The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-04
IN regard to the Indian question, Lieutenant
general Sheridan has written the following

law in case of actual settlement; that the gov
ernment then condemn the remainder of the
with the proceeds purchase govern
ment bonds, to be held in trust
by the Interior Department, giving to the
Indians each year the interest on the bonds for
their support. / cited, in illustration of what
would be the practical workings of this sug-
gestion, the case of the Crows, the Cheyennes
and Arapahoes, and the Utes but the limits of
my report did not permit full elaboration of
the advantages that would accrue to the Indian,
nor even an allusion to the large amount of land
now lying idle that would be thereby opened to
settlement, and increase by SO much the ma
terial prospects of the Nation. When it is at
tempted to deal with this subject more in detail
a difficulty is at once encountered in that
neither the actual area of the various reserva-
tions has been accurately determined, por the
population of the Indians occupying them
known within more than approximate limits. It
will, therefore, not be possible to show the exact
workings of the methods reported. 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. how
ever, included in the accompanying tables. Since
the appropriations for the support of the Indians
are not, in every case. made specifically for
those upon any particular reservation. but
rather collectively for those inhabiting some
State or Territory, In making comparisons with
them, the sum now required for the subsistence
by treaty, the aggregate for a 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 in
habited by the various bands of Sioux The
Fort Berthold reservation, with an area of over
$780, 600 acres, has population of l., 300 people,
the other an area of nearly 25O, 600 acres, and
q population Of about 25. 300. With two of the
smaller reservations-the Ute, the Lake and
South Mountain, area ZIG, AGO acres. population
over 800, nearly half the land would be re-
quired By the Indians; in this case, then, the in
come from the surplus would be small being
little less than $4,000 per annum. In Montana.
the Blackfeet reservation contains over q, 500,-
600 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 81. 1.060, 000 The Crow res
similar manner, be made to produce an annual
sum Of 1929, 900. Considering all the Indians
and reservations in the Territories of Dakota
and Montana we have an aggregate area of over
54, SOC, 900 acres, and population of less than
As, 900. The surplus areaof nearly S11, 900 square
miles would produce an annual interest Of over
81, 500. 900. The appropriations for the fiscal
year ending June 3O 1884, for fulfilling treaties
with these tribes and for their subsistence and
civilization, and the pay of the employees incl
about 100000 less than this sum.
In Wyoming the Shoshones are located
upon the Wind River reservation One hun
dred and seventeen thousand dollars per year
could be derived from their surplus land. In
Idaho the Fort Hall reservation, occupied by
the Bannocks and Shoshones, would, in the
same way. produce each year $50, ,000 and the
Ceur d'Alene reservation $28. 600. In these TWO
Territories of Wyoming and Idaho. the total
area of the reservations is nearly 5000 600 acres
and the total population nearly 6,000. An area
of nearly 1900 square miles, almost equal to the
State Of New Jersey, would not be required for
the Indians and an income would be yielded
of about $235. 600, sum more than 800, 600 in
excess OF the appropriation for the current
year. In Oregon, the most populous reservation
is the Klamath with over million acres
but less than 1000 inhabitants 1t would yield
nearly $50, 900 year. In Washington Territory
reservation of SOC, 600 acres, of the same name
Here the surplus land would bring but $50, 600
year In this State and Territory the reserva-
ton, with total population of about 10000,
more than would be required by them under the
plan proposed which would produce per annum
1870, 600, or about $500, 900 more than is appro
priated for these Indians The different bands
8, $50. and their reservations include over 5.000-
600 acres, of which the surplus por-
tion would produce a yearly income
of about 100000, or about $l75000 more
than is being disbursed this year for their bene-
fit. In New Mexico the Navajos, on the reser-
acres for a population OF $4,000 people Here
the surplus land would yield over $3.50, 900 year
For the surplus lands of the Mescalero Apaches
reservation the income would be nearly $20 000
In Arizona the principal reservation is the
White Mountain, with the agency at San Carlos
1t embraces more than 2, 500, 900 acres. Consid-
erable uncertainty exists as to its population,
but it Is probably about 8, 600 in the vicinity of
moved into the northern part and are
now engaged in farming and in eff
forts 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 the general
prosperity. Carrying out the proposals of my
report would leave a balance Of considerably
over 000, 900 acres worth, according to the plan
advocated, about $ll0, 900 per year Consider
ing collectively the Indians of New Mexico and
Arizona we have reservations embracing 16,-
500 600 acres. inhabited by nearly 53 900 people;
the surplus land would include about l3 $50, 900
acres, which would yield according to the plan
proposed, nearly $640, 600, sum greater by $780,,
600 than that appropriated for the current
year for the support of these Indians.
In the Indian Territory the Cheyenne and
Arapahoe, the Kiowa and Comanche reserya-
tions embrace over s, 900, 600 acres with popu-
lation of about 1900; the income from the sur
plus land would come within SIS, 600 of euualine
the amount appropriated. Considering all the
Indians in this Territory, we have total of
nearly 600, and an extent of reservation of
81, 800 900 acres, which would produce an annual
income Of about 81, 100000 The Indian reserva-
tions of the United States contain about 200, 900
square miles, and the population is about 260 900.
Twenty-six thousand square miles would locate
each family upon half section of land. The
policy advocated in my report would be most
advantageously applied gradually; the general
government of the Indians being continued ac-
cording to the methods now in vogue, or such
improvement of them as time and experience
may suggest The ultimate development of the
suggested policy would. as the Indians advanced
in civilization and intelligence result in the re-
turn to them of the principal derived from the
sale of their lands, which, until such measure
were authorized by act of Congress. would be
held as trust for their benefit and the sum ap-
piled to their support
THE vICE-PRESIDENT'S ROOM