The Delta independent., 1889-06-25
six TIMES oKIAHoMA,
iix Okiahomas viii Soon be ope;
to Settlers In the Northwest.


iix OkIahomas VIII Soon be Open
to Settlers In the Northwest.
This. says the New York Tribune. is
that tho opening Of the, great Sioux
reservation means, and there is now
very prospect that it will be brought
bout. The situation has changed en-
irely since the failure of last year to
,btain the consent of the tribes. The
indians, who are getting to be good at
,argain. contented that the price
,ffered, so cents an acre for the H.
100000 acres proposed to be opened,
vas too low, and congress, by raising
he price to $1,25 for all lands to be
AIKEN up by settlers within the first
hree years, has conceded the justice
,f this claim. During the two follow
ng years settlers must pay 75 cents,
md during the next five years 80 cents,
ifter which time the government is to
ouy the remainder at so cents per acre.
inasmuch as this secures the full gov
,rnment rate to the Indians for all the
choice lands, which will undoubtedly
pc taken up within three years, and in
sures them as much as so cents an acre
'or even the poorest, besides making
liberal concesessions upon many dis
puted points, the bargain is felt to be q
good one for the Indians, and all oppo-
sition seems to have disappeared. The
probability is, therefore, that the new
commission. headed by General Crook.
who knows all sides of the Indian
character, will have task before them
SO easy that it will not make any ap-
preciablo demand upon the ir skill and
ability. As soon as the consent Of the
Indians is obtained, the ceded portions
Of the reservations can be thrown open
by proclamation of the president with
out the Intervention Of congress, and
thus it is possible that the bars
may be let down during the present
summer.
! The opening OF the reservation will
undoubtedly be OF great advantage to
the people Of South Dakota and the
whole northwest. It has stood all
these years like q gigantic dyke
against the wave OF civilization. Let
the reader imagine great tract OF
land stretching north and south nearly.
as far as from New York city to to the
st Lawrence, and somewhat Nidefsd6
Its narrowest part than the leHAfh Of
Connecticut east and west-a tract
through which the railroads MUST ne.
pass and where the white man cannot
settle-and he will have some notion
OF the size Of this huge barrier to the
development of Dakota Under the
plln approved by congress. q broad
roadway will be cut through the GEN.
tire of the reservation, letting the rail-
ways through and opening direct COM
munication with tho ST. Paul and the
east for the Black Hills and all the
vast region westward of the reserva-
tion. The movement to force Okla
homa open was largely isnstigated
by railroads; in this case. by con-
trast the long opposition OF the
tribes was ascribed partly to the un-
willingness Of rival land-grant rail-
roads to sec so largo and attractive a
section OF tho country brought into the
market for settlers The land now 30
be thrown open is said to be
-of-a-hgh average OF fertility,
and II advance reports can
ever be trusted in such cases, the
disappointment of Oklahoma are not
likoly to be repeated. The soil Is es-
pecially adapted to corn and stock, and
TO general agricultural purposes. The
White river stretches to the west
through the main lateral belt almost
tbs entire distance, with numerous
tributaries. making the country better
watered than the now we'll settled and
prosperous portion Of Dakota east of
the Missouri river. The reputation
OF the Dakota climate. the severity Of
which the people there contend is
much exaggerated, is likely to work
70 the advantage Of that section. 1t
will be more likely on that account to
attract hardy. Industrious class, who
will go prepared to breast some hard
ships and to work like men rather
than merely to gamble in land.
The disintegration of the reservation
system is inevitable, but it is source
Of profound satisfaction to see changes
Of the kind, which are demanded by
the interest alike Of the white man and
The Indian, made without injustice to
the weaker party, and to its full satis-
faction. There will remain moro than
10000. 900 acres OF land for the use Of
nbout $4,000 Sioux. Every Indian re-
ceiving an allotment in severalty be-
comes citizen OF the United States.
Tho successful completion Of this
peaceful revolution ought to mean a
great increase Of prosperity to the In
dians as well as to the whites.
The Rooster Swan AWAY From