National Republican., 1883-01-24
BUZZARD FOR THE INDIAN.
A Brilliant Proposition to Saw Up Chippewa
Reservation,
And Peddle It Out by the Foot Board
Measurement.
The Lumbsmen Will Take the Turkey and Give Poor
Lo the Feathers,
A Vigorous Protest from the Red-slsinncd
Owners OF the Soil,


chiefs of the consolidated bands, Little Thun-
der and Leading Feather. The delegation
comes here to protest against the passage of q
bill introduced into congress by Representa-
tive Washburn of Minnesota, proposing
q consolidation of tribes located on a
half dozen reservations, and their re-
moval the White Earth reservation, which
is situated i'm the western part of the
state, north of the Northern Pacific railway
The bill in question makes provision for the
sale of the land embraced in the other reser-
walton, 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 3,200,-
600 acres, White Earth 100000 acres, and the
others named in the bill about 100000 acres
making something like 1000, 900 acres of land
which IL is designed to throw upon the market
Possibly 100000 or 100000 acres OF the
100000 could be used for agricultural pur-
poses, the remainder being pine lands, lakes,
and swamps.
Father Tomazin says that these Pine lands
are very valuable, and he is satisfied that tho
Washburn bill is scheme on the part of q
coterio of Minneapolis lumbermen to
GRAB A GREAT TRACT OF PINE LAND
for next to nothing. He says the Indians
have reason to think they are about to bo
made the victims of q conspiracy TO rob them
of their possessions, and in their behalf he
proposes to appeal to congress, Tho father
is very well recommended, 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 begging
expedition, and is paying his own way and
the expenses of the Indian chiefs rs well.
He is stopping with the Catholic fathers of
Georgetown college, and will probably re-
main in the city a fortnight.
In the course of an interview the mis-
sionary, who is bright, intelligent man, Of
French extraction, explained tho situation of
the Chippewas ut length "Tho bands on Red
Lake reservation number about 1900 souls,'
said he, "of which 700 have embraced the
Catholic religion. They are at peace with the
whites, and have always been peaceable and
well-bchaved people. They have lived on the
reservation a long whie, and do not want to
go away. They are willing, however, to sur
render large part of'their land, but they
want the proceeds invested for their exclusive
benefit, and not divided up among other In
dians who are not entitled to it. These Indians
are not burden upon the government. If an
appropriation Is mad6 for them, they derive
little, if any, benefit therefrOm, receiving no
supplies and very little attention from the
agent, who is stationed on White Earth reser-
walton, q long distance from Red lake. Tho
bands ON Red Lake reservation are practi-
cally ignored and left to take care of them
selves. 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 dis
contentcd. They say that the Sioux, whose
hands arc
RED WITH THE BLOOD OF THE WHITE MEN,
have houses, and clothing, and horses, and
cattle, and everything else they want in
abundance, while the Red Lake Chippewas,
whose hands are free from the stains of white
mems blood, get nothing. They cannot see
the justice of such treatment, and now, to
have their property taken away from them,
is an additional grievance. The men who are
pushing this scheme expect to get the valu-
able pine forests from the Chippewas for next
TO nothing. The section Of tho bill providing
for the sale Of the reservation lands authorizes
the appointment of commissioners to appraisc
and sell the same to the highest bidder for
cash only at not less than the appraised value
of the same, which shall in no case be less
than Sl.25 an acre, in tracts not exceeding
16O acres, to any one person whore the lands
are chiefly valuable for agricultural purpose
it is then provided that whore the lands
are chiefly valuable for their pines or other
valuable timber, the character of the lands in
all cases to be determined by the report of the
appraisers, the same shall be sold for cash, as
herein provided in tracts of not more than
100 acres, provided that no limit shall be
fixed as to the amount of this character of
land to be purchased by any one individual"
The father is Of the opinion that the $l25
minimum valuation applies only to agricul-
tural lands, and that there is nothing to pre-
vent the sale of the pine lands ut u dollar n
square mile to one person at one time, pro-
vided the lumbermen, who are said to be in
the deal, get their appraisers appointed. Alta
council of the leading men of the tribe q pro-
test was drawn up, signed, and approved by
tho chiefs headman, and braves. The docu-
ment, though couChed in somewhat rude Ian
guage, is to tho point and is given entire as u
SPECIMEN OF ABORIGINAL REASONING.
We, the undersigned, chiefs headmen. and
residents of the Red Lake Indian reservation in
Minnesota do hereby call the attention of con-
gtess 70 the following two points in Mr., WASH
burnes consolidation bill of February, 1882:
/. About the removal OF our people from this
reservation and their consolidation with the
White Earth Indians, on the White Earth reserva-
ton, as mentioned in section of said bill.
2, About the way how the funds arising from the
sale of tho lands on this reservation should be
used as laid down In section of said bill.
We hereby express our dlsapproVal OF these two
points for the following reasons:
l. Our people do moi want to move away from
this reservation, which has been their home for
great many years, ana to settle on the White
Earth reservation. There is no just reason why
we should be forced TO such removal We never
made such laws rs to force all the people Of Min.
neapos To move To 81, Paul Our reservation Is
large enough, so that we can sell large piece OF
u ana yet have suhiciont number of townships
for our perpetual reservation.
2, The funds arising from the sale Of the lands
on our reservation cannot under any preteXt
whatever be justly used Tor the benefit of the
people on White Earth after consolidation There
is no just reason that our large funds should be
used Tor the benefit of those who have no funds at
nll. The rich among the white people are never
forced TO divide their moneys with the poor, our
yearly payment was never consolidated with the
payment of the White Earth people. SO, we hope
that such injustice about our future funds ac-
coTding TO Mr. Wnshburn's bill viii not he doue
TO US, who have always been friendly toward the
white people.
At this time we may be allowed to lay before
congress the following propositions:
Ia bill may be Introduced in congress whereby
the government would be authorized 10 make Il
new treaty with us In which arrangements would
10 made for the sale Of the greater portion OF our
large reserve, excepting only n tract Of land ON
the south side Of Red Lake. including the place
called the Point with piece OF land on both
sides of Red Lake river, as far as Ihoef river,
which lands would make for the future ourper-
petual reservation.
3 The funds arising from the sale of that por-
ton ofour reservation shall be used only for the
Deneht OF those who own our present reservation,
aud are or may be settled on our reservation.
The protest is
SIGNED by THE FIVE CHIEFS,
Na-ga-ni-go Little Thunder), Wenitigo-shens
(Leading Feathcr), No-e-ta-wab Q4ittle
RoclS), i-kwa-mi-awa-nik Crooked ARM,
Ana-mie-gi-shig praying Day, eight head
men, and more than 100 braves.
Father Tomazin will lay the case of his
rcd-skinned constituents before the commit
tees ON Indian allhirs of the house and senate,
the secretary of the interior, and the Prosi-
dent, besides interesting individual mem-
bers of congress not on the COM
mittees named. He is satisfied the Red
4 I. ,,,s,.. ...,t. s..II L o.