St. Paul daily globe., 1889-06-03
The victim is believed to have he en-
twenty-five or thirty years Of age.
TO TREAT WITH LO.
Ex-Se natOr Rice Outlines the
Work of the Chippewa Indian
Comm scion


Ex-Se nator Rice Outlines tho
Work of the Chippewa Indian
Commission.
Hon. Henry M. Rice described the
work of the Chippewa Indian commits
sion to a GLOBE reporter yesterday, as
follows: "Bishop Marty, of Dakota:
DR.. }. B. Whiting, of Wisconsin. and
myself have been appointed to visit the
various reservations and endeavOr to
come to all agreement with the Indians
whereby they will surrender their res
ervationS in return for allOtmentS in
Severalty and other advantages. The
reservations are White Earth, Red
Lake, Leech Lake. Cass Lake, Winnie
bagOShish, Oak Point, POkegema, Fond
du Lac, Grand Portage, VermilliOD.
Net Lake and few other smaller ones,
with total population of about 5000
Indians. There are from 1000, 600 to
100000 acres of land, comprising the
only unappropriated pine lands in the
Northwest. If we are successful
in our negotiations, a census OF
; men, women and children, with
and lands allotted in severalty. The IN
dians are to receive $50, 900 year to aid
in making homes out of the land, which
will be surveyed and divided into forty
acre tracts. The pine lands will be ap .
praised and sold at public sale. but no
bid will he entertained for less than the
appraised value. The money is to be
refunded when it exceeds $4,000, 900 over
the advance; the balance will go into
the treasury, and per cent interest
will be paid annually to the Indians or
expended for their advantage. The
amounts already secured under former
treaties have been spent; many Indians
have never given any attention to agri-
culture; the game is almost exhausted,
and many of them are in most
wretched condition. The object of the
governm ent is to induce them to
look to the soil for support. and
thus become self-Sustaining. Three
years ago the wheat crop at White
Earth was a failure. Father Giltillan
seed. Last year the frost killed the
wheat, and had it not been for the eff
forts of Archbishop Ireland and Agent
Sheehan, who secured seed, the Indians
would have been obliged to live in en-
forced idleneSs on the verge of starva-
ton. The signatures of twothirds of
the adult males are necessary to the
success of the treaty, and it will require
a great deal of work and time before we
get them. A large extent of territory
has to be covered and many miles
traversed in canoes. The great difficulty
will be in inducing them to quit their
tribal relations. The chiefs and medi-
cine men are 10th to give up their lit
tie authority. TO many of the older
ones the change from the life of hunting
and fishing to one of agriculture will
be difficult, but the younger ones will
soon find it to their benefit" Mr. Rice
was asked why the Catholic church had
succeeded so we'll with the Indians
wnere other churches had so signally
failed. ''It all lies in its system" he
replied" ''It teaches the Indians use
full things and keeps up its mission sta
tOns by sending first-rate priests among
them. The Protestant missions have
been allowed to sink and have been
neglected. Then they seem to be I'M
able to get any hold on the hearts of the
natives. and have omitted, so far, to
teach them anything beyond ordinary
education, which is no use to them"
'.When will you get to work?''
II cannot say. expect Bishop Marty
here in a few days, and suppose DR..
Whiting will arrive about the same
time. We shall then have conference
and discuss the instructions received
from the government. If any modfica-
tiOnS are necessary we shall have to
communicate with Washington. Then
we shall have to arrange dates with the
Indians and get started on our trip. 1t
will take some time, and / hope we shall
be SucceSSfuI"