St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-08-01
WHITE EARTH INDIANS

And Their Doubts and Difficulties
Over the Dawes Bill.
The United States commission APP
pointed to effect treaty with the In
dians to open up White Earth, Red
Lake and other Indian reservations, is.
meeting with well-earned bad luck. as
stated by an interpreter and chief of the
Mississippi tribe, now on the White
Earth reservation. Bishop Marty, I'M
like his associate, Mr.. Rice, of this city,
seems inclined to exercise Puritan
dignity and tyrannical authority over
Lo, who in turn spits tobacco juice and
fire at the paleface and declares that
the errand of the commission shall be
opposed. Only fair success attended
the commission at White Earth. and
when it arrives at Leech lake and en-
cages in battle and argument with the
1850 bucks there. those who know say
anything may be expected. The Leech
Lake Indians are incenSed at the treat
ment and peremptory manner in which
the other tribes at White Earth were
enlightened of their enigmatical por-
tionS of the bill, and they play such
prominent part in the entire work that
they feel like taking Uncle Sam by the
tail and wagging it for while. Said
an Interpreter yesterday:
NELSON'S Indian bill gives Indians in
Minnesota lands in severalty and also
$4,000, to be paid per capita as an
nuitY until their piece and other lands
have been surveyed and sold. There
are about eight or ten thousand Indians
affected by the bill. After all expenses
have been paid for appraisals of pine
land, survey of reservations and pay
and expenses of commissioners, the
funds accruing from the sale of reser-
vations shall be placed in the United
States treasury to the credit of all the
Chippewas in the state of Minnesota at
interest at the rate of 5 per cent, said
interest to be paid per capita to said In
dians annually. 1t is estimated that the
fund will reach sS,000,000.
IF, from failure of crops or other
reasons the Indians should need assist
ance, congress may appropriate per
cent of the principal from time to time
as it may deem necessary to as
sist said Indians. 1t will take
about four or five years to complete sur
veys, make appraisalS and allotmentS
and sell the pine lands, so that the In
dams will not receive anything more
than the $4,000 advanced to them by
the government until that time.
"The White Earth Indians have a
claim against the government for Sl1S,-
600, due them a. annuitieS, under the
treaty of 1888 and subsequent treaties,
upon which they depend to get cattle,
farming implements and whatever other
assistance they may need to commence
farming. The commission has prom
ised to ask congress to appropriate the
funds to liquidate the amount due the
Indians under former treaties, and it
has also promised to use its influence to
secure the passage of an act by the
state legislature making White Earth
reservation county. Said reservation
includes portion of five counties now.
The commission will leave White Earth
for Leech Lake the latter part of this
week to negotiate with the Pillager
Winnebegoshish and Cass Lake In
dians. Last reports from those Indians
are that they intend to reject the bill.
If they do it will defeat the whole bill,
as it requires the consent of two-thirds
of the members occupying and belong
ing to each reservation in order to be-
come a 1awO