Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-12-06


bic ships. l concur in the recommendation of
the secretary. that the construction of eight ar
mored ships three glnboats and five torpedo
boats be authorized
An appalling calamity befeu three of our naval
vessels on duty at the Samoan Isles in the harbor
of Apia, in March last involving the loss OF four
officers and forty-seven seaElen, of two vessels,
the Trenton and Fandalia, and the disabling Of
third the Nipssc The vessels of the German
navy also in the harbor shared with our ships
the force of the hurricane, and suffered even
more heavily. While mourning the brave officers
and men. who died facing with high resolve
perils greater than those OF battle it is most graf
flying to state the credit of the American navy
for seamanship courage and generosity was mag
nifcently sustained in the storm-beaten harbor of
Apia.
The Interior Department
The report of the secretary of the interior ex-
hibitS the transactions of the government with
the Indian tribes. Substantial progress has been
made in the education of the children of school
age and the allotment of lands TO adult Indians
Ii is to be regretted that the policy OF breaking up
the tribal regulation and of dealing with the In
dian as an individual did not appear earlier IN
our legislation. Large reservations held in com
mon and the maintenance of the authority OF the
chiefs and head men, have deprived the individual
the annuity has contributed an affirmative i'm
pulse toward state of confirmed pauperisrn.
Our treaty stipulationS should be observed with
fidelity and our legislation should be highly con
siderate of the best interests of an ignorant and
helpless people The reservations are now gen
orally surrounded by white settlements. We can
no longer push the Indian back into the wider
ness, and 1t remains only, by every suitable
agency, to push him upward into the state of a
self-supporting and responsible citizen. For the
adult, the first step is to locate him upon farm,
and for the child to place him in school. And
by every moral agency, and those fail
ing should be compelled. The national schools
for Indians have been very successful, and
should be multiplied and as far possible
should be so organized and conducted as to facil-
tate the transfer of the schools to the states or
territories in which they located when the
lion t,,.F
Zenship and have become otherwise fitted
for such a transfer. This condition of things
will b.. attained slowly, hui it viii be FASTENED
by keeping it IN mind. And in the meantime
that cooperation between the government
and the mission schools which has wrought
much good. should be cordially and I'M
partially sustained. The last congress- enacted
two distinct laws relating to negotiations with the
Sioux Indians of Dakota. for a REIMBURSEMENT of
portion of their land to the United States and
for dividing the remainder into separate reserva-
tons: both approved the same day
March = The one submitted to the Indians a
specific proposition, the other tSectiOn of the
Indian appropriation act) authorized by the pres
ident to appoint three commissioners to negotiate
with these Indians for the accomplishment of the
same general purpose and required that any
agreements made should be submitted to con
gresS for ratification.
On the 10th day of April last, l appointed Hon
Charles Foster, of Ohio, Hon. William Wayne, of
Missouri, and Major General George Crock of
the United States army, commissioners under the
last named law. They were, however, authorized
ana directed llfSt TO SUBMIT UDe INDIANS tile
definite proposition made to them by the act first
mentioned and only in the event of failure to
secure the assent of the requisite number to that
proposition, to open negotiations for modified
terms under the other act The work of the com
mission prolonged and arduOus, but the as
sent of the requisite number was it is
understood finally obtained to the proposition
made by congress, although the report of the
commission has not yet been submitted. In view
of these facts shall not, as at present advised,
deem it necessary to submit the agreement to
congress for ratification but it Will i'll due course,
be submitted for information. This agreement
releases to the United States about 100000 acres
of land. The commission provided for by section
II of the Indian appropriation bill, to negotiate
with the Cherokee Indians and all other Indian
owning or claiming lands lying west of this
ninety-stXth degree of longitude for the ces-
sion to the United States of all such lands
was constituted by the appointment of
Hon. Lucius Fairchd of Wisconsin, Hon Jno. F.
Hartranft, of Pennsylvania and Hon. Alfred N
Wilson of Arkansas, and organized on June goth
last. Their first conference with the representa-
tiveS of the CherokeeS held at Tahequah,
July 29th. with no definite results Gen. John F.
Hartranft, of Pennsylvania, was prevented by i'll
health from taking part in the conference. His
death, which occurred recently, is justly and
generally lamented by a people he has served
with conspicuous gallantTy in and with great
fidelity in peace. The vacancy thus created was
filed by the appointment of Hon. Warren q.
Sayre of Indiana.
\ second conference between the commission
and the CherokeeS was begun November 9th, but
| no results have yet been obtained nor is it be-
eved that a conclusion can be Immediately eN-
pected. The cattle syndicate now occupying the
lands for grazing purposes is clearly one of the
agencies responsible for the obstruction of our
negotiations with the Cherokees The large body
OF agricultural land constituting what is known
as the Cherokee outlet ought not to he and
cannot long be held for grazing and for the ad-
vantage of few against the public interests
and the best advantage of the Indians
themselves The United States has under
the treaties certain rights in these lands. These
will not be used oppreSSivey, but it cannot be al
lowed that those who by SEferance occupy these
Il
etiCial purposes Of the government. ! cannot
but believe that the advantageous character of the
offer made by the United States to the Cherokee
nation Tor a full release of these lands as com
pared with other suggestions now made to them
will yet obtain for it favorable consideration.
Under the agreement made between the United
States and the MuScOgee Cor Creek) Nation of
Indians on the 18th day of January, 1889, an abso-
lutte title was secured by the United States to
| about three and half millions of acres of land.
Section u of the general Indian appropriation
act, approved March ,, 1889, made provision for
the purchase by the United States from the Sem
mole tribe of certain portion Of their lands.
The delegates OF the Seminole Nation
having first duly evidenced TO me their power to
act in that behalf delivered proper release and
conveyance to the United States of all the II /
mentioned in the act which was accepted by me,
and certified to be in compliance with the statute
BY the terms of both the acts referred to- all the
lands so purchased were declared to be a part
of the public domain and open to settlement.
under the homestead law. But Of the land EN-
braced in these purchases being in the agreement
about 55OOO00 acres, 3.5OOO0O acres had already,
under the terms of the treaty of 1866, been &c
quircd by the United States for the purpose of
settling other Indian tribes thereon and had been
appropriated to that purpose. The land remain
ing and available for settlement consisted of
1SS1 196 acres, surrounded all sides by lands in
the occupancy of Indian tribes. Congress had
provided 10 civil government for the people who
were to be invited by my proclamation and
to settle upon these lands except the new court
which had been established at Nuscogee, or the
United States court in some of the adjoining
y
the United States In this condition of things |
was quite reluctant to open the lands to settle
nentS. But in view of the fact that the several
thousand persons, many of them with their fani-
lies, had gathered upon the borders of the Indian
Territory, with view of securing home
steadS the ceded lands, and that de
lay would involve them in much loss
and suffering | did on the 23rd day of March
last issue proclamation declaring that the lands
therein desired would be open to settlement
under the provisions of the law, on the 22nd day
of April following, at II O'Clock noon Two land
districts had been established, and the offices
were open tor the transaction OF business when
the appointed time arrived. 1t is much to the
credit of the settlers that they very generally OBJ
served the limitation as to 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 advantage they I'M
fairly sought There was good deal Of appre-
henSIon that the strife for locations WoulI result
in much violence and h0odShed, but happily these
auticlpatlons were not realized 1t Is estimated
that there are now in the territory about $1,000
people, and several considerable towns have
sprung up, for which temporary municipal
governments have already been organized
Guthrie is said to now have a population of
almost 5000 Eleven schools and nine churches
have been established. Three daily and five
weekly newspapers are published in this city.
whose charter and ordinances have only the
sanction of the voluntary acquescence of the
people from day to day. Oklahoma City has
population of 5000 and is pTOportonately well
provided as Guthrie with churches, schools and
newspapers. Other towns and villages hav
ing populations Of from one hundred to
thousand are scattered the territory.
In order to secure the peace of this new commu-
nifty in the absence of civil government, directed
General Merritt. commanding the department of
the Missouri. to act in conjunction with the mar
shals of the United States to preserve the peace,
and upon their requisitonto use the troops to aid
them in executing warrants and in quoting riots
orbreacheS of the peace that might arise. He was
further directed to use his influence to promote
good order and to avoid any conflicts between or
with the settlers. Believing that the Introduction
and sale of liquors where legal restraint
regulations existed would erianger the public
peace. and in view of the fact that such liquors
first I've. introduced into the Indian reServa-
tons before reaching the white settlements. |
further directed the general commanding to
force the laws relating to the Introduction of
dent spirits into the Indian country. The pres
ence OF the troops has given a sense of security
TO the we-diSpOSed citizens and has tended to
restrain the lawleSs. In instance the officer
in immediate command of the troops went fur
ther than deemed iuStifiable in supporting tt
de fdctO municipal government of Guthrie,
the interference of the military to the support
of the maTShaiS the lines indicated. the orig
NAL order. | very urgently recommend that
greSS at once provide a territorial government
for these people Serious questions which may
at any time lead to violent outbreaks are await
heir