Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-07-27
THE SIOUX COMMISSION
The Personnel of the Commission An.
pointed to Procure the Consent
Of the Indians to the Open.
ing Of the Reserve.

The friends and residents of Dakota
who are interested i'll the opening of the
Sioux reservation seem we'll satisfied with
the composition of the commission Capt.
Pratt has had considerable experience with
Indians as the superintendent of the Car
the Indians who have been educated under
his guidance. He will find among the
Sioux II large number of young men Who
have been educated at Carlisle and who
will aid him in many ways in gaining the
confidence of the Indians on the reserva-
ton. Judge Wright, us chairman of the
Northwestern Indian commission, has
gained pretty thorough knowledge of the
Indian character; and, while he is I'M
known to the Sioux, has his task so we'll
in hand that he will have no difficulty in
entering into confidential relations with
the Indians. Rev. Mr.. Cleveland. appoint
ed a member OF the commission, is not a
brother of the president. but j. w. Cleve-
land, an Episcopal minister. and formerly
a missionary at Rosebud. Oak, agency
He speaks the Sioux language fuently.
The commission is not overburdened with
money, if that is to be used to
influence the Indians, as it has
but $4,000 with which to carry out
the entire work. The expense of the COM
mission cannot fall short of $4,000. and it
is proposed to distribute certain present S
among the Indians looking to securing ia
vvorable impression OF toy toward the project. AS
there are about $4,000 Sioux, the money
nj NJ % a 1o
lieved to be enough. The enemies of the
law are alert and active and the Indian de-
tense association, including Gen. Denver,
DIR. Bland and DR.. Sunderland, will be in
the field about as soon as the committee
stirring the Indians up against the pro-
posed reduction of the reservation. Still
Secretary Villas is determined to score a
success, and seems quite sanguine of the
result. If it be true, as certain Pierre dis
patches state, that agents and officials at
the various agencies are responsible for
the "moonshine" reports which have
reached the war department relative to al
legged hostility among the Indians, it will
go very hard with those individuals.
Villas will stand no such interference. The
commission will meet in Bismarck the
latter part of next week. Work will be
begun at the Standing Rock agency.
regular order as they are reached in
moving down the Missouri river.
The work is likely to be especially difficult
and intricate. Under the terms of the act,
lately approved, looking to the reduction
of reservation, the consent of two-thirds
of the adult Indians must be obtained
under the treaty of 1868 before any steps
looking to the allotment of lands and the
opening to settlement of the remainder of
the reservation can be taken. The Indians
to be negotiated with are located at five
different agencies. The task would be
much lighter if the Sioux to be negotiated
with could be dealt with enmasse at every
agency, but this is impossible. They are
split up in bands, each with its chiefs,
each with its different views and tenden-
denotes, aud each under the guidance of
leaders. Those hostilities and jeal-
ousies must all go to render successful
negotiations difficult. Lack of knowl-
edge of English and lack of education
still further hamper the commissioners.
Thus at Cheyenne river there are cred
tied 5000 Sioux divided into five bands.
OF these $50 can read, but only 800 of
them can speak rough English to make
themselves understood. At Pine Ridge
there are 5000 Sioux, divided into three
bands. the strongest of which is headed
by Red Cloud and group of head men
utterly hostile to the proposed reduction of
the reservation. This band contains 4. 200
Indians. But l, 100 of the whole number
acceded to the agency can read. and less
than $50 can speak English. At Rose Bud
there are $500 Sioux, divided into six
bands, IT'S of whom can read and 10 speak
English. AT Standing Rock there are on
The rolls 1850 Sioux. divided into five
bands, of whom 500 can read and 175
speak English. At Grow Creek there are
$3.50 Sioux, divided into two bands, of
whom 4SO can read and about 300 speak
English. There are about twenty different
bands with whom the commission must
negotiate in order to satisfy the vanity and
overcome the hostility of chiefs and head
men and satisfy the terms of the treaty.
OF the ultimate success of the mission
there seems to be no doubt, but the task
IS second to none ever imposed upon an
embassy in delicacy and difficulty.
DAKOTA EXEMPTION LAW