Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-12-07

tribes for the education OF the chllutuh X
the indians Of Che Western PRESENTATIONS
In tho Indian country, and that q SUN o.
money be appropriated TO give 'hls enpf'
q fair trial
me civilization attained by The Chero.
KEGS, which II scarcely moro advanced
than that Of their associated trlort, lhe
Cboctaws, ChIck0saws, Greeks ana SEM
inoloa, IA the highest that any american
tribe OF Indians Inns attained TO Wnht
ycr fact this result ~ chiefly due, these
Indiana have been found ready 10 Improve
these opportunities 20 the elevation OF
their race. They arc leading 10 ihe most
distinguished movement toward hlshef
destiny than my tribe OF American ln'
dlans has ever attempted, aud thelr sue
cess viii 80 far encourage other Indians
to follow thoir lead that We may hope for
the best results from their more frequent
and intimate association with inc lNo
civilized tribes. Their children WIZ ne
come friends aud viii grow up win IKE
tastes aud aspirations, and the savage IN.
stlnct OF hostility between tribes VII
Weld to the bettor sentiments that VIII
follow the eurly associations OF the
schoOl-hOuse.
LRAsE or INDIAN LANDS.
The policy OF allowing the Indians to
lease their lands for grazing purposes
does not seem 10 have been announced
until April 90 1883.
II however appears that as early as
January s, 1899, the Cheyenne aud Ara
pnlIoe Indians had entered Into such
agreements with seven individuals Tor
the exclusive use aud occupation OF ns
many distinct tracts Of their reservation.
The whole quantity of land embraced
within these seven leases amounted TO
.8,tl7Ss0 0crea, ont OF Il total area Of
4,20I77l acres a subsequent lease Of
.7ll,2i0 acres reduced the reserved area
.oi their reservation 20 ii5 65l 0grcs,
found, upon assuming charge OF this
department, that not only the large tracts
Of the Cheyenne aud Arapahue resery &.
ton referred to wore IN the possession OF
cntllemcn, but that other Indian tribes
located within the lndian Territory had
entered Into similar arrangements with
individuals and associations of indlyld-
nails, whereby they were granted the eX-
elusive privilege, under pretended leases,
20 occupy large tracts of the reservations
OF the various tribes aud 10 hold their
herds thereon for grazing purposes.
These alleged leases were made TO
cover periods Of i've or ten years, at
yearly rentals varying In rates from / (
to q cents per acre. The ruling rate
appears, however, TO be about . cents
per mere.
The privilege for occupying these lands
for grazing purposes was not opened TO
public competition. On the contrary,
pretended leases were secured IN some
cases from the Indians before the policy
OF the department on the subject appears
to have been considered or made public,
No regulations were made 10y the depart
mcnt 20 guide the Indians, and no steps
appear to have been taken to afford them
needed assistance In huch AN important
matter
Whore the department declined TO APP
prove OF atllrmutiycly recognize the pre-
tended lenses, IL permitted the making
thereof 10y the Indians who, left To them
selves, were easily Induced to convey to
these lessccs profitable privileges at rates
inr below the real value thereof, II the
department could properly permit the
milking OF such leases by the Indian
tribes it would eeem that, as the guardian
OF the interests of these ignorant mud
helpless people, II would have been
equally competent for II TO have regulated
the making thereof IN such manucr aud
upon such terms aud conditions Hpd after
such public competltlonNs would huyc 81.
cured Il fair mud just compensation In
each case for the exclusive privilege
granted to the lesAees,
From all the facts developed ON the
subject ! am convinced that the assist.
nnco rendered by the respective lndmu
ageulS, In the making OF these alleged
leases, was directed mere for the Interest
OF the cuttlcmen thnn that uf the indians
! plnCed under their care and supervision
| While many Of the Indians favor the lens
Ing OF their lands for grazing purposes
others opposed and protested agalns
such use and occupation OF their resorya
| tions, and refused tn participate In IN,
making OF the alleged leases, or TO ncGep
any share Of tho money received there
under, Sufficient Influence, however
seems TO have been brought 90 bear upoi
a majority OF the respective tribes TO IN
ducc them 10 enter Into the arrangement
made, In my Judgment, not the leas
among such Influences were the encour
ngcments aud persuasion OF the respect
| I've Indian agents or some OF them n
least; and In many Instances | tcnr the.
have shared IN the profits OF. these specu
lAtlye transactions,
The Cheyenne and Arnpaho Indians he
CAME so threatening early In the sprinI
thnt It was found necessary TO call upo
! the military establishment Of the govern
meDt TO assist this department In enforc
lug order aud quiet upon TINT reseryu
| ton.
Inspector Frank G, Armstrong Of thi
department was sent TO that agency
clothed with the authority ct "A commits
sioncr, to investigate the troubles wit
those Indians, and found that tho prime
pal cause OF the disturbance was the oS
istenco Of these alleged leases, aud III
presence of large number Of white me
who were ON the reservation Hereunder
Tho Inspectors conclusion was COZ
hrmcd by reports made % the prrsidon
by the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF the army
whom no had arnt 10 the locality 70 pei
sonally Investigate the complaints mad
by the indians, and TO direct aud supoi
Intend the movements taken 10 preycr
an outbreak.
The Immediate consideration of th
subject OF THESE leases by this depar
mont hpcntnp uhRalutplV uptspk,npV fin