Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1889-12-05


navel vessels on duty at tho Samoan islands,
In the harbor Of Apia, in March last, involy-
ing the loss OF four officers and forty-scven
seAmen and two vessels-the Trenton aud
Vandalia--and disabling the thlri---the Nip
sic. Three YES sells OF the German navy, al so
In the harhor, shJSd with our ships the
force OF tho hurricane and suffered even
more heavily. While mourning tho brave
officers and men who died facing with high
resolve perils greater than those OF battle, II
is most gratifying TO state tho credit OF tho
American navy for seamanship, courage and
generosity was magnincenty sustained In tho
storm-beatcn horbor OF Apia.
The report of the secretary Of the interior
exhibits tho transactions OF the government
with tho Indian tribes. Substantial progress
has been made Ia the education OF Indians
OF school age and the allotment Of land to
adult Indians, IL Is TO DO regretted that tho
policy OF breaking up the tribal re alton aud
OF dealing with the Indian as an individual
did not appear earlier in our legislation.
Large reservations held In common and the
maintenance OF the authority OF tho chiefs
and head men have deprived the individual
Of every incentive 10 the exercise
OF thrift, and the annuity has con.
tributcd an Affirmative impulse towards
a state OF confirmed pauperism.
Our treaty stipulations should be observed
with fidelity, and our legislation should be
highly considerable OF tho best interests of an
ignorant and helpless people, The reserra-
tons are now generally surrounded by white
settlements. We can no longer push the
Indian back into the wilderness, and Il re-
mains only by every suitable agency to push
him upward into the state OF a self support
Ing and responsible citizen. For tho adult
the first step Is TO locate him on farm. and
for the child to place him In n school, School
attendance should DO promoted by every
- a
compelled. The national schools for Indians
have been very successful, and should be
multiplied aud, as far as possible, should be
so organized and conducted AS to facilitate
the transfer OF the schools to the states or
territories In which they are located when
the Indians II, a neighborbooi have accepted
citizenship, and have become otherwise fitted
for such q transfer. This condition of things
will BIO attained slowly, but IL will be FASTENED
by keeping IL IN mind, and In the meantime
that cooperation between the government
and the mission schools, which wrought much
good. should be cordially and impartially sus-
tained.
The last congress enacted two distinct laws
relating to the negotiations with the Sioux
Indians of Dakota for a relinqushment OF
their lands 10 the United States and for divld
Ing the remainder into separate reservations.
Both were approved on the same day, March
2. The one submitted TO the Indians II spc-
cihc proposition, the other (section OF the
Indian appropriation acD authorized the
president 10 appoint three commissioners to
negotiate with these Indians for the accom-
plishment of some general purpose, and re.
quired that any agreement made should be
submitted to congress Tor ratification, On
the 10th day of April last I appointed Hon,
Charles Foster, Of Ohio, Hon william War
ner, OF Missuri, and Maj. Gen. George Crook
Of the United States Army, commissioners
ha In hn
authorized aud directed, first, 10 submit TO
the Indians the definite proposition made TO
them by the act first mentioned, and only In
the event of n failure to secure the assent of
the requisite number to tho proposition, TO
open negotiations for modified terms under
the other act. The work OF the commission
was prolonged and arduous, but the assent OF
the requisite number was, It is said,
finally obtained to tho proposition
made by congress, although the report of the
commission has not yet beeen submitted. In
view OF these facts, shall not, us ut present
advised, deem 10 necessary TO submit the
agreement OF congress for ratifying, but II
will In due courso be submitted for In rorma-
ton. This agreement releases to the United
States about 100000 acres OF land. The
commission, provided for by section IA OF the
Indian appropriation bill, to negotiate with
tho Cherokee Indians, and all Other Indians
owning or claiming lands west of the 96th de-
gree of longitude, for the cesslon 70 the
United States on all such lands, was constl-
tuted by the appointment OF Hon. Lucius
Falrchid, of Wisconsin,; Hon. John +. Hart
ranft, OF Pennsylvania, and Hon. Alfred NJ,
Wilson, of Arkansas, aud organized on
June 80 last. Their first conference with the
representatives OF the Chcrokces was held at
Tahlequah, July 20, with no dennite results
General John +. Har; ranft, OF Pennsylvania,
was prevented by III health from taking part
In the conference. His death, which occurred
recently, Is justly and generally lamented by
q people he had served with conspicuous gall
lantry in war and with great fidelity in peace
Tho vacancy thus created was fled
by the appointment of Hon
A second conference between the commission
and the Cherokees was begun November o,
but no results have yet been obtained, nor Is
1t believed that conclusion can DO immcd-
iats ly expected.
The cattle syndlcaten DOW occupying the lands
for grazing purposes Is clearly one OF the
agencies reeponsible for the obstruction OF
our negotiations with the Cherokees. The
large body Of agricultural lands constituting
what Is known as the Cherokee Outlet, Z"
ought not to be, and cannot long be held for
grazing, and for the advantage of few
against the public interests and the best ad-
vantage OF the Indians themselves. The
United States has now under the treaties Ger.
used oppresslyely, but It cannot he allowed
that these, who by sutferancc occupy those
lands, shall interpose TO defeat the wise and
benefeient purposes OF the government. IL
cannot but believe that the advantageous
character OF the offer made by the United
States to the Cherokee Nation for full re-
lease of these lands AS compared with other
suggestions now ate to them, will yet OBJ
tain for Ii q favorable consideration.
Under the agreement made between the
United States and the Musk0gcc (or Creck)
nation of Indians on the 10Th day OF January,
1889, an absolute title was secured by the
United States to about three and half mil
lions of acres of land. Section IL of the gem
eral Indian appropriation act, appro, cd March
2, 1883, made provision for tho purchase By
the United States from Seminole tribe of a
certain portion OF their lands. The delegates
Of the Seminole nation, having first duly evil
denccd to mo their power TO act IN that be-
hall, delivered proper release and convey
ancc to the use OF all the lands mentioned In
the act, which was accepted by me and ccrti-
fed To by aud In compliance with Inc statute.
BY the terms OF both these acts referred to all
the lands so purchased were declared
to be part OF tho public do
| main and open for settlement
under the homestead law, but OF tho land
aggregate about five and n half million acres,
had already, under the terms OF the treaty Of
1886, been acquired by the United States for
the purpose Of settling other Indian tribes
thereon, and had been appropriated 20 that
purpose. The land remaining and available
for settling consisted OF 1881 500 acres, sur.
! rounded on all sides by lands in the Occur
pancy OF Indian tribes. Congress has pro-
vided no civil government for the people who
were TO be invited by my proclama Ion TO set.
tie upon these lands, except as the new court
which had been established at Muscogce, or
tho United states court In some of the ad
Joining states had power TO enforce the gen.
eral laws of the United States. In this con.
dition of things, was quite reluctant TO
open the lands 10 settlement, but In view OF
the fact that the several thousand persons,
many OF them with their families, had gath.
cred upon the borders OF the Indian territory
with a view OF securing h)mcstcads
on the coded lar DIS, and that delay
would involve them In much loss
and suffering. ! did, on the Esd day OF March
last, issue proclamation. declaring that the
lands therein described would be open to set
tement under the provisions of the law on
the ed of April following, at IL o'clock noon.
Two land districts had been established, and
tho Offices were open for the transaction OF
business when the appointed time arrived. 1t
10 much to the credit OF the settlers that they
very generally observed the limitation as 10
the time when they might enter the territory.
Care will be taken that those who entered In
violation of the law do not secure the advan-
tagc they unfairly sought. There was a good
deal OF apprehension that the strife for loca-
tons would result In much violence and