The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-11-27

IN what manner ana 10 what extent tno INDIANS
upon the reservations can be placed under the
protection OF our laws and subjected To thclf
penalties, and which. il any, Indians should be
Invested with the right of citizenship. The
powers and functions OF the commissioners In
regard to these subjects should DE clearly de-
fined, though they should. in conjunction with
the secretary of the interior, be given all the an-
thority To deal definitely with the ques-
tious presented, deemed safe and consistent.
They should also be charged with the duty OF
asccrtain;ng the Indians who might properly he
furnished with implements OF agriculture and
of what kind: in what cases the support or the
government should be withdrawn: where the
present plan of distributing Indian supplies
should be changed; where schools may be es-
tablished and where discontinued: the conduct,
methods and fitness Of agents in charge OF res
eryations; the extent TO which such reserva-
lions are occupied or intruded upon by every UNI
authorized person, aud generally all matters
relative TO the welfare and management OF the
Indians. They should advise with the secretary
of the interior concerning these letters of detail
in management, and he should be given power
To deal with them fully. If he Is not vested
with such power, this plan contempiates the
selection of persons for commissioners who arc
interested III the Indian question, who have
practical ideas on the subject of their treatment.
The expense of the Indian bureau during the
last fiscal wear was more than S6, 800, 900. i be-
lieyc much of this expenditure may be saved
under the plan proposed: that It's economical
effects would be increased with It's continuance:
that the safety of our frontier settlers would
be subserved under its operation. and that the
nation would be saved through its results from
the imputation of inhumaniLy, injustice and
mismanagcment. In order To carry out the pol
Icy OF allotment of Indian lands in severalty
and when deemed expedient, 1t will be necessary
tn have surveys completed of the reservations,
and i hope that provision will be made for tho
prosecution OF this work. In May of the pres
cnt year a small portion Of
THE CilEICAHUA APACHES,
on the White Mountain reservation III Arizona,
left the reservation and committed 4 number of
murders and dcpredations upon the settlers in
that neiGhborlood. Though prompt and encr-
getic action was taken by the military, the rene
gades eluded capture and escaped into Mexico.
The formation OF the country through which
these Indians paSsed the speed OF their escape
and the manner in which they scattered and
concealed themselves among the mountains
near the scene of their outrages-put our soldiers
nj a great disadvantage In their efforts to cap
ture them, though the expectation IL still enter
tanned that they will be ultimately taken and
punished for their crimes. The threatening and
disordcriy conduct of the Cheyennes OF the
Indian Territory last summer caused consider
able alarm and uneasiness. Investigation proved
that their threatening attitude was due, in a
great measure, to the occupation of the land Of
the reservation by immense herds OF cattle,
which their owners claimed were rightfully
theirs, under certain leases made by the Indians.
Such occupation appearing, upon examination,
to be unlawful, notwithstanding these leases,
the intruders were ordered to remove with their
cattle from the lands of the Indians by executive
proclamation. The enforcement OF this procla-
nation had the effect Of restoring peace among
the Indians. and they are now quiet and we'll
behaved. BY an executive order issued on Feb.
81, 1888, by my predecessor, a portion of the
tract OF country In the territory. known as the
old Winnebago and Crow Creek reservations,
was directed to be restored to the public domain
and opened to settlement under the land laws of
the United States, and a large number Of persons
entered upon these lands. This action alarmed
the Sioux Indians, who claimed the territory as
belonging to their reservation, under the treaty
of 1868. This claim was determined, after
careful Investigation, to he well founded, and,
consequently. the executive order referred to
was, by proclamation of April II, 1888, de-
clared To be imperative and OF no effect, and all
persons upon the land were warned to leave.
This warning has been substantially complied
with.
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN
had its origin in sessions OF land by the states
to the general government. The first cession
was made by the State OF New York, and the
largest. whose area exceeded all others, by the
State of Virginia. The territory, the proprietor
ship OF which became thus vested in the general
government, extended from the western line OF
Pennsylvania to the Mississippi river. These
patriotic donations OF the states were incum-
bered with no condition except that thew should
he held and used For the common benefit of the
United States" BY purchase with the common
fund Of all the people additions were made to
this domain until it extended to the northern
line of Mexico, the Pacific ocean and the Polar
sea. The original trust, For the common ben
eft of the United States" attached to all. the
execution OF that trust, the policy of many
homes rather than large estates, was adopted by
the government. That these might be easily
obtained and be the abode OF security and con-
tentment, the laws for the acquisition were few,
easily understood and general in their character.
But the pressure of local interests, combined
with a speculative spirit have, in many in
stances, procured the passage of laws which
marred the harmony of the general plan and
incumbered the system with q multitude of gen.
eral and special enactinents which rendered the
land laws complicated, subjected the titles to IN
certainty and the purchasers often to oppression
and wrong. Laws that were intended for the
common benefit" have been perverted so
that large quantities Of land are vesting
in sight ownerships. From the multitude
and character of the laws this seems incap-
nhIn nj anreaatfn., Iy n 1.nin . 80, lon
1t is not for the common benefit Of the United
States that a large area of the public lands
should be acquired, directly or through fraud, in
the hands of y single individual. The nations
strength is in tile people; the nations prosper
iy is In their prosperity: the nations glory il
IN the equality of her ~justice; the nations per-
petuity is In the patriotism OF all her people;
hence as far as practicable the plan adopted for
the disposal OF public lands should have in view
the original policy which encouraged many pur-
chasers OF these lands for homes and discouraged
the maSsing OF large areas, exclusive of Alaska.
About three-fifths of the national domain has
been sold or subjected to contract or grant: OF
the remaining two-fifths q considerable portion
is either mountain or desert. A rapidly increas-
ing population creates u growing demand for
homes, and the accumulation OF wealth inspires
an eager competition to obtain this public land
for speculative purposes. In the future this
collision of interests will be more marked than
IN the past, and the execution of the nations
trust in behalf of our settlers will be more diff
cult. / therefore commend TO your attention the
recommendations contained In my report of the
secretary OF the interior, with reference to the
repeal and modification OF certain OF
OUR A LAWS.
The nation has made nrinppIy rr1ntg and Snh.
sijias 20 a systcm az r,i Irood nroincted az aro..
n.tionaI Lighwavs IN cnnnnct rho p,cific states
viii no Est IL hos baen CHARGED that thesa
dnnatinns frnr, tba ncorIa have haen divcrteI to
nriyo.o coin and coryunt usos AMI thns nnblic
indi~nation baa haen arousnd and snsnician on
yan,Iarcd Gmr oreat nation docs not brgrud1e
Ito 1rnerositv hnt if aIhors necnlation and
froud and ira ,vorah Jo regard of orr neorlo for
the great COrDOra.l0nS TO which these grants
We're made can only he revived Inv n restoration
of confdcnce In no secnred bv thor constant
une0uivocal aud carly manifesied inteDritv
faithfni on,l;na,ion oy .hn nnIiminiSSod ~
ceeds ~ ne crants to tho constrmction aT1 a
Secting or their roaSs an honest discharea of
their ohIigatio,s and entire instice to nII tho