St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-01-04

settlement and increase so much the material
prosperity of the nation. When it is attempted
10 deal with the subject more In detail diff
Guilty is at once encountered that neither the
actual area of the various reservations has
been
ACCURATELY DETERMINED
nor the population of the Indians occupying
them, known within approximate limits. IL
will. therefore, not be possible TO show the
exact working Of the method proposed. but
only general summary covering the cases
of the larger reservations in each territory
and the most populous of the different tribes.
Similar statistics for the smaller reservations
are, however, included in the accompanying
tables. Since the appropriations for the sup
port OF the Indians are not In every case made
specifically for those upon any particular
reservation. but rather collectively for those
inhabiting the same state and territory. in
making comparison with the sum now re-
quired for the sustenance OF the
Indians and the annuities allowed
them by treaty, the aggregate
for territory or for several territories has
necessarily been considered, rather than for
each tribe or reservation. In DAKOTA the
principal reservations are the Fort Berthold
and those inhabited by the various bands of
Sioux. The Fort Berthold reservation. with
an area of 100000 acres, has a population
Of $1,000 people; the others an area OF
nearly o., ,250, 900 acres, and population of
about 25.S00. Carrying out the proposals of
my report would, in the former case. afford
an annual income of over $4,000, and in the
latter case surplus unoccupied by the
Indians of over 20, SOC, 600 acres, or an exte mt
Of territory equal to the
combined AREA
of the states of New Hampshire, Vermont.
Massachusetts and Connecticut. the proceeds
of which, at per cent. per annum, would
yield an interest of over Sl,0O0,OOO. With
two of the smaller reservations, the Devils
Lake and South Mountain, are 276,4s0 acres
Of WlU hul
the land would be required by the Indians. In
this case, then, the income from the surplus
would be small, being a little less than
$4,000 per annum. In Montana the Black
feet reservation contains u, SOC. 900 acres and
population of less than 1000 Indians. The
surplus land, equal TO the area OF the state Of
Maine, would then return an income of ST.
060,0 900. The Crow reservation, mentioned in
my report, could in similar manner be made
to produce an annual sum of $223,0 600. Con-
sidering all the Indians and reservations in
the territories of Dakota aud Montana, we
have an aggregate area of over fifty-four
and half million acres and population of
less than $4,000. The surplus area of nearly
eighty-one thousand square miles would pro-
duce an annual interest of over 81, ,500,00
The appropriations for the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1854, for fulfilling treaties with
these tribes and for their subsistence and civ
ilization, and the pay of the employees Incl
den to such undertaking, amount TO about
100000
LESS THEN THIS SUM.
In Wyoming the Shoshones are located
upon the Wird river reservation. One hum
dred and seventeen thousand dollars per year
could be derived from their surplus land. In
Idaho the Hallack reservation, occupied by
the Bannocks and Shoshones. would in the
same way produce each year $50,O00. and the
Ceur d. Alenes, say $2S,000. In these two
territories, Wyoming and Idaho, the total
area of the reservations Is nearly 100000
acres; the population nearly 5000. An area
of nearly 1900 square miles, almost equal TO
the state of New Jersey, would not be re-
quired for the Indians, and an income would
be yielded of about S235, 900, sum more
then 500, 900 in excess of the appropriation
for the current year. In Oregon the most
populous reservation is the klamath. with
over LOCO, 900 acres, but less than 1000 in
habitants. 1t would yield $50 200 year. In
Washington territory the Yakimas about 1900
in number occupy the reservation of 100000
acres of the same name. Here the surplus
land would bear but $50, 900 year. In this
state and territory the reservations, with a
total population of $4,000 embraced S,400,000
acres, or about 1-13 million acres more than
would be required by them under the plan
proposed, which would produce per annum
$4,000 or about 100000 more than is appro- |
prated for these Indians. The different
bands of Utes in Utah and Colorado number
about 1850, and their reservation includes
over
FIVE MILLION ACRES.
of which the surplus portion would produce
yearly income of about $240, 900. or about
Sl75,000 more than is being disbursed this
year for their benefit. In New Mexico the
Navajos on the reservation of the same name
have now over 100000 acres for popula-
tion of $4,000 people. Here the surplus land
would yield over $50, 900 year. For the sur
plus lands of the Mescalero Apaches
reservation the income would be
nearly $4,000. In Arizona the prin-
cipal reservation is the White |
Mountain, with the agency at San Carlos 1t |
embraced more than two and a half million |
acres. Considerable uncertainty exists as to |
the population, but it is probably about 5000. |
In the Vicinity of the agency are 1000 more |
who have removed into the northern part and /
are now engaged in farming and efforts TO |
make themselves self-supporting. The latter |
would however, be entitled to all the benefits \
obtained by the agency Indians in any scheme |
looking TO the promotion of their general |
prosperity. Carrying out the proposals of /
my report would leave balance of consider
ably over two million acres, WITH according |
to the plan advocated, about $4,000 per |
year. Considering collectively the Indians of |
New Mexico and Arizona, we have reserva- |
tions embracing 16,500.0O0 acres, inhabited |
by nearly $4,000 people. The surplus land |
would include about 13, 100000 acres, which |
would yield
ACCORDING TO THE PLAN
proposed nearly 500, 900, a sum greater by |
S35O,00O than that appropriated for the cur |
rent year for the support of these Indians. |
In the Indian Territory the Cheyenne and |
Arapahoe, the Kiowa and Comanche and |
the Wichita reservations embrace over eight |
million acres. The population is about Z, 150 |
The income from the surplus land would |
come within $4,000 of equaling the amount |
appropriated. Considering al the Indians in |
the territory we have a total of nearly sc, 600 |
and an extent OF reservation of 81, 500, 900 |
acres, which would produce an annual in |
come of about one and one-thirteenth million |
dollars. The Indian reservations of the |
United States contain about 20o, 600 square |
miles. Their population is about 100000, |
and ,O00 square miles would locate each |
family upon q half section of land, |
leaving surplus of about 10000 square |
miles, which, according to the plan / have |
proposed, would produce annually $4,4S0, 600. |
This amount exceeds by about $500, 900 the |
entire sum appropriated for the payment of |
their annuities and for their subsistence and |
civilization. The policy advocated in my re- |
port would be most advantageously applied |
gradually, the general government of the In |
dians being continued according to the |
methods now in vogue or such improvement
of them as times and experience may sug-
gest. The ultimate development OF the
suggested policy would, as the Indians ad-
vance in civilization, result in the return to
them of the prin cipal derived from the sale
of their lands, which until such measures
were authorized by an act of congress, would
be held as a trust for their benefit and the in
come applied to their support.
The Postal Deficit.
Special to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 3.-At the close of
the fiscal year ending June so. 1885, Post
master General Villas had to face deficit
in his department of Ss,3s1, 571. At the
end of the fiscal year of 1854, under Ar
thurs administration, there was deficit of