The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1883-12-06
INTERIOR DEPARTMEN +.
Secretary Teller's Report, Giving a FSsl
Exhibit Of the Indians and
Public Lands.

Public Lands.
THE INDIAN QUESTION
or the fifty. four pages OF Secretary Teller's
annual report, 20 are devoted to Indians, @ to
public lands, to patents, 2 each to educa-
ton and railroads.. and IL miscellaneously to
geological surveys. Alaska, Utah, Yellowstone
park, census, and government buildings Much
Of the matter presented on the Indian question
is threshed straw. It is interesting to note
that
The department has located an Indirn school
Lawrence. Kaus.. to be conducted on the plan of
Carlisle. Hampton and Forest Grove. The ctizns
Of Lawrence donated to the government for the
purposes of this school $50 acres OF choice land In
the immediate vicinity Of the city OF the cash value
Of something over $4,000. The buildings are
now in course of construction. and when COM
is desirable to increase their capacity to
500. School buildings at Chilocca, Ind.
T., and Genoa, Nebr., are about ready for occnpa-
ton The capacity OF each Of these schools Is $50
DEVILS LAX. Rosebud. aud 6sseton, Oak; Wash
axle. Wyo:; Wichita, Ind. T.: and Siletz. Greg.
Some of these are In course Of erection. Secretary
owes now. under ere Existing trestss ss25S 900 ior
Indian education. which government ought. but
has not paid. and urges that now when there 10
surplus Of revenue, is q good time to make an APP
preparation. OF the Indian tribunals OF three
bead men at each agency no adequate report Is
given. Crimes on reservations are yet without the
necessary legislation from congress-
The commissioner of Indian affairs again calls at
tention to the persistent attempts made by Payne
and others to invade the Indian Territory for the
purpose of settlement, aud recommends the enact
inent of 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 won,d command
better men. The commissioner Of Indian affairs
recommends that fund be placed at The disposal
of the department 10 pay the fees of homestead
entries by Indians. in which the secretary concurs
THE SIOUX RESERVATION. H.
After recounting the failure of the Sioux treaty
to meet the approval OF the senate, the secretary
continues:
whether the proposed payments are sufficient
must be determined from the value of the land and
the tenure under which it is held. 1t does not APP
from examination Of the treaty of 1868 that
it was the intention on the part of tho government
to recognize the whole of tina. vast tract OF land
called the Sioux reservation the property OF the
Sioux alone for it is provided that other Indians
might be settled on the reservation with the consent
oI aas the Tor ndans for e aoa
be taken for that purpose. 1t appears to
have been the purpose of the government in
reserving that vast tract to secure to each Sioux
Indian piece of land for his personal benefit: for
it is provided that the head Of a family should be
allowed to take not exceeding go acres, and
others less amount: out of the reservation these
smaller pieces were to be carved. The amount of
land stipulated to be given to the Indian iimore
than double the amount that is allowed citizens of
the United States to take under the settlement
laws. II is also provided in the treaty Of 1863
that If the tract reserved was not sufficient to
cure the required amount of land, other land
should be added. There is also provision
that any male Indian eighteen years
homestead sea Of 100 acres anywhere on public land
by residing on it for three years. II is further pro-
vided in the act of 1868 that. on the selection OF
land as aforesaid, the government will give to par
ties selecting the same seeds, agricultural imple-
ments, etc. to the value of 800 the first year, and
$25 per year for three years thereafter: and that
each person engaging in farming should receive
$50 per year. or 81 more than if he continued to
roam over the reservation: The treaty of 1868
provides that schools shall be maintained at gov
eminent expense for every thirty scholars: also
that should commence farming one good American
COW and one good, wel-broken pair of American
oxen. The treaty of 1876 provides that the
government should erect comfortable houses t9s
very evident that the great object in making the
treaty was to induce the Indians to settle on farms
and become farmers. But little. effort has been
made to comply with the conditions OF these
treaties on the part of the government I have
shown in another part of this report that there is
due the Sioux, under the provisions for the support
of schools, ST. ,491 600 The Indians have built
themselves on the reservation 2.519 houses. The
government should have constructed these houses,
which the indians have constructed substantially
without government aid.
CROOKS POLICY AssAuED.
The familiar facts of the Apache outbreak are
stated. and Gen. Crooks policy is thus commented
"Geu. Crook was given full charge of the police
of the reservation, for it was not thought to be
prudent to divide the responsibility of keeping
peace on the San Carlos reservation, and the de-
psrtmert was not willing to attempt to keep peace
with the prisoners Of war freed from military con-
troll. The condition is an anamalous one. and one
that cannot long continue 1t is quite certain that
the presence of the prisoners among the agency
Indians has been very demoralizing These In
dams are guilty Of murders and other crimes.
and subject to the laws OF Arizona and New
Mexico, where the crimes were committed. Gen.
Crook says that they were not promised immunity
for past offenses, but it is quite evident that they
returned withs the idea that they would not be
punished for the crimes committed. 1t does not
appear to be the duty OF the department OF the in,
terror to determine whether these offenders should
be punished or not. At this time they are prison
ers of war, in the hands Of the war department. Ii
possible they should be removed from the agency
to some point where there will be less danger Of
their escape, and where their evil influences WILL
not be felt by the more peaceab!y 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; but it is not thought
advisable to do SO without compromising the IL
dams for the land taken, for as before stated 1t
will be very difficult to make them understand that
they are not being robbed. Some compensation
should therefore be provided before the land is Sold
If the claims of tho prospectors should be found to
be correct-that is that they were in Ignorance OF
the boundaries of the reservation 1.-THE government
not having established boundaries)-they ought to
be allowed to derive some advantage from their
work, either by being allowed to purchase at re.
duced price or to lease for term OF years
The recommendations for the Grow and Black
feet reservations in Montana are as follows:
"This reservation is situated in the Territory OF
Montana and contains 1854 square miles, Or
4,713,OOO acres of land large part Of thsis unfit
These Indians should be. located on the Big Horn.
with suitable reservation for agricultural and
pastoral purposes, and the balance sold. At least
5000. 600 acres might thus be dlsposed OF: tesv-
ing the Indians sufficient agricultural lands to be-
come self supporting. if they desire to become
agrculturists, and sufficient amount of
grazing lands should they oo prefer ,b to
would be left would give nearly, if not quite, 600
acres of land to each individual member Of their
tribes The number Of Crows has been estimated
at SEQ; but il is quite certain that the number Is
much less, and probably not over $500 or 5000.
portion of the money realized for such sale
should be at once invested in herd for the tribes,
and cared for BY the en- until such e
their stock themselves. The proceeds, properly
used. would make the Crows self-supporting in a
few years at the farthest.
BLACKFEET RESERVATION.
"The number of Indians on this reservation is
about 1900. Until recently they have been able
to support themselves largely by hunting, but the
disappearance OF the buffaloes is likey to cause
great suffering amolg them during the coming
Writer and spring if an additional appropriation is
not made for them.
Inspector Howard reports from Fort Beknap,
on the 18th of October, 1885, that 'f.r the frat
failed to visit that region" Heretofore the buffalo
sna S sseus By the 1sn p sys
eminent, to give them fair support II the Indians
fail to secure buftaloes Is it is now quite
certain they will there Is great danger
of starvation among them. They must certainlv
starve unless they live off Of the stock in the vcin-
ity Of the agency but not on the reservation. If
the Indians are driven by hunger to kill the cattle
on the ranges belonging to herders who are right
fully in that section Of country. there will be great
danger of collision between the herders and the
Indians, and If such collision does not occur there
viii be great loss of property for the Indians viii
doubtless destroy moro than they use. These In
dians have a fine grazing country and some good
agricultural lands that can be utilized by irrigation
suitable appropriation should be made for their
immediate wants. and provisions made for stocking
the range with cattle, and they will become self
supporting from the growth Of such herds"