The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1885-07-31

(p,sct on the groutd The ca'tlemen are
pleading hard for bettf terms; while claiming
that 40 days is too short time for them TO
move they have ALREADY wasted week IN hoid'
ing meetings to protas against the Presidents
action, and sending taegrams and deputations
to shake the Presidents purpose. But zen
Sheridan says 40 days is ample, and after a
cabinet consultation Tuesday Secretary Lamar
telegraphed the ,cdttlemen that the President
had decided not to,modfy the order, and no.
titled them that there would be no excuse for
their misunderstanding the order, because they
must go before the 40 days are ont, or the mil, !,
itary will be called on to move them. Still
they make no sign of obeying the order, bat
are teasing for delay or modification.
in earnest on this subject, aud to be thoroughly
provoked at the tactics Of the companies in re-
sistng the authority OF the government. And
he has right to be, for the case is a perfectly
clear one. The law forbids any purchase,
grant, lease or other conveyance" OF the lands
in Indian territory. The companies undertook
to getround this by leasing the "grass," but
Gen Sheridan reports that they have fenced it
in. The leases were obtained by fraud and
trickery upon the ignorant Indians, and the
bribery Of some of their chefs-by just the
methods in fact that the law undertook to pre-
vent when the nations faith was plighted that
| Indian Territory should be held sacred for the
red men. Already the cattlemen have obtained
possession of 3,S3l,000 acres in the Cheyenne
| and Arapahoe reservations, leaving less than
100000 acres to the hoodwinked tribes, and they
| have in the same way got hold of more than
| 100000 acres on other reservations. They
have steadily pursued e course of aggression
against the Indians, constantly overrunning
their lands, fencing in large strips to which neT
and preposterous claims are set up, and then
actually cheating the Indians out of the pay
agreed upon for the leases, One OF their argu-
ments to the president was that the Indians
were realizing S350,000 a year from the leases.
1t is false. The leases themselves show that
the price is two cents an acre, or few hundred
dollars more or less than S77 ,000 But the evil
dence indicates that large sums have been paid
out O. the annuities of the Cheyeunes and Ara
pahoes as indemnity for cattle whose disappear
ance was charged against the Indians. In one
such case, it is said, a loss of over two thousand
cattle was allowed against the treasury bal.
ance of the Chevennes and Arapahoes, :. and
| eyery dollar due them .. wa- ca in the end the
,emuity to the compiailAh'' 1910, e.,
i ..s,,s have rot pretty nearly nor iaaf io'
\ n ~ 80 s,,,s., Asla 4he(ls Republican 'nis
fSsn was directly responsioie lor 'ns un.,y
l1he records not only show that secretary iehe'
connived a. the leases in violation OF lne law
but the government agent, Dyer MAUI VI. iu'
ings by which these moneys were TAKEN Hon
their annuities, and persistently caiieo ~
troops to support him, and undouo.euy rA
troops would have been forthcoming II TUG ise
nublican party had remained in power.
,.sn sheridan reported t..aS ngntlug was III
evitable il this state of things was alio"eu
continue. He is in cordial sympathy Win tns
nosi,ion taken by the administration and eagef
to ensorce it. He,does not believe the govern
ment can expect good behavior or progress
from Indians who are starved and cheated, OF
whose lands are invaded. One OF the creates
and most difficult reform tasks OF this admins
trator is that of Indian affairs. Inc presi
dent has given it anxious study 1or sevei"
months, He has got to take some raoica'
stems TO aunul illegal losses, expel lntruuer'
and substitute honest for dishonest agents. III
is resolved that the day when lndlan ag'h''
can amass great fortunes in few years IRON
salaries Of $500 year has passed. An acei
dental discovery by G,n Sheridan SHOWS III"
il has been done. He ordered strict count u
the Chevennes and Arapahoes to be made' no
tifying them that this census should consu'u'
the basis for their future annuities' ines
tribes, therefore, had every incentive TO max
the fuIlest show OF numbers possible Ihe re
snlt proved that rations for thousand mol
Indians than appeared in the enumeration ma
been furnished to these tribes for years. an
tha. a million and quarter of dollars had prot
ablv been stolen in this way alone. This Is 10
, sort of thing that has been going on everywher
The Indians have been cheated in the quahut
and Quality Of the supplies furnished;t heir al
nuities have been stolen after payment by sy
tematic deceptions and debauchery and the'
rascalities coupled with the land grabs RAY
made record which must rank with the mo-
infamous of all modern government.
One of Gen Sheridan's recommendations WI
that Can't Lee of the 9th infantry be designate
to act as agent over the Chcyendes and a
raphoes. The president has ordered TINS WI
$ the hearty concurrence OF Secretary Lama
n Now that the Indian bureau Is
: longer to be a simple engine for stea
d ing, nothing, is seen of the old Jealous
It that used to be SO violent whenever 1t was Pr
|, posed to put the army in charge of anything
e Sheridan, Gen Miles and Commission
y Armstrong all concur in believing that a perm,
e nent settlement of the difficulties can now
:, made, which will re-estahsh confidence amo'
n the settlers in southwestern Kaasas' ana Pa
i the Indians in the way of learning seil-suppo
: And IL is all accomplished by simple poh'
Of honesty.