Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-08
THE SIOUX LANDS.
How the Indians Gained Their Point
and How lntruders win be Kept On.

The Secretary Of the Interior has requested
the War department to take such steps as may
be deemed necessary to keep intruders of Of
the Sioux reservation. This action was taken
in anticipation Of . rush Of settlers now that
the Sioux commission have induced the Indians
to consent to sell their lands to the government.
Secretary Noble has received no further infor-
nation from the members of the Sioux COM
mission then was given in the telegram which
he received yesterday and which was printed in
Yesterdays STAR. One reason given by Interior
department officials to account for the success
OF the commission is that the law under which
they were authorized to negotiate with the In
dians practically conceded the terms demanded
by the Indians. The commission which visited
the Indians last summer were empowered by
the law Of April 80, 1888, to offer only Fifty
cents per acre for all lands taken up BY set
tiers. The Indians thought that they ought
to get S1.25 per acre, the same price which the
government was getting for its land. The COM
mission were unable to secure the assent Of the
Indians and in October large delegation came
to this city and had several conferences with
Secretary Villas.
RENEWING THEIR DEMANDS.
They then renewed their demand for $1.25
per acre, and after talking the matter over Sec
retary Villas told them that he had been author
ized by the President to say that he would rec
ommend to Congress to change the act 80 that
all the land taken by homesteaders during the
first three years after the reservation was
opened shall be paid for at the rate of
81 per acre; that all the land taken
in the next two years after that shall be
IS cents per acre, and for all lands entered after
five years from the date the act shall take
effect shall be SO cents per acre. Congress was
to provide for the disposition of the land re-
naming, provided that not less than 80 cents
an acre on that account be placed to the credit
OF the fund. Instead of one million being set
aside as fund the Secretary said that Con-
gress would be asked to set aside two million
dollars for the benefit of the Indians.
WHAT THE LAW PROVIDED.
The Indians, while thanking the Secretary
for the proposed changes, adhered to their de-
cision that they must have 81. 25 for their land.
The act which became law in March last and
the provisions of which formed the basis of the
present agreement while embodying the sug-
gestion Of Secretary Villas made them more
liberal and practically conceded the main claim
OF the Indians. 1t provided that SLIPS be paid
for all land taken up by the settlers within the
first three years, 75 cents per acre during the
next two years, and 80 cents per acre for the
residue of the lands then undisposed Of It
provided further that the money thus received
should be applied first to the reimbursement of
the United States for all necessary and actual
expenditure contemplated and provided under
the act and the creation of a permanent fund
OF SO, 1000, 900, and after such reimbursement the
residue to be added to the said permanent
fund. In another act the sum of S25, 900 was
appropriated for the expenses of the COM
mission.
The Indians, however. had demanded that
S1.25 per acre paid for all the land be placed to
their credit in the United States Treasury clear
Of all expense, and the work of the present
commission mainly consisted in inducing them
to recede from this position and accept the
compromise.