The Dickinson press., 1883-12-08
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT T.
Secretary Teller's Report, Giving a Full
Exhibit OF the Indians and
Public Lands.
THE 1NIIAN QUESTION.

pubic lands, ) to patents, = each to eluca-
ton and rain. ads, and ~ miscellancous!y to
geological surveys, Alaska, Utah, Yellowstone
park, census. and government buildings. Much
of the matter presented on the Indian question
is thresllel straw. 1t is interesting to note
that
The department has located an Indiru school a
Lawrence. Hans, to be conducted on the plan of
Carlisle, Hampton and Forest Grove. The citiz;ns
of Lawrence donated to the government for the
purposes OF tins school $50 acres of choice land in
the mnls.iiatc vicinity of the City. OF the cash value
of something over 100000: The buildings arc
now in course OF construction, and when COM
p!cted Will accommodate about. $40 children. Ii
IS aesiraole 10 increase their CAPACITY, &c
500. School buildings at chilocca, Ind,
T., and GrMol, Nebr. are about ready for occnpa-
lion. The capacity oil each of these schools is $50.
1t is ~proposel to establish boarding schools a,
Deyil,s Lax. Il ,sebnl, aud Sisseton; OAK; Wash
Some OF these are in course OF erectioa. Secretary
Teller reminds the country that the United States
owes now, under existing treaties, S3.256 900 for
Indian education, which government ought. but
has not paid. and urges that now when there is a
surplus OF revenue, is n good time to make an APP
propriatioE. OF the Indian tribunals OF three
head men at each agency no adequate report is
gwen. Crimes on reservations are yet without the
necessary legislation from congress-.
The commissioners of Indian affairs again calls at
tention to the persistent attempts made by Payne
aud others to invade the Indian Territory for the
purpose CT settlement, and recommends the enact
lment OF 4 law adding IMPRISONMENT TO the fine now
provided for. in which the secretary concurs. The
increase of Indian agents salaries is recommended
on the ground that better pay would command
tIettcr men. The commissioner of Indian affairs
re sco Pm that a fund be placed at the disposal
entries by Indians, in which the secretary concurs.
THE SIOUX RESERVATION.
After accounting the failure of the Sioux treaty
TO meet the approval of the senate, tho secretary
continues:
Whether the proposed payments are sufficient
must he determined from tho value of the land aud
the tenure under which it is held. 1t does not an
1t was the intention on the part of the government
10 recognize tho whole of that vast tract of land
sailed lle Sioux reservation as the property OF the
Sioux alone, for it Is provided that other Indians
might be settled on the reservation with the consent
OF the Indians thereon; no provision is
m for compensation for The land to
have boen tine purpose of the government in
rescrvins that vast tract 20 secure to each Sioux
Indian a piece of land for his personal benefit: for
:, is provided that the head of Il family should be
allowed 10 take not exceeding 800 acres, and
others a less amount: out of the reservation these
smaller pieces were to be carved. The amount of
land stipulated to be given TO the Indian is more
than double the amount that is allowed citizens of
the United States to take under the settlement
laws. IL is also provided in the treaty of 1868,
that if the tract reserved was not sufficient tn Sc
cure tho required amount of land, other land
should be added. There is also a provision
that any male Indian eighteen years
VI aye. VI Slu iTiDes, uiiy lahB q
homestead of 100 acres anywhere on public land
by residing on it TOR three years. 1t is further pro-
vided in tho act OF 1865 that. on the selection of
land as aforesaid, the government will give to par
ties selecting the same seeds, agricultural impie-
,nents. etc. 10 the Value OF 500 the first year, aud
T2J per year Tor three years thereafter: anG that
each person engagins in farming should receive
$40 per year, or $40 more than if he continued to
roam over the reservation. The treaty of s q
provides that schools shall be maintained at gov
eminent expense for every thirty scholars: also
thnt tlo Tr,i.oj Ctotoc yro,,I1 fi1rpi.b "a, annj, Sa r,;lu
that should commence farming one good American
COW and one good, well broken pair of American
oxen. The treaty of 1876 provides that the
government should erect comfortable houses for
suc! of the Intiians as should desire TO farm. 1t is
very evident that the great object in making the
treaty was to induce the Indians to settle on farms
made 10 comply with the conditions of these
treaties Oh the part of the government. I have
shown in another part of this report that there is
of schools, Hl.i9l, 800. The Indians have built
themselves on the reservation 2,o19 houses. The
government should have constructed these houses,
which the Indians have constructed substantially
without government aid"
CROOKS POLICY AssAII.ED.
The familiar facts of the Apache outbreak arc
stated. ana Gen. Crooks policy Is thus commented
Gen. Crook was given full charge of the police
Of tho reservation, for it was not thought to be
prudent to divide the responsibility of keeping
leace on the San Carlos reservations, aud tile de-
partluert was not wiling to attempt to keep peace
with the prisoners Of war freed from military con
tro!. Tho condition IS all anaMalous one. aud one
that cannot long coutinlie. II Is quite certain that
the pre- soilce of the prisoners among the agency
Indians has been very deinoraliziDg. These H.
dams are guilty of murders and other crimes,
and subject 10 the laws of Arizona and New
Mexico. where the crimes were committed. Gen.
Crook says that they were not promised immunity
for past oifenses, but it is quite evident that they
returned with the idea that they would not be
punished for the crime committed. l: does not
appear to he the duty OF the department of the in
terior 10 determine whether these offenders should
be punished or not. At this time they are prison
ers OF war. i'll the hands of the war department. If
possible they should be removed from the agency
to some point where there Will be less danger of
their cscape, and where their evil influences will
not be felt by the more peaceably disposed of the
tribe"
In regard to the valuable coal lands found in the
San Carlos reservation, Secretary Teller says: 1T
is competent for the president by executive order
TO reduce the reservation, and thus throw the coal
fields out of the reservation: Dut it is not thought
advisable To do SO without colnpensating the lii
dians for the land so taken, for, rs before stated, it
will be very difficult to mako them understand that
hey are not being robbed. Some compensation
should therefore be provided before the land is sold.
II the claims of tho nrospectors should bc found to
DO correct-that il. that they were i'll Ignorance of
HE boundaries of the reservation (the government
not having established houndaries}-they ought 10
bo allowed 10 derive some advantage from their
work. either b. being allowed to purchase at q re-
duced rrlce or 10 lease for a term of years"
The recommendations for tho Crow and Black
lcpL itSsEstLiollSl III ilcllutltb w ~
This reservation is situated in the Territory OF
Montana and contains 1864 square miles, or
4,713,O0o acres of land. Aiarge part of thisis unti.
for cultivation. but the very best of grazing land.
These Indians should be located on the Big Horn,
with Il suitable reservation for agricultural and
pastoral purposes, and the balance sold. AT least
5000 900 acres might thus be disposed of, leay-
ing the Indians sufficient agricultural lands to be-
come s.lf-supportine, if they desire TO become
~ ien.turisis. and a sufficient amount Of
BECOME s:oek-raisers. The 1~,7l3,oo0 acres thai
would he left would give nearly, If not quite, COO
acres of land TO each individual! member OF thell
tribes. Tho number Of Crows las been estimated
at3,3UO: but is is quite certain that the number II
much less, aud probably not over $500 or 5000
A portion of the money realized for such sale
should be AT once invested in 4 herd for the tribes
and cared for BY the government until such time a:
the Indians shall be prepared to accent and care to
their stock themselves. The proceeds, properly
Used, would make tue Grows sett-supportlng IN
few years at the %farttlest.
BLACKFEET RESERVATION.
1.-THE number If Indians on this reservation is
about IL, 600. Unti! recently they have been abl,
to support themselves largely by hunting, bu. til,
disappearance OF the butfaloes is likely to caus.
great suffering amo1g them during the comm.
winter and spring If an additional appropriation i
LOT made for them.
Inspector Howard reports from Fort Belknap.
on the ! 9TH of October. 1883. that for the first
time in the history of the agency the buffalo has
meat and hides secured By the Indians have been
sufficient, with the limited aid given by the gov.
ernment, to give them fair support. LII the Indians
fail to secure %hut1aioes, as it is now quite
certain they will. there is great dang II
Of starvation among them. They must certaini
starre unless they live off OF The stock in the yicin-
i'y of the agency, but not on the reservation. If
the Indians are driven by hunger to kill the cattle
OIL the ranges belonging to herders who are right
fully in mat section OF country, there will be great
danger of a collision between the heriers and the
Indians, and if such collision does not occur there
will be Il great loss of property, for the Indians viii
doubtless destroy more than they use. These Iu-
tliaN S Ia Va n flpa 1raZjnp cpuntrr and soma upn1
agricultural lands that can be utilized by irrigation.
a suitable appropriation should be made for Their