St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-03-31
CHIPPEWA AGREEMENT.
Wilson and Wright Discuss the
Matter in the Committee.

WASHINGTON, March 30.-COngress-
man Nelson, of Minnesota, was again
before the senate committee ON Indian
affairs this morning in opposition to the
commission bill to ratify the Chippewa
agreement and in favor of the house
bill introduced by himself for the same
purpose. He pointed out again what he
claimed to be the vital objection to the
commission bill. 1t proposed to give
the Red Lake Indians the proceeds of a
domain which would make them all
nabObs, milli0naireS-worSe than the
Osages and some others in the Indian
territory, while the other Minnesota
bands would be left as paupers in conn.,
parson. These were all, as matter of
fact, he claimed, members of the same
tribe, and were equally entitled to di-
vision of the surplus. Again, it was
proposed that the lands should all be
sold at public sale. This would bring
them into the hands of spectators, and
actual settlers would have to pay ex-
Orbitant prices for their farms. His
bill. he said, provided against both these
matters. He explained the features of
his bill section by section, and discussed
the details with the members of the
committee. He defended himself against
charge made in letter to the Indian
office and published by the commits
ing in the interest of 'pine ring" de-
est whatever in the matter. He said
that everybody who lived in Minnesota
and knew anything about the matter
knew this to be fact, and that after
the charge had been made he had been
almost unanimously reelected to con-
greSS, He reflected with some severity
upon the Indian Office for publishing
such statement
ANSWERED BY WRIGHT.
Judge Wright, of the Northwest COM
mission, which made agreements with
the Chippewas of Minnesota for the
cession of their lands. addressed the
committee in defense of the commissions
bill to ratify the treaty, and in answer
to the points made by Representative
Nelson this morning, he declared that
the commission found the people of
Minnesota fully in accord with the pur-
pose of the commission, and that the
commission had proceeded under their
instructions to secure all they could get
from the Indians, having at the same
time due regard for the rights and in
tereStS of the Indians themselves. He
declared it to be his belief that if this
treaty were not ratified after having
been agreed upon by the Indians, and
new commission of any sort were sent
up to make any new arrangement, the
Indians would consider it an act of bad
faith and would have nothing more to
do with the matter. He said the condi-
ton of some of the Chippewa bands.
aside from the White Earth Indians and
the Red Lake Indians, was deplOrable,
and he held it to be one of the gravest
claims upon the philanthrophy of the
American people that something should
be done for the improvement of these
people. He admitted the possibility
that under the provisions of the agree
ment with regard to the sale of land in
forty-acre tracts, spectators could buy
as many of these tracts as they choose,
or that one man might even buy the
whole. He would be glad if the agree
ment were amended in this respect. He
thought the Indians would accept
amendments to perfect this treaty much
more readily than they would accept an
entirely new treaty.
Congressman Nelson said, in behalf of
the people of Minnesota, that they would
much rather have things remain as they
are than have the commissions treaty
ratified. The committee adjourned sub
ject to the call Of the chairman.