The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-14
Why the Apaches Cannot Be Removed to the
Indian Territory-Lack of InfOrga-
tion Among Public Men.
Developments in Yesterdays Hearing
in the Telephone Patent Cases.
Abuses in the Soldiers Home-Retaliat0ry
Legislation Against Countries that
Exclude American Products.
THE INDIAN QUESTION.

Views of Ex-Commissioner Price-Lack of
Information Among congressman.
Bpscial to the Indianapolis journal
WASHINGTON, Nov 13-Hiram Price, of Iowa,
late Commissioner of Indian Affairs, is not now
engaged in any business in which the govern
ment is interested. But Mr.. Price has views in
which the people of the country are more or less
interested, and his views upon some of the
phases of the Indian question are worthy of
record. To tie Journal correspondent Mr.. Price
said:
81 noticed the other day that one of the New
York papers asserted that the Apaches, of New
Mexico, were to be removed to the Indian Terri
fory and to be placed upon a reservation there.
There are several reasons why this cannot be
done, the most important of which is. that the
only available lands on which to put them is the
Cherokee strip, which is owned by the Cherokee
nation absolutely. and can only be used by the
government for the purpose of furnishing a
place of abode for friendly Indians,
and after the Cherokees have been
paid certain price, stipulated in
the treaty. I think that this Indian
question is more thoroughly misunderstood, con-
tinued the ex Commissioners 'than any other
question which is now before the people of the
United States. / doubt if there's a single mem
Der of Congress who is really thoroughly posted
upon the subject, and it is certain that more
than nine tenths Of them know nothing what
ever about the wants and requirements Of the
Indians, and the laws relating to them. / was
in Congress myself ten years and knew very lit
tie of the Indian question; but my experience as
Commissioner of Indian Affairs has given me,
think, a right to say that am as familiar as any
man with questions relating to the Indians to-
day. great deal Of stir has recently been
INSIDE over the action of the President in driving
che cattlemen from the Cheyenne and Arapa-
hoe lands, and it is said that this was done at
the instance of General Sheridan. If you will
examine Senate document No. "a, of the Forty
eighth Congress, first session, you will
find that General Sheridan's views
year ago were quite different from
those of to-day, and that he then recommended
that the cattemen be allowed to remain. 1t
must not be forgotten that the leases to the cat
tlemen were made by the Indians Of their own
volition, and that these leases were never sane
toned by Secretary Teller any one else in the
Interior Department. Mr.. Teller simply in
formed the cattlemen that he could not object
TO their use of the pasture Of the Indians as long
as the Indians themselves made no objections, but
that they must hold themselves in readiness to
depart soon as there was a disposition evinced
by either the government or the Indians to in
sist upon their removal"
"What is there in this demand for the removal
OF the cattlemen from the Cherokee strip" Mr..
Price was asked
tIt cnrnas eutirav ho cd tsfrop, N, on Uho
know nothing about the status of that land. 1t
would be just IS wise for the people of New
York to insist upon the removal Of the Scandi-
navians from Minnesota or the Germans from
Wisconsin. The Cherokee nation of Indians is
not located upon a reservation. but absolutely
owns the lands which it occupies, including the
celebrated Cherokee strip. The nation can,
under the law, do whatever it pleases with its
lands. 1t can lease them all to cattlemen if it
sees fit, and re United States government has
nothing whatever to do with the action of the
Cherokee Council. For this reason it is absurd
to howl about the encroachment OF cattlemen
upon the Cherokee land"
'Do you think. Mr.. Price, that the Indian
question can be settled by transferring the con-
troll of the red man from the Interior to the War
Department."
Mr.. Price laughed as he replied: THAT has
already been tried. The War Department might
control the Indians by brute force, but it never
did do anything towards civiizing them. They
were never taught anything of agriculture. of
the manufacturing arts. and, in fact, were as
savage and as uncivilized at the time the control
was transferred to the Interior Department as
they were in their aboriginal state. Indians are
not all bad, nor are they all good. The Indian
question cannot be settled in day, and it would
be wonderful if the civilization of the tribes
could be accomplished in acentury."