The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1883-11-29

The great area of available lands in the
Sioux reservation that is proposed to be
acquired by treaty with Indians, between
the Missouri river and the Black Hills,
has attracted the attention of numerous
people who are anxiously awaiting the
opening of that tract for settlement
The government has already submitted
the matter to two different commissions,
neither Of which has yet secured the nee
essary number of adult Indian signatures
for REIMBURSEMENT required by the treaty
heretofore made with the Indians, and
which OF course the government is bound
in good faith to keep inviolate. The first
commission only obtained the signatures
of the chiefs of the tribes while the treaty
req uired a majority Of the adult members
OF the tribes, and one of their number was
assigned to procure the required sigma
lures For reasons known to the depart
ment, subsequent commission was insti-
tuted, known as the Senatorial commits
sion. They have, during the recess Of
congress, visited tie different agencies and
counciled with the Indians and will report
at an early day the result of their labors;
and until whatever agreement that has
been made (if any with the tribes, has
been consummated and ratified by con-
gress, no person will be allowed to trespass
or squat within the reservation, and the
present indications are that the PROPOSE
ition on the part of the government un-
til changed, will not receive the sanction
of the Indians.
The area asked for by the commission
ers embraces tract between the Missou-
ri and the Black Hills of about eighty
miles in width, containing about eleven
million acres of land, and one of the prin-
cipal payments is that of $4,000 head Of
cattle Spot cash is what the majority of
those buck warriors want, and they claim
that Uncle Sam is already adellnquent on
former promises to furnish COWS, which
were not forthcoming, and they also say
that the roll bearing the cross marks of
those purporting to be adult male mem
bers of the tribes, contains the names of
children from the ages of fourteen years
downward to papooses. AS to the truth
of these assertions we of course know
nothing, but that the necessary consent Of
the tribes to relinquish their rights to
any portion of the reservation has not yet
been obtained, is we believe generally con-
cedcd.
We were favored with an interview with
Bishop Hare, whose long residence among,
and extended acquaintance with the In
dians, has made him familiar with their
natural wants and disposition. He in
forms us that he has always been in favor
of the Indians yielding a part, as the
white man needs or progress demanded,
whatever claim they have to reservation
lands, and to stand aside for the emigrant
and those who come to occupy the land
for homes and developement. The charge
that he had endeavored to prevent those
interested from securing the consent Of
the Indians to relinquishing the tract de-
sired by the government commission, is
he pronounces without foundation.
Knowing the Indian character, their de-
sire for revenge and extreme sensitiveness,
and their liability to commit ourages upon
the whites if exasperated, and believing
that an Indian scare would do more to-
ward retarding the settlement of immi-
grafton to Dakota than any other occur
renee, and being apprised of the fact that
the crossmarks of many children had been
procured under deception to the proposed
treaty in place Of adult males, and also
knowing that some Of the prominent lead
ers Of the bands have made improvements
and locations that for an Indian involves
in his crude judgement sacred right and
one not to be reluctantly surrendered Tor
a song, he thinks thata treaty in which
the Indian can smell no fraud and believe
to be fair, is the only one that will be OBJ
tanned and will prove beneficial tothe gov
ernment and to the white settler: