Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1883-12-05

othot Va Vic Abuinu tCIIlkOIy
the privilege OF grazing cattle on the re.
SCI walton Of said Indians, BY paying
therefor two cents per acre per annHm,
applied to the department to have their
leases or agreements approved by the
department, and to be put In possession
OF the lands included in said Leases or
agreements. 1t was understood that
quite large amount and nearly all the
lands 20 occupied by the Cheyenne. and
Arapahoes we're included in such leases
or agreements. II was urged by the
parties desiring the approval of such
leases or agreements that the Indians
could derive large revenue from the
use OF the lands. and be otherwise bene-
fitted by such occupation. I did not find
authority for the making Of such leases
or agreements by the Indians, or BY the
department, and therefore declined to
approve them, and informed the parties
that saw no objections to allowing the
Indians to grant permission to Craze cat
tie on their reservation at fair and rea.
sonable terms; tnat the authority to so
occupy must be given by the tribe, and
not an individual member, and the whole
tribe must participate in the benefits
thereof; that the department would not
feel called Oh to remove the occupants
under such leases or agreements, provid-
ed the Indians made no complaints and
the department was satisfied that the
Indians were properly treated; that the
parties and their employees conformed
strictly to the statutes and rules of the
department with respect to the inter-
course laws with reference to the intro.
duction Of liquors, firearms, ANN unition,
&C.; that the department would. when 1t
appeared to be desirable for the public
interest to do so. exercise its right of su.
pervlsion to the extent of removing all
occupants. without reference to such
leases or agreements, on such notice as
might be right and proper under the cir.
cumstances; and that all parties. in &C.
cepting such agreements from the Indi.
conditions and to the future action of
congress.
1t is undoubtedly to the interest of
the Indians to allow parties to Craze cat
tie on their lands, if a fair price is paid
for such privileges, as it will in time be-
come source of considerable revenue to
them, and will familiarize them with the
care OF stock. It is believed that the
owners OF herds would soon find it to
their interest to hire Indians to herd
SASAt CVOSAs 0bA Guu6 ouOlucI 6OulCo VI
revenue would be opened to them. Had
| agreements, it would doubtless have
been the duty of the department to col.
lect from the occupants the money to be
paid under the terms of such leases or
agreements, and such money so collect
ed would necessarily 90 into the treasury
| of the United States. The Indians,
| having assumed the right to lease the
lands, would not readily submit to have
the money paid to the department and
put IN the treasury, although such fund
might be subsequently used for their
benefit. 1t will be impossible in the
present condition OF affairs to prevent
contiicts between rival claimants for the
privilege of grazing on Indian lands
within the Indian territory without leg.
lslation. Congress should provide some
system by which the unoccupied lands
can be leased by the tribe or the depart.
ment for the benefit of such tribes, and
the money expended for the tribe with.
out covering it into the treasury.
CASH ASNu1TIEs TO INDIANS.
During the year there has been paid
to Indians. in cash, about 100000, as in
tersst on Indebtedness to them. The
practice of paying cash to the Indians il
a perniclous one, for as a general rule
the money is expended for useless. il
BOT injurious, articles, and ought to be
discontinued.
INDIAN HoMEsTEADS.
The commissioner of Indian affair
recommends that q fund be placed at the
disposal of the department to pay thu
fees Of homestead entries by Indians. IL
this heartily concur. 1 think when ar
Indian will settle on land, intending t.
make it his home, he ought to be encour
aged IN so doing.
i THE GREAT SIOUX RESERVATION.
This reservation, including the agencie,
of Cheyenne River, Lower Brule, Stand
ing Rock, Pine Ridge and Rosebud, con
tains. according to the report Of th.
commissioner of Indian affairs for 1882
1924 square miles, with q population o
about 1000 inbabltants. or about to
square miles. The total number of acre.
cultivated on said reservation were 3,48a
or about 5A square miles. The ianc
J claimed as cultivated CONSISTS of small
and badly.cultivated fields, aud the mos
of it can scarcely be considered as cult
vated land.
The Forty-seventh congress provided
in an act making appropriations for sun
dry civil expenses Of the government 70
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1883, an,
for other purposes, 40 follows:
For this amount, or so much thereo
as may be necessary to enable the secre
tary of the interior to negotiate with th
Sioux Indians for such modification Q
existing treaties and agreements Wit
! said Indians as may be deemed desirable
, by said Indians and the secretary of til
J interior. five thousand dollars; but an
, such agreement shall not take effect uu
til ratified by congress-: Propided, hot.
) euer. That if any express condition tha
\ the United States shall only dispose {
! the same to actual settlers under the pro
Approved August z, 1882.
Under this provision commissioner
!. were appointed to confer with the Ii
e dians and report to congress for ratifica
I tiop. On the lst of February the CON
a mission reported, by which it appear
' that the Indians of the several agencie
, above mentioned had agreed to cede
9 the United States about $4,000 squal
8 miles on the following conditions:
r Art. III. The said Indians do hereh
r reilnqaish and cede to the United State
s all of the great Sioux reservat,on-as r,
e served to them by the treaty of 1876
u nud modified by the agreement Of 1876
b not bereiu specifically reserved and O.
e apart rs separate reservations for thet
The said bands do severally agree to q
l cept aud occupy the separate reserv
= tions to which they are herein assignt
as their permanent homes. and they Z