Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1888-08-09
THE ALLOTMENT.

160 AAAO1 W 6N4.
On Monday last no less than nine
persons came to Lewiston for the pur
pose Of fling on land which lies in the
Nee Perez reservation, under the belief
that the reservation had become open
to settlement by the whites. A part Of
this Misunderstanding arose from the
pretended telephone message published
10 the Spokane Revie,o, announcing that
Gen. Gardncr had arrived at Lewiston to
allot the Indians their land in severalty,
and part from some other causes no
one Of which is more prominent than
their desire that the reservation should
be Immediately opened to white settle
ment. The unoccupied lands Of this
reservation has wide reputation a.
among the most valuable Of all lands in
the Pacific northwest. Hundreds and
even thousands Of persons rode over
these lands during the mining excite.
mcnt of 1861, 2 and 3, and during the
Nee Percc war Of 1877, and they
become swift witnesses to the value Of
this land in every section Of country ION
this coast and among residents, who
dwell east of the Rockies, and if the
time ever comes when this land, or any
considerable portion OF it 10 ever open for
settlement by the whites, aud the fact is
known, hundreds who are DESTROYS Of
securing good lands will rush here to
make their selections. But there is
many step to be taken before this
settlement can be made by the whites
and the present generation Of whites we
think will become very impaticn. OF
waiting before they will be permitted to
file on the land in any U. :. land
Office. In the first place the law Of
Feb. 8, 1887, has not been enforced in
any particular as yet, so far as known here,
not even by the appointment Of commits
sioners TO allot the lands to the Indians,
at least they have not made their appear.
ance here for their work. While it il
believed that majority Of the Indians
are favorable, yet no steps have been
taken yet to determine who and who are
mot favorable. and what proportion arc
ready to make their selection for allott.
ment. The reservation is not surveyed
into sections, one.half sections, onc-
quarter sections, so that the allotment
can be made and mapped. There is
much to be done before the Indians can
select their individual homes. When
tho survey is made the Indians must
have time to make their selections, and
the commissioners must have time 10
allot to those who will not themselves
make their own selections. After the
Indians are oil provided for then The
government must make some provision
70 purchase the residue from the Indians
before they parcel it out to the whites
under any system Of home stead Of
presumption. All these things have to
b done before filings can be made, and
with the present progress being made
since the passage Of the law Of Feb. 8,
1887, the hesds of most men contem-
plating making locations on the residue
Of the reservation after allotment, will
whiten with the frosts Of age. The
treaty setting apart the reservation was
made in 1868 and ratified in 1867.
Tho Indians did not 60 upon the
reservation, a. tribe, till after the
Joseph war and the renagades had been
driven out Of the country, at an expense
to the government Of nearly one and a
half million dollars, and At sacrifice Of
the blood Of scores Of citizens and
soldiers. This was all through the
tardiEess Of the government in its deal.
logs with the tribe. Have We reason to
hope the government will be any more
prompt in enforcing the law of 1887
than they were in enforcing the stipula
lions Of the treaty Of 1867. If tba. be
20 how soon can We expect to have the
reservation SO opened that white citizens
can purchase the lands of the reservation
in any form or in any quantity however
small.
Whenever tho democrats of South
idaho talk on the subject of annexation
they are hurting mighty boomerang.