St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-02-17
The Sioux Reservation Bill
Reported Favorably by
the Committee.
Whereat the Dakota COntin-
gent Are Full of a Good
Feeling.
E. G. Spilman Captures the
DEVILS Lake Land
Office. !.
Special TO the Globe.

Special to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16. - Chairman
Peel, for the committee on Indian af-
fairs, reported to the house substitute
for the Clifford bill and Peel bill for
opening the Sioux reservation. Mr..
Peel says: ''This bill is not mine, nor
is it representative of the ideas of any
one man, but the combined wisdom of
all who are acquainted with the sub
ject. 1t is unanimous report of the
committee, and will undoubtedly pass
the house. 1t is the most important
measure ever before the committee on
Indian affairs, and I believe it is the
most important matter before congress
this session. 1t was a source of much
solicitation to me in the early part of
the session lest the entire committee
might not agree upon the matter. Hith-
erto many diverse interests have
clashed and defeated the measure.
There has not been word of partisan
ship uttered by any one upon this bill.
1t has been considered wholly as busi-
ness matter, and all considerations have
been for the welfare of the Indians,
without forgetting the whites"
TEXT OF THE BILL.
Notwithstanding the warlike habits
of the Sioux Indians, eliminating in
the Minnesota New Ulm massacre, the
massacre of Custer and his entire COM
mand, and similar depredatiOns, the
government has been dealing with them
laviShly for twenty years, supporting
them in idleness and keeping them in a
great wilderness away from civilization
on reservation almost as great in eX-
tent as Kentucky, until it has become
an Imperative necessity that there
should be change, in justice and fair
ness alike to the whites and Indians.
The government is now paying over
81, 800, 900 annually for their support.
BY the treaty of 1868 we agreed to fur
niSh certain SubSiStency for four years.
We have now done it for twenty, and
increased their allowances instead of
diminishing and cutting off altogether.
1t would only have taken $9,000.O00 to
carry out the treaty ALLEGATIONS, but we
have expended nearly S30,000,OO Con-
sequently they make no efforts to become
civilized, nor attain citizenship. We
have more than carried out our Obliga-
tiOns to them. There are only $4,000
Indians occupying $1,000 square miles.
Less than one Indian to one and three
fOurthS square miles. Our committee
deems it wise that these Indians should
all remain as near as possible to the
homes of their choice, and they can Sc
lect lands in Severalty and let lands out
side of natural needs and lawful rights
be opened to homestead settlement.
One-fifth of the land now Occnpied is
sufficient for them under the severalty
law. That is 100000 acres out of nearly
VI, lo,.z
full of coal and mineral. The bOunda-
rieS of the reservation shall begin at the
intersection Of the 1O3d meridian longi-
tude with the northern boundary of the
state of Nebraska, to the south fork of
the Cheyenne river, down to the mouth
of Battle creek; thence easterly to
White river to the mouth of Pass creek
son White river, up said creek to the
source of its principal branch;
thence to the northern line of
Nebraska; thence along the line to
the place of beginning. The committee
does not feel justified in recommending
the ratification Of the agreement
between the Indians and railroads with
out modification, and it is provided that
the Chicago, Milwaukee d st. Paul and
the Dakota Central railroads shall have
certain terminal facilities and privileges
for stations under the direction of the
secretary of the interior, but these cor
pOrations shall have the right to take
and use, prior to any white person on
corporation, a right of way provided for
in said agreements, not to exceed
twenty acres of land in addition to the
right of way and stations for every ten
miles; and they shall take and use for
side track, depot and other necessary
purposes, for the former company SO
much of the 1SS acres, and the latter
company SO much of the seventy-fve
acres on the east side of the Missouri
river embodied in said agreement, as
the secretary of the interior shall decide
to be absolutely necessary for ap-
proaches to the bridges which they in