New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-08-04
INDIAN LEASES.
A cAUsr1c LETTER FROM SENATOR DAWES.


| exceedingly gratifed and encouraged that the
recent statements of Governor McCook of Colorado
in reference to the leasing of Indian lands have al
last attracted the attention and called out the
denunciatiOn of The TRIBUNE and other papers Of
such wide influence to arrest public attention
! All the facts disclosed by Governor McCook, even
to the of the essees and the number of acres
of Indian lands appropriated by each, well M the
precise and pitful rental, have all been matter oil
public record for more than twelvcm0nth called
by resolution of the Senate out of the Interior
Department, which had knowledge Of and copies Of
them all before their final execution. And the
inevitable results now upon us, were repeatedly
but vain pointed ont and pressed upon officials at
Washington in private communication and public
speech at the outset and at every stage in the
progress of this disastrous policy. Those who have
failed hitherto to get hearing hail now the CO.
operation of Governor McCook. and such papers as
yours which will command attention.
/ do not trouble you with this communication in
order to get myself at the death, but only in the
desire to help along little in n work which
belongs to every one having to do with public
Affairs, and which ought, long since TO have been
done and which you now truly say demands
Immediate attention" In the first place. let me
express my surprise at the inodesty and lack of
State pride the part of Governor McCook. for his
own State is entitled to whatever credit is due for
that state OF things tho publication of winch by
him you we'll call a strong Indictment" The
late administration of the Interior Department Is
much responsible for the present demoralized and
deplorabe condition of affairs the leased Indian
reservations if il had directly set about produc-
ing it, That Department is the responsible author
Of it. and its files are full of the evidence When
cattlemen" first came to that Department for
t,l I..lt
that permission and forbidden to erect rod of
fence OF appropriate acre of these lands Strong
and convincing reasons for this position at the
time put upon the public records and remain there
STILL Ii was not long. however. before change in
this respect came over the Interior Department It
was annonnced IN printed letter addressed to one
OK these cattemen, who was seeking in an open
and honorable way TO obtain ratification of one OF
these leases by the Secretary. This man was told
that while the Department had authority under
existing law to ratfy these leases there was moth
ing Illegal in them, and the Department considered
them highly advantageous to the Indians. 1t
would not, therefore, interfere to prevent the
Indians leasing their lands to the cattlemen. and
would, long as there no complaint on the
part OF the Indians keep every other outsider OFF
the lands 50 leased 1t would permit but not
approve. This letter became circular printed and
distributed among tho cattlemen. and the
authority and guide under which all the leases
have been made. Under il there came TO be
scramble for these leases and the terms of rental IN
them all were fixed as to become most attractive
to the Indians The enormous profits made on
cattle ranges caused every ono already in the
business. and every the make who could
command capital. to rush wildly III to every
possible acre Of these lands un(er this shutting
it5-eyes policy of the Interior Department All the
leases provided Tor the distribution OF tho rental per
capita among the Indians This patry renta, of
and two cents an acre covering millions OF acres
was sufficient 10 make the Indians crazy agree to
the leases. AMI thus in an incredibly short time
almost every available acre of Indian lands capable
of grazing Texas steer has gone under these leases
over which the Interior Department would assume
no control aud for which it Ostentatiousy sloughed
Oh all r, sponsibility.
The law seemed to everybody else plain enough.
II had put al the Indians and their lands under the
control of he Interior Department. Ii had declared
all contracts with Indians void unless approved by
The Secretary. and required all money derived from
The use o. their lands t. be- paid into the Treasury
10 he appropriated for their benefit Congress
should direct. Yet here 4 Secretary standing
on the border and prOclaimng 20 cattlemen and
capitalists treating with wild bIanket-lndians:
will neither approve disapproye your contracts.
thln! they are a good thing. Make such as you
please and will keep every body else OIL while You
occupy the lands But | Will not DO responsible" y
Lven the man who guardel.the clothes Of those who
stoned the MARTYR stephen had sense enough TO
acknowledge his responsibility.
The consequences of this illegal and illogical
policy OF nscntng Indifference now apparent and
depl,rablc While il was going on il demoralized
the whole Indian service and embossed all notions
OF official responsibility and devotion TO the public
service the part OF those who came IN contact
win IT, The catfiemen left by the Department to
make such terms with the Indians rs they pleased,
coull always make better ones when the officials ON
the reservations were on their side and the officials
were always the side of their best friends. 10
was not long before the craze To be cattlemen and
lesees or at esst to have some relative inside the
pale. became an epidemic, and commissions IN the
public service made Il cover for negotiations.
and NJ ths same time passport 10 the most Il mpt
ing alliances In he absence of al control over the
leases by the Department after they were made.
the Indians the one side and the lessees ON the
other left To enforce th ir mutual agreements
as best they could. The Indian and the cowboy,
each with his grievance went forth and established
their own cOnrt for the redress of their wrongs,
while the Secretary folded his arms aud shut his
eyes
The distribution of the rental per pd among the
Indians has been the most demoralling feature OF
this mistaken roiicy The law required the money
TO lie turned into the Treasury. But instead the
lessee comes among the Indians with his money
once ia slN month"; and counts out to each bead of
family the allqnot part Ol the whole belonging 10
him. his sIuaw and his children, and II Is gone
aluost rs soon rs counted. On close inquiry for
the last two months. among those most familiar
with the ways of the Indian. the testimony WAS
uuhrokeg that the money might better be thrown
away than distributed per capita rs has been pro
vidsd, with the knowledge oil the Interior Depart
mcnt in all these leases.
Take tor instance the Cheyennes and Arrapahoes.
now the terror of innocent settlers on the border.
There Las been distributed among those Indians, OF
this rental eyer since the leases have beet IN iorce
about $4,000 year. THIS has been enough TO
enable every male Indian TO purchase a Winchester
rifle and ammunition in Kansas. They have for
many months commanded the reservation and its
agent. compelling him on more occasions than one,