Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-01-30
IT is A STEAL.

One of Washburn's Bills Relating to the
Red Lake Indian Reservation.-An Ex-
position of the Nature of the Measure by
Father Tomazin-The Conspiracy of Min
neapolis Lumbermen.
Washington Special (Jan. 24) to Boston Her
aid.
Father Ignatius Tomazin, a Catholic
missionary who has been with the Chippe-
wa Indians in northwestern Minnesota for
the past fifteen or twenty years, is in the
city, representing the Indians on the Red
Lake reservation. He is accompanied by
the two leading chiefs of the consolidated
bands, Little Thunder and Leading Feath-
er. The deputation comes here to pro-
test against the passage of a bill
introduced in congress by Repre-
sentative Washburn, of Minnesota, pro-
posing a consolidation of tribes located on
half dozen reservations, and their re
moval to the White Earth reservation,
which is situated in the western part of
the state, north of the Northern Pacific
railway. The bill in question makes pro-
vision for the sale of the land embraced in
The other reservations, and the investment
of the money arising therefrom for the
benefit of the entire population of White
Earth reservation, when all the tribes shall
have taken up residence there. Red Lake
reservation contains about 3, 100000 acres.
White Earth 100000 acres, and the
other named in the bill about 100000
acres, making something like 100000 acres
of land which it is designed to throw on
the market Possibly 100000 or 1,5OO,-
OO0 acres of the 100000 could be used
for agricultural purposes, the remainder
being pine lands, lakes and swamps. Fr.
Tomazin says that these pine lands are
very valuable, and he is satisfied that the
Washburn bill is scheme on the part of
coterie of Minneapolis lumbermen to
grab great tract of pine land for next
to nothing. He says the Indians have
reason to think they are about to be made
the
VICTIMS OF A CONS PIRACY
to rob them of their possessions, and, in
their behalf, he proposes to appeal to con-
gress. The father is very we'll recommend
ed, and brings letters of introduction which
will gain for him the attention of members
of influence in both houses of congress.
He is not on a begging expedition, and is
paying his own way and the expenses of
the Indian chiefs as we'll. He is stopping
with the Catholic fathers of Georgetown
college, and will probably remain in the
city fortnight. In the course of an in
terview, the missionary, who is BRIGHT in
telligent man of French extraction, explain
ed the situation of the Chippewas at length.
''The bands on Red Lake reservation
number about 1000 souls" said he,
:'of which 700 have embraced the Catholic
religion. They are at peace with the whites.
and have always been a peaceable and
well behaved people. They have lived on
the reservation long while, and do not
want to go away. They are willing, how
ever, to surrender large part of their
land, but they want the proceeds invested
for their exclusive benefit, and not divided
up with other Indians who are not entitled
to it. Those other Indians are not bur.
den to the government. If an appropria
ton is made for them, they derive little, il
any, benefit therefrom, receiving no sup
plies and very little attention from the
agent, who is stationed on White Earth
reservation, a long distance from Rec
Lake. The bands on Red Lake reservation
are practically ignored and left to take
care of themselves. They do not seriously
object to being let alone, but some of the
young men, who travel over into Dakota
once or twice year and visit the Sioux
| return
| VERY MUCH DISCONTINUED.
They say that the Sioux, whose hands
are red with the blood of the white man
have houses and clothing and horses an(
cattle, and everything they want il
abundance, while the Red Lake Chippewas
whose hands are free from the stain of the
white mans blood, get nothing. The.
cannot see the justice of such treatment
and now, to have their property taks1
away fromthem,is an additional grievance
The men who are pushing this scheme ex
pect to get the valuable pine forests from
the Chippewas for next to nothing. Thu
section of the bill providing for the sale
of the reservation lands authorizes thu
appointment of commissioners to apprais,
\ and sell the same to the highest bidder
for cash only, at not les
than the appraised value
which shall not be less than S1.2I
an acre, in tracts not exceeding 100 acres
to any one person, where the lands are
chiefly valuable for agricultural purposes
1t is then provided that the lands are
chiefly valuable for their pines or othel
valuable timber, the character of the lands
in all cases to be determined by the re
port of the appraisers; the same shall be
sold for cash, as herein provided, in tract:
of not more than 16O acres, provided thai
no limit shall be fixed as to the amount OF
character of the land to be purchased by
any one individual"
The father is of the opinion that the
$1.25 minimum valuation applies only tc
agricultural lands, and that there is nothing
to prevent the sale of the pine lands at 81
per square mile to one person at one time
provided the lumbermen (who are said tt
be in the "deal') get their appraisers ap
pointed. The lands are said to be worth
between $6,OO0,OoO and $1O,OO0,OOO.
A FRUGAL STATESMAN.
n,,o of nF1 a,