The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1888-05-10
A Veto winch Interests Kansas.


WASHINGTON, May THE presi-
dent has vetoed the house bill, No. 14O6,
providing for the sale of certain New
York Indian lands in Kansas. In his
message the president made substan-
TALLY the following statement of facts:
Prior to the year 1888, a number of
bands and tribes of New York Indians
had obtained 100, 600 acres of land in
the state of Wisconsin upon which they
proposed to reside. In the gear above
named a treaty was entered into be-
tween the United States and these In
dams, whereby these lands were relin-
pushed to the government. In con-
sideratiOn of a tract of land now in the
state of Kansas, aggregating 1924, 900
acres being $40 acres for each Indian,
as their number was then COM
puted, the treaty among other
thing provided that such of
the tribes as did not accept the treaty
within five years should forfeit all
rights under the same. In 1912 some
of the Indians settled upon lands but
how many we do not know. In 1916,
they were followed by 200 others of
their tribe from that time until late in
1860. The reports of the Indian agents
and others. show that these Indians
were victims of persistent and often
cruel persecution by the whites, who
sought to get possession of their fertile
lands. In 1878, the secretary of the
interior in a report says that from
death and the hostility of the settlers
all of the indians gradually relinquish-
ed their selection until only thirty-tWo
remained in 1860.
In that year certificates were issued
to these thirty-two Indians who still
Il Ea9wTW wGar
curing to them their 800 acres each.
But the hostile white prevented their
peaceful occupancy, and in 1885
| twenty-seven of the certificates were re-
turned undelivered. An official report
by the secretary of the interior, dated
February Is, 1871, says that these
lands are now all or nearly all, occu-
pied by white persons who have driven
the Indians from their homes and rec
ommends that some action be taken by
congress. Two years later an act was
passed permitting bonafide claimants
ana occupants of the $40 allotments tt
purchase 100 acres of the same at al
appraised valuation, and providing
that the money should be paid into tn,
United States treasury for the benefi
of the Indians. About $50 acres of tn,
land were sold, producing S4,O5S
The price paid was in no cas-,
| less budH p4.OU per acre.
is proposed in this bill I
sell to those bona fide claimant VIII
failed to purchase under tn
1888, the remainder law q
of the land at $3.50 per acre. tn
president in his message says that h
} can see no fairneSs-or justice in per
{ hitting these lands TO be sold at
} much less price than that paid by thei
neighbors in 1878, and concludes a
} | follows:
The occupancy upon these lands an
4 of the settlers seeking relief and c
5 their granters is based upon wrong
!. violence and oppression, and
continuation of the wrongful exclusio
of these Indians from their land
t should not inure to the benef
8 of wrong doors and the opportunitiG
9 afforded by the law of 1873 were nes
lected perhaps in the hope and belit
9 that death would remove the Indian
Q who by their appeals for justice ammo
o ed those who had driven them fro
o their homes, and perhaps in expect
Is ton that the heedleSsness of the GO
; eminent concerning its obligations
the Indians would supply easier term