wa. an occupation Of por ion OF the lands
not desired for use by the Indians. There
| w. entire amity ard harmony between the
Indis n, and the ss,.lers. Tne larger portion
| of these LANDS We're not then and are lot now
| at ali occupied by settlers. Bot the appraise-
| ment of tnt 81 lsnds was st :, high figure
that the settlers could Mt afford to purchss Sc
them at that price, ard when the lands were
| of, red at public aale on sealed bids they Were
appraised ;, high that very few lids for
| few tracts only amounted to the apprai.e-
ment. The fact il the appraisement WIS so
high tina, no body would buy the lands for
cash at the appraisement.
| This measure comes mo The House by
report made by the Secretary OF the Interior,
which WIS referred to the Committee on
the Public Lands. Instead Of asking tina,
there shall be a reappraisemento OF these lands
40 s. to have them appraised at low figure,
| this bill propo e. to give the purchaser the
/ opportunity to take the lands at the present
appraisement On time. 1t does not, "a the
| gentleman from lntiana seemed to imply,
postpone the payment of the whole purchase
money Tor six wears, but i; provides only a.
| to that portion of the lands already Cccupiei.
that payment shsll be in six instiilments,
one to he Pr d very soon. and the remaining
annually for FIVE years. 1t e not posip>ninc
the payment for long period, bl, oni7rro-
viding the payment 30 that portion s!.r
be paid now, and The remainder by iGsiil.-
\ me1ts hereafter
| Now, sir, 20 fer az tie provision in the
bill giving permission 10 the Secretary to re-
duce the rice 81 per mt. il concerned, do
Not consider it an important feature vt the
bill. The Secretary OF the Interior will not
90 anything to the prejudice of the Incians
| in that regard, and unleas he thinks that
equity and Justice requires 4 reappraisemsnt,
he will Bot permit it, but will have the lands
sold at the present appraisemen', and the
purchase-money paid in ins!allments. call
attention to the fact that while the lands
already occupied are to he psid Tor in ak
wears, the balance oi the lands are to oe paid
for in three years. II seems TO me
that the bill is in the interest both
of The settlers, the Indians, and the Govern-
ment. At the preser, sppia sement the
lands canuo, he sold. II you do not PISS
his or some Il nilar bill. they wi have 10
be reappraised at grea, sxpense ard put INFO
market, for they will not sell at the presen,
apprsiseuen,. They have been for sale ever
since 1872. wht iimss v ere letter than they
are now, but they were appraised so high
that NJ one would purchase them, and it Ia
for the interest of all parties concerned that
this bill shonld pass.
| Mr.. LOUGHRIDGE. / see that the last
section # the bill places all this fund in the
hands OF the Secretary OF the Int or, or
1 Z )uimhSiCESr OF ihUiSn Au1ir', aEu a'!iHOE-
iz-s him to dispose Of it at his own dIscre
| ton, "a he sees fit. Tha, to me ia a very
surpIi-iDg provision. II thee lands are
sold, the proceeds should be placed in the
treasury of the United States, and apirnpri-
a.ed by Congress a. all o,hsr rroc.eis Of the
sale of lsnds ere ppropriated.
Mr.. COBB, of Kansas. These are Indian
| lsnds
Mr.. LOUGHRIDGE. Then give the
proceeds 10 the Indians. This section pro
vid. tbs, the Secretary OF tie Interior may
| at his own discretion sppio iisie thu iund
AZ he Set ft.
Mr.. PHILLIPS Alow me to explain
moment, and ] will correct the error INFO
which the gentleman Seems tn have fallen.
Ths.e Indians are now in the Indian Terri |
tory, Oh land. not ye; paid for. The etnt,'-
man himself the other day had charge nf a
bill which appropriated $50 900 for the
| erection OF buildings ior these Indians. |
Til. fund, derived from the proc eds OF this |
land. is 10 be for the teasht OF the inditrs.
The section - which the gentleman refers |
was prepsiei by the Interior Department, !
and la. TO. bsen changed by tie conimltiee. |
Mr.. LOuGHEiDGE. The Fcc:ion 10
which | rf-r reads 8 ioiloSs:
TIL tthe net proceeds arisin. from such sa!fs. |
after delay log tie ex .nses OF appfai'-ieht anu
sale which lave b.en heretofore II m h~f. alter
be incurIe a-d also the outstsn ing indebtedneSs,