Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-18

When WSlI the Lands Come Into Market (:
To the Editor st. Paul Globe:
This question is almost everywher,
asked by people seeking new homes. It il
believed by many that the treaty with tn,
Indians there expires next July, leaving
that vast tract of rich lands to come into
the market for prescriptions. when duly
surveyed. This is mistake. The treaty
does not expire, neither will any of those
lands be open for presumption by virtue OF
any suspension or annulment of annuity
to those Indians. The treaty secures the
reservation to them as permanent possess
ion without respect to time or contingent
cies. In 1872 the Sioux sold to the gov
eminent vast tract of land in Dakota.
comprising all the region through which
runs the Northern Pacific railroad, the
Jim River valley, extending over not less
than 100000 of acres. The sum agreed
upon was 100000, to be paio in annual
installments for term of ten years, to be
about equally divided between the DEVILS
Lake Indians and the Sissetons.
The time expires next July. The fulfill
ment of this contract on the part of the
government by no means transfers the
Sisseton reservation to the government.
Prior to this sale, these very Indians 1.-THE
Sissetons), had, in 1867, by virtue of the
treaty, reserved so much for themselves
about a million acres, constituting the Sis
seton reservation, as perpetual residence
for themselves and children, and children's
children from generation to generation.
Hence the land is theirs after next July,
the same as before, and cannot legally nor
rightfully be occupied and possessed by
the whites except By purchase from the lie :
Ultimate owners.
It will be remembered that the Sissetons
were our defenders during the terrible
massacre of 1862; which favor the govern
ment recognized in the wording of the
treaty. They have been peaceable and or
derby ever since. They have made rapid
progress in civilization, and are fast verg-
ing into self-sustaieing citizenship. But
there is a neglect somewhere in respect to
securing patents for farms. But a very
few have them. They aver that poor en-
couragement has been given them; that
the general government has not promptly
attended to their applications; that
they are put of, and put
off under pretentious excuses;
that their rights are not respected. Hence,
the witnesses in regard to this all-impor-
tant matter. The real facts should be in
vestigated, and the Indians enc ouraged to
secure farms and homes to themselves,
which no trespasser can invade or steal
away. If they do not avail themselves of
the chances and speedily, too, nothing is
palmer than that their wild and idle lands
will, by some construction OR change in
law, be swallowed up by the whites. The
very destiny of American civilization de-
crees that every acre of land in our con-
tinental country will and must be occupied
and cultivated. If such lands remain I'M
furrowed few years longer, powerful
pressure will be brought to bear upon the
government at Washington, demanding
the opening up of that territory to oc-
cupancy by the whites. Cannot our Indian
brethren sense this fact; and, sensing it,
will they not hasten to avert calamity
impending over them? ALREADY PROPOSE
ton is on foot to remove the Indians scat
tered upon different reservations to one
reservation. Any one can see that this is
not benevolence but a covert plot on the
part of land spectators to seize those
lands and grow fat in speculations. This
would be most cruel and unjust to our In
dian friends who are very much attached to
their Coteau homes and are struggling to
do their very best to hold and improve
them. The prevailing sentiment among
the whites who sympathize with the Indi-
ans and are helping them forward, is, oc
cupy and cultivate these wild lands. Be-
come component parte of our citizenship
by such possession,and find your rights in
a common law and common constitu-
ton.
Our Indian friends, however, begin to real
ize the situation more studiously than ever.
They are not numerous enough to occupy
the whole, we're each to secure a patent.
Under the circumstances they are already
discussing the feasibility and necessity of
selling off an unoccupied strip of land to
the whites, the better to maintain them
selves. This arrangement would obvious
ly contribute to mutual advantage, social
ly fortify them against the encroachment
of spectators and more rapidly advance
them in the industrial arts.
]. o. BARRETT.
Il NeW R0tltc0y.