St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-29
A CONCEALED AFRICAN.
Close Scrutiny of the Dawes Sioux Res
ervation Bill Reveals Some Ugly
Looking Land Grants.
The Milwaukee and Northwestern Roads
to Receive Much Fine Land 0ppo-
site Chamberlain and Pierre.
Great Injury Being Done Dakota by
Its False Friends, Who Are Fo-
menting Revolution.
Indications Point TO the Passage of
no Dakota Measure During the
Congressional Session.
A Niger in the Woodpile.

and making bitter fight upon it. The
cause of all the opposition to the measure is
financial. and not political. l have tried in
vain to get satisfactory opinions expressed
by McManima and Mcclure, for pu6lica-
ton, concerning the status of the bill but
they are retcent. They will say nothing
except what is in favor of their measure.
What objections there may be to it they
either do not know, or will not acknowl-
edge that they know. Their views are
Colour de rose, and they seem as jublant
and content as though the battle had been
fought and the victory won. Bat care
full canvass of the committee, and of prom
inent members of the house, reveals the
fact that there is much dissatisfaction with
the clauses of the bill which grant every
thing 10 the Chicago & Northwestern, and
the Chicago, Milwaukee ~ st. Paul rail
roads. You see, those corporations seem
to want the earth and also a section
Of the moon. There's the rub. The
bill as it now stands gives to those
roads $40 acres opposite Chamberlain and
also opposite Pierre. Here are possible
town sites, and of q sufficient bigness to en-
able the companies TO sell lots enough to
build several railroads to everywhere. 1t
also grants right of way across the do
main from the Missouri river to the Hills.
touching Lawrence, Pennington or Custer
counties. Moreover, it gives them town
sites every ten miles Of the route. Forum
ately for the public treasury these corpora
lions are modest enough not to ask for gold
fences all along the line. They do not ask
the government to build roads for them, to
do the grading and furnish the rolling stock
and pay the engineers and other employees;
but they ask everything else. Do you
blame an honest congressman for doing a
little ''kcking' in the matter? Of course
the friends of the measure are willing to
permit wrong, in certain degree, in order
that good may come of it. They are vitality
interested in the opening Of that tract CT
land for their financial life depends upon
it. They see the error. possibly, of grant
ing so much to the corporations, but they
do not fight it, because they Go not want to
fight anything. They are so anxious for
the passage of the bill that they do not want
antagOnisms of any description. nor I'M
kindly feelings from any course. They are
right, but at the same time the general
principle of giving away everything to cor
pOrationS for nothing is wrong. YOu must
understand that
THE RAILROADS PROMISE NOTHING,
and are bound to nothing in return for the
privileges conferred upon them. They do
not have to build roads acruss the reserva-
ton within any specified time. They are
not required to do anything except that
their right Of purchase shall be exercised
within six months after the passage of this
act" By the phrase right of purchase is
meant the payment of nominal sum for
the lands which are granted. in accordance
with any agreement heretofore made
with" the said companies. The arrival of
Hon. NJ. II. Day on Monday last was
: timely and well for this measure. Imme-
diately upon his arrival-before he had
time to go to Supper-he was called upon
in his room by Mr. McManima and his aid
solicited. The GLOBE man was there,
ahead of the Dakota journalist, and he
heard Mr.. Day say:
Certainly, my boy, ell of my time and all of
my energy, are yours for the remainder of
this week until the matter is decided, and
afterwards, if you want me. l have come
here to look after the interest of some friends
in the territory. but particularly after. the in
terests OF my party as L view it. But the
opening of that reservation is in the interest
not only of the river towns, and of all South
Dakota, but il is in the interest Of all the ter
ritory. Whatever is for the welfare of Da-
kota, or any part thereof, is my interest, and
I'm with you, heart and soul. You're par
fisan Republican, and I'm just as strong q
partisan Democrat; but in matters of this
kind we are members Of the same party, and
want you to so look TT the matter. What
ever you hare to say, say it frankly to a
friend. Whatever you think 1 can do for
you, say it and m with you.
l know that the gentleman's actions dur
ing the past week, have thoroughly ac-
corded with his words.
MANY MEN OF MANY MINDS
are the curse of Dakota. 1t makes friend
of the territory tired and heartsick to wit
ness the jangles and jars which constantly
arise. Now it happens that while Mr..
Wellborn, the chairman of the committee
in the house, is in favor of the opening of
the reservation, he is not in favor of the
railroad monopolistS. Strange, that con-
gresham should be honest. but Mr.. Well
born is, and that ends the matter. He is,
like Senator Dawes and others, opposed to
giving the whole hog to the railroads and
leaving only the skeleton to the settlers.
He has been led to believe that Mayor
Mcclure is here in the interests of the
Chicago & Northwestern railroad, instead
of in the interest OF the city of Pierre.
He says that Mcclure has not said word
against the provisions Of the bill granting
the right OF way, 200 feet, across the res
ervation, without specifying that they shall
build road within any restriction of time;
and that he has not raised his voice against
the provision which grants to the same road
$40 acres of land on the west side of the
to rival and destroy Pierre, He says that
Mr.. Mcclure has not objected to giving to
the railroad 100 acres every ten miles for
a town site. When 1 saw that gentleman,
he said:
have never opposed the railroads, nor
anything else. have not been sent here to
antagonize anything. I am trying to progress
for my people, and have allowed opposition
and contests to be carried on by others. My
DeODlp fO
the provisions referred to in the bill, and
have not taken 1t upon myself to do so.
not afraid to fight the railroads. or all of
the capitalists and corporations in the
country. if necessary, for the opening of the
Sioux reservation: but am not seeking any
tight. That is not my business.
FIGHTERS ALWAYS MAKE ENEMIES.
Ny mission here is to make friends for the
bill, and TO secure Its passage if possible.
It is & matter pro bono publico There is
neither time nor excuse for inviting opposi-
ton. If my people express themselves as
opposed to the measures referred to, l shall
obey them and become oppositionisU For
the present l am inclined to trust to the
honesty, sincerity and ability of our friends
Welborn, Nelson and Dawes. They are in
clined to do the right thing, and believe that
our people will be satisfied, or at any rate
contented with the bill. when it finally passes
We cannot get the entire loaf, but must be
contented with our share. We cannot have
our cake and eat it, too.
/ am informed by a friend in the senate
that after the Sioux bill had been prepared
and favorably reported upon by the com
mittee, the clause giving the big slice CT
territory to the railroads, was inserted by
the persuasive eloquence and persistency of
Senator Spooner of Wisconsin, who is al
legged to be especially friendly to the Mil
waukee road. That however,f is a matter
ut private senatorial history for which