The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1885-04-09

There is something behind this revokal
of President Arthur's order opening the
Crow Greek reservation that has not yet
came to the surface. Without giving the
matter second thought one might natur-
ally take for granted the statements that
are sent out from Washington, and really
come to the conclusion that President
Cleveland is right But those who have
studied the matter sufficiently to run back
to 1856, and then trace the matter up to
to date, can hardly see how such an in
stantaneous discovery could have been
made as the one given us by the attorney
general last week.
In 1862 occurred the merciless Indian
massacre in Minnesota, at which time the
post-traders and settlers in that territory
were slaughtered by the hundreds. The
Crow Creek and Winne5ago lands were
set aside for the occupancy of these Indi-
ans. The land was afterward opened BY
President Grant, but finally withdrawn for
the reason that there was no demand or
need for the lands. In 1880 Delegate
Pettigrew made an attempt to have these
lands thrown open to settlement, but was
unsuccessful tor the reason that certain
amount of red-tape must be unwound be-
fore an Indian reservation can be open
ed. At the beginning Of Delegate Ray
monds term another attempt was made,
and at that time the only objections raised
were that it was not necessary to at pres
ent expand the amount of government
land in Dakota. 1t was finally proven
conclusively that the action of the govern
ment in keeping these reservations closed
was resulting disastrously to the growth
and prosperity of the northwest. With
well-tilled farms, advanced cities and great
lines of railway running all around this
one bleak barren spot, as though it were
a desert, the interests of the various Sec
tions BECAME jeapordized. The railway
companies cannot pass, and are thus kept
from building a competitive line % the
gold fields of the Black Hills and of Cali
fornia, and the Pacific coast After
thorough study of the who'e question and
a personal visit to Chamberlain, Secretary
Teller became hearty supporter of the
measure and devoted his influence to the
Crow Creek and Winnebago portions
President Arthur did not issue his order
until after gaining complete and COM
prehensiye insight into the intent and
of all the 49, and other an
cient treaties, and ordered the same open
ed only after being aware of the urgent
necessity such move. But now comes
Secretary Lamar, after hurried consul
tation with several parties who are pre-
personally interested in the re-
vokal, and says the proclamation was in
valid and should be rescinded. The new
attorney general is also of the same opinion.
The threatened revocation of the oder
has already caused much excitement
among the settlers. The homesteaders
sold their possessions at other places and
went onto the reserve for the purpose of
making homes. The government had
given them permission, and in entirely
good faith they have taken advantage of
hat permission. AS the Pioneer Press
says, "they cannot be forcibly elected
without compensation unless it is intended
20 do them crual injustice. " Does Presi-
lent Cleveland intend to disregard justice