The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1888-07-20
the sioux commIsslen.

The Sioux commissioners, Messrs, Jno
N. Wright, OF Tennessee, Rev. w, n. Cleve
land, and Capt. R. H. Pratt, left Washing
ton for the West on July IA.
Judge Wright served in the United States
congress six years before the war Of the re
belIion, and later in the Confederate con,
gress four years; was a Confederate colonel,
and served a term as Judge Of one OF the
Tennessee c~ireutcourts, and later as Judge
OF the supreme court OF Tennessee. He
was chairman OF the Northwest commits.
sion which recently negotiated treaties with
many OF the Northwestern tribes OF In
dams. Mr.. Cleveland is a missionary oil
the Episcopal church at Rosebud Agency,
and Capt. Pratt is superintendent OF the
Carlisle tPa.). Indian school.
This commission, in view OF the result
to be accomplished, will, doubtless, be the
most inportant Indian commission Of the
recent years. In addition to its endeavor
to secure part oil the reservation for the
public domain. the commission viii make
allotment oil lands TO the Sioux Indians.
The act Of congress which the commission
hope to have endorsed by the Sioux In
dians, provides for per manent reservations
TO be taken out OF the Great Sioux reser-
walton. as IL nov stands, With agencies at
Pine Ridge. Rosebud, Standing Rock and
Crow Rock. II the Indians agree TO the al.
lotment IN severalty many thousand acres
will be opened to the public settlement.
To carry out the provisions oil the act
OF congress, 5000 is proyided for the ex-
penses OF the commission, and the Presi.
dent is authorized, whenever in his opinion
any reservation of the Sioux Indians, or o.
part Of it, advantageous for agricultural
or ora ziD0 nY1rnneau a nd fhagnrharaaa ia
civilization OF the Indians receiving rations
on either or any OF the reservations shall
be such as to encourage the belief that an
allotment in s.s3ralty to such Indians, or
any OF them, would be for the best interest
OF the Indians, to cause the reservation, or
so much thereof as is necessary, to be sur
veyed, and to allot lands in the reserva-
lion IN severalty to Indians located there.
The land will be distributed in quantities
as follows:
To each head OF a family, one. quarter OF
a section; to each single person over Is
years OF age, o~ne-fourth OF a section; to
each orphan child under Is years OF age.
one.fourth of a section, and TO each other
person under age now living, or who may
be born prior to the date OF the order OF
the President directing an allotment OF
OF lands embraced in any reservation,
one.eighth OF a section.
In case there is not sufficient lend in
either OF the reservations to allot lands
to each individual of the classes named in
quantities as provided, the lands
embraced in such reservation or reserva-
tions shall be allotted TO zach individual
OF each OF such classes pro rata, in accord
ance with the provisions Of the act.
1t provides that where the lands on any
reservation are mainly valuable for graz
ing, additional allotment OF such grazing
lands, in Quantities, shall be made in sew
crafty; or in case any twoor more Indians.
who may be entitled to allotments, shall
so agree, the President may assign the
grazing lands, TO which they may be entf
tied, to them in one tract, and to be held
and used in
The commission will take out with it for
distribution among the Sioux Indians,
Z, 600 printed copies OF the
act of congress, that the
Indians may become familiar with it's pro-
visions. The members OF the commission
will meet in Bismarck, Oak. Work VIII be
begun at the Standing Rock agency. The
other agencies viii be visited 10 their regu.
lar order as they ARE reached in moving
down the Missouri river,
Little Is known OF any OF the members OF
the Sioux commission, but Delegate Clifford
says the commission is q good one in ev-
cry way. II Is hoped thar the work will
begin at once. No trouble will be encoun-
tered with the Indians. They are. as q
rule, waiting to sign the bill.