Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1886-05-01
THE SIOUX RESERVATION.
The Provisions of the Bill for #.
Opcnin.-lt Il Favored by the
Friends of the Indians.

|
Friends of the Indians.
The Sioux Indians, about $4,000 il
number, occupy in the Territory of Da
kota q reservation nearly rs large as
the state of Indiana, AMI rs large rs al
New England. Maine excepted. When
this tract was set aside for them by
treaty. in 1868, there was an abundance
of large game in it. Now the game has
disappeared, and the reservation can be
used only for agricultural and grazing
purposes. On the west the Black Hills
mining region is occupied by active
settlers. On the east and south the
farmer presses upon the boundary, and
two railways are waiting for the time
when they can extend their lines
through this Indian country. For the
Indians 1t is no longer a hunting ground.
and they are neither farmers nor herd.
ers. Holding by treaty land that at sc
cents an acre is worth more than 3d..
600, 900, they are unable to improve it,
"i'' A'O'h 'N"i w Ntdi aIc DtcOlllIng
more and more dependent upon the
government for subsistence.
The senate has passed bill which
provides for the surrender of about half
OF this reservation. This bill WAS
framed by Senator Dawes, and is sup
ported by the Indian Rights Associa-
ton. The treaty of 1868 declared that
the reservation should be ..sct apart for
the absolute and undisturbed use and
occupation of the Indians herein nam
ed, and that no persons except agents
and employees of the government should
ever "be permitted to pass over, settle |
upon, or reside in the territory describ-
ed" 1t was also provided that no
treaty for a cession of any part of the |
reservation should be valid unless signed |
by at least three-fourths of all the adult |
male Indians occupying it, The bill |
does not propose that this treaty shall
be violated.
An attempt was made in 1882 to pro-
cure the cession of about one-half of
the reservation, but when the so-called
agreement was sent to congress for
ratification it bore the names of only
5s4 Indians. 1t was aftcrward shown
that MANY of those who signed had been
misled. The commissioners who pro-
cured this so-called agreement asserted
that the government had a right to take
The land IN violation of the treaty be-
cause small part of the rcservation-
The Black Hills-had been taken in
1876 without the Indians consent. The
pay proposed under that so-called
agreement, which was not ratified, was
inadequate. consisting chiefly of q. 900
'ows and loo bulls, while half of the
and to be cedcd was worth IS. 900, 600
It the government minimum rate.
The new bill provides for the ccssion
u about IL ,OO0,OO0 acres to the United
states. In return the government
'grees to continue in force for twenty
ears the educational provisions OF the I
reaty; to give the Indians 5000 COWS
md 1000 bulls, and to deposit TO the
indians credit permanent fund of
l,OO0,OOO, the interest of which at )
ler cent is to be used for their benefit.
furthermore, the land is to be sold to !
ctual settlers only, at fifty cents an !
ere. from the receipts the government '
VII reimburse itself for the expense of
uying the cattle and of creating the
nnd, and the remainder vii! be used TO
lcreasc the fund. 1t is believed that q
MS fund will eventually amount TO So g
10000. The Indians are to be lodged c
n SIX separatS reservations.
Provision is also made for n settle :.
lent OF the claims of the settlers who
box land on the Crow Creek and Win b
ebago Reservation under the executive
rider issued by President Arthur and
eclared null and void BY President
leveland.
1t may be difficult to obtain the sig n a
Tres of three-fourths of the Sioux in !, u
Ipport Of this plan. but Senator Dawes Z
elieves that they can be procured IL
friends OF these Indians hold that their p
noccupicd lands should be sold for a.
leir benefit, and that only in this way a.
In the requirement of the lands in vio- k
'tion OF the treaty be prevented. The B
pproval OF the Indian Rights Associa-
on is given gladly. The waves of an r. r.
nportunate civilization that cannot g.
ng be staid at the bidding of any CO
an, says the association in a pam Is
1iet urging the passage of the bill, "a "a
are beating necessarily upon the tor- So So
rs OF the great reservation. Ii is the tn
'ep convection of the association that fir
und policy now demands the opening ar
lawful channel for the advance OF NJ
is mighty tide. Hesitation at the Ir
esent critical time invites a possi- tn
catastrophe. "-New York Times. n