The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-09

including Hampton and Lincoln institutions.
Considerable space is devoted to the
question of Indian leases of their lands to
cattlemen for grazing purposes, and the
action of the department in declaring the
document void. there being no law author
izing them, adding:
"Ifthe cattlemen are to be permitted to 60
upon these reservations, and to hold and
pasture their herds thereon, the business
should be done under proper regulations
and in such manner as to secure a fair and
lust compensation for the privilege. The
money paid therefor should be handled by
the officers of the Government. and used
for the support Of the indian and their
advancement in civilization. With my con-
v~ictions [ cannot recommend such leglsla-
ton. It is in direct contravention OF the pol
icy OF keeping the Indian reservations free
from the settlements OF white men-ap policy
which, in my opinion, should De more rig
idly enforced" ,
It was found that these leases had closed
the old and established cattle trails from
Texas north, and it was necessary to in
struct the military to open them.
III RIGHT OF A
In referring to the passage OF the Utah &
Northern Railway through the Fort Hall
Reservation, in Idaho, the report says: 'The
IOdul b Ii w 81 $3.50
2,126 acres of land within the reservation
for right of. way and station grounds with
out having made any compensation to the
Indians therefor. This matter a brought
to the attention o. both Houses OF Con
eress by my predecessor, Mr.. Secretary Tel
Ter, who stated it is not presumed by this
Department that the law OF Congress
granting the right of way to the Utah and
Northern Railway Company was intended
to authorize the construction OF their road
! across the lands of these Indians without
CONDENSATION therefor No legislation
has been had on the subject"
NDIAN ESTATES.
The cost OF the Indian service in direct
| appropriations is estimated to have aver
| aged So. $40, 6z9 since the year 1882, and
now is more than 5000, 600, having
| reached as high as 81 900, 900:
The principa! possessions OF these do
| nestle dependent nations" with which this
| Department has to deal, is the land owned
| by them. But a number Of the tribes have
! funds invested and other moneys belonging
! to them, and have also annuities secured to
| them by treaty s%tipulations. Estimating
| the total area of their reservations as
! given at 81 per acre, the value OF the es-
tate owned- held and occupied by the In
| dams is, in round numbers, $134,OOO. 900.
| And to this should be added other invested
! and u~ninvested funds amounting to seven
| teen millions, and other lhnds on the mar
ket, but not yet sold or paid for, making a
! total Of 1852, OOO,O 900 in round numbers.
j This does not include the annuities, which,
| on account of the uncertainty n indeti-
| n~iteness OF some of them, cannot be accu-
| rately calculated beyond each year; nor
| does it embrace the value OF other prop
| erty in ponies, sheep, cattle, industrial I'M
Elements etc.
After giving this series of estimates the
| Secretary adds that the above is an expen-
| sive showing when it is taken into consid-
| Grafton that there are only 100000 In
! dams in the country. TIL Indian problem
| could easily be solved by conferrlng upon
them the rights OF citizenship, absorbing
| them as were the slaves, but this is not APP
! proved as it "would be more cruel and de-
| structive to the Indian in the helpless con-
| dition to which the extension OF settle
| ments would soon reduce him than
a war OF determination.
LANDS IN
A recommendation is made that por-
| tions of each reservation be divided into
| suitable tracts and allotted to each Indian
as a sole and separate estate, with a pro-
vision against selling, Inortgaging or leas-
ing the same. A commission, not exceeding
six members, and being three from the
army, is advocated to do away with
"much expensive misl1anagement," the
members to "visit each reservation and in
v~estigate and report to the Secretary OF the
Interior the condition, peculiar circum.
stances and needs OF the Indians therein
The '.squaw men''-those who marry or
cohabit with Indian women-are justly
shaken up, and he recommends the "pas'
sage of a law which shall provide chat any
Indian woman. who shall hereafter marry
a citizen OF the United States shall be
deemed a citizen. and that all children born
of such marriage should be deemed citi'
zens,". arguing that no Indian woman
would marry such a man with the GER
tainty Of losing her membership In the
tribe and the right to remain on the reser
walton.
After referring to the removal OF the set
tiers from the Crow reservation and Okla
homa, the report goes on to say: ri
lands reserved for the accommodation o
the Indians are undoubtedly much larger
in extent than is needed for their wants o.
accommodation. There can be no harm
in recognizing the gradual current slowly
tending in the direction of civilized occupa
ton and use of the Indian Territory, al
, the Indians themselves become CONSOLIDATED
, upon fewer residential points; but rapacity
and lawlessness will not.abide the gradua
and gentle method of change, and seek by
violence and forcible invasion to displac'
J law and treaty and the sense OF obligation
to both, and ride roughshod into the pos
session OF the lands of the Indian reserva
tion."
PUBLIC LANDs
A great deal of space is devoted to tn
public domain, it's origin in 1871, and
history from that time down to the pres
emit time, from which the following extrac
is made:
On the 10th OF October, 1880, the Cor
gress of the Confederation, by resolution
provided for the reception OF lands to b
: ceeded by the several States to the Unite
States, and for their disposition for tn
commo benefit oil the United States.
Tn nuranance of this resolution. as patri