The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-01-31
s INDIAN LANDS.

LEAsING fNtIAN LANDS.
When the indian appropriation
bill was under discussion in the
House the ooh int, Mr. Throck'
morton Of Texas, took the ground
that the Indians upon reservations
should have the right to lease their
lands Dr such portions Of them ~ they
saw ft. Major Maginns dissented
from this proposition, and In the
course of his remarks made nse OF
the following language: "Mr.
Chairman, I generally agree with the
remarks of the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Throckmorton) as to the
Indian policy, and the necessity Of
giving to the Indians their lands IN
severalty. But I entirely disagree
with him now in regard to the policy
which is adopted in reference to the
leasing of the Indian lands. I hold,
sir, that 1t Is not in accordance with
the policy of this government, or with
ANY good Lolicy, that the Indians
should be allowed to hold q large
amount of unnecessary lands and
lease them at their will to cattle syn
dicates or cattle kings at merely NOM
inal sums as they do now. There is
an investigation now going on which
shows by what means large tracts
of country have been leased In this
manner through certain influences
and for nominal amounts; lesses
whereby certain of these cattle syn
dictates or rings have secured an i'm
mense monopoly and for . paltry
sum Of money.
The Grow reservation, for instance,
In Montana, contains over 10000 OO
acres of land. A little while ago q
cattle company from Kansa s, Colo
RADIO, or somewhere else, went tnere
and negotiated a lease for over 3,0OO.'
900 of acres of these lands at a rate Of
$50. 900 a year. which lease would
have been perfected and. carried into
execution by the Interior Department
but for the fact of the general clamor
which was raised against it In this
country. Now, if the policy of leasing
these Indian lands was to obtain at all,
there are men engaged In this bust
ness leyitimately, cattle owners. cat
tie dealers thlougtou that region of
country who stand ready to give
three. yes, five times as much for the
use of this property as I have named;
and, therefore, if the policy of max
ing these leases is to obtain at all in
stead Of permitting parties to 60
there and negotiate underhand and
privately with the Indians, let the
department take the matter in charge
and the land be leased, after -sdver-
tisement, to the highest bid Ter.
"But I hold, sir, that it is not the
line of POLICY for this Government to
pursue at all. The Indisn, should
be given all the lands they want for
agricultural and grazing andn more,
aud the remainder of these vast res
which are entirely useless
to them. and which are the homes Of
lawlessness, should be cut of, should
be segregated, taken from them, and
returned to the public lands of the
government. and let the government
put out the. money at interest as q
trusttund for the benefit of the In.
That IL the pt | cy that should
commend itself to all as q wise one for
the benefit of the Indians. It will
not be :contended that it Is not better
for the Indian, and also NOR in har-
mony with the policy pursued
by this government: aud II
we ever adopt any policy on this sub.
ject st all, I trust IT will he to with
these lands from any possibil
ity of being leased-to forbid, in fact,
leases TO grazing companies en-