The Progress., 1888-10-20
WHITE EARTH AGENcY MINNESOTA SATURDAY. OCTOBER % aas

se!f supporting. While this is an am
Iguous clause the solution might have
cen, atsleast partially solved had the
reaty Of 1868 been acted upon prompt
y and unreseryedly. They may be
seed!essly alarmed, but they are war
.anted By the current Of past events
n dis trusting the new bill, and In be
,ievlng that its ratitcation would vitiate
ne treaties of 1868 and 1876. In
thinning as they do that the new bill
would give them no more than they
'lready have, they expressa fear that the
provisions of the bill impair the former
treaties. It Is almost certain that It
lit does not from legal point Of view
lat would create confusion when the
question Of appropriation for the sew
eral treaties and the bill came up. It
ought to be made clear in terms that
ehe new bill does not vitiate former
'rcaties.
But from another standpoint DIFF
Guilty is visible, and that is, opposing
estimates Of value. The government
'tfers fifty cents per acre, and Chief
Grass thinks they should have at least
oae dollar per acre clear Of all ex-
! penses. We admit this Is a serious
difference, and perhaps from their
own showing our Sioux friends can be
made to see that their proposition
admits of modification. But all this
aside, it must he seen that whether for
veal or woe, the Indian has u right
to express his opinion and to act upon
it. Chief Grass says, 1--WE are not op-
posed to disposing Of any surplus lands
we may have, il n fair and reasonable
proposition is made to us
and in our present stand, simply refuse
to have an unfair act forced upon us."
There is certainly no wrong in this ex-
preston, no defiance OF the government
but simply the language Of man who
believes that he and his people should
be treated justly, and given the oppor-
tunity of doing the best possible for
themselves. And furthermore it is well
to notice the emphatic language Of the
chief in declaring that "the rumors
that the Sioux are liable to Y5sort to
arms to oppose the act are totally with
out foundation
The conference at Brule has closed,
negotiations have ceased and certain
chiefs are to visit Washington and will
there be given an opportunity to pre-
sent to the government their wishes.
This is as it should be. Capt. Pratt
speaking for himself and his brother
C mmissioners stated frankly that they
would have made some changes had IL
been in their power.
This Is a confession that the bill
needs revision, as all proposals do,
when presented to parties for accept
ance who have had no hand in framing
them While the prejudice against
treaty-making may be well founded, it
by no means follows that everything
proposed to the Indian should be before-
hand cut and dried, and then presented
with the virtual direction "this or
nothing
It may be urged that the experiment
Of mutual action was attempted in the
creation Of the Northwestern commits
sion, and did not work as well as
should have been expected,
This is true in q measure, but may
be explained by considering the charac-
ter OF the commission. We do not
know its method Of procedure else
where, but we can say with certainty
that its method here partook too much
Of the bulldozing order. Unhappy
complications had much to do with the
defeat Of the negotiation here by what
we know locally as the Whipple COM
mission. The influence of persons who
should not have been at all considered
was felt, and exerted itself upon the
minds Of the commissioners. Such
persons ignored. we believe 1t possible
for the government to negotiate favor
ably.
In the meantime and with reference
to the Sioux. we believe that If duly
accredited tribal representatives are
allowed to 90 to Washington, much
can be accomplished, because more can
be done at the seat Of government, and
because small petty objections can bet.
ter be met in small eonefavs than In
a large.
THE NEW lfC UMBENTS,