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

limits of my report did not per-
NIT full calculation of the advantages
that would accrue to the Indian nor even
an allusion to the large amount Of land now
lying idle that would thereby be opened 10
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 20 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-
ouired 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 population
Of IL, 900 people; the others an area Of
nearly 22,250, 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 a surplus unoccupied by the
Indians OF over 20, 500, 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,OOO,OOO. with
two of the smaller reservations, the Devlfs
Lake and South Mountain, are 216,4SO acres
and q population Of over l,SO0 nearly half
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, 800 900 acres and
population of less than 1000 Indians. The
surplus land, equal TO the area OF the state OF
Maine, would then return income of ST.
0G0,0 The Grow reservation, mentioned in
my report, could in similar manner be made
to produce an annual sum Of $s23,000 Con-
sidering all the Indians and reservations in
the territories of Dakota and Montana, we
have an aggregate area of over hfty-fo our
less than $4,000. The surplus area of nearly
eighty-one thousand square miles would pro-
duce an annual interest of over S2l 500, 600.
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 hun
dred and seventeen thousand dollars per year
could be derived from their surplus land. In
Idaho the Hallack reservation, occupied by
the Bannocks and Shoshone's. would in the
same way produce each year $4,000. and the
Ceur d. Alenes, say S2S,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, 200, a sum more
then $4,000 in excess of the appropriation
for the current year. In Oregon the most
populous reservation is the klamath. with
over l,000,000 acres, but less than 1000 in
habitants. 1t would yield $50 900 year. In
Washington territory the Yakimas about $500
in number occupy the reservation of 100000
acres of the same name. Here the surplus
land would bear but $4,000 year. In this
total population of 10000 embraced 100000
acres or about l-13 million acres more than
would be required by them under the plan,
proposed, which would produce per aDnum
$4,000 or about S300,000 more than is appro-
priated 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
a yearly income of about S24O, 900. or about
$4,000 moro 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 $4,000 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 half million
acres. Considerable uncertainty exists as to
the population, but il 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 10 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-
tons embracing l6,500,000 acres, inhabited
by nearly $4,000 people. The surplus land
would include about l3, 700, 900 acres, which
would yield
ACCORDING TO THE PLAN
proposed nearly 100000, a sum greater by
$3.50, 600 than that appropriated for the cur
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, $50.
The income from the surplus land would
come within $4,000 of equaling the amount
appropriated. Considering all the Indians in
the territory we have a total of nearly $4,000
and an extent Of reservation of 81, 100000
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 zoe, 900 square
miles. Their population is about 100000,
and $4,000 square miles would locate each
family upon half section of land,
leaving surplus of about 10000 square
miles, which, according to the plan ] have
proposed, would produce annually $4,4s0,000.
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
dams 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.
Sneoial m tho G1ohe