The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-12-11

ly. While mourning the brave officers and
men who died, facing with high resolve
perils greater than those of battle, it is
most gratifying to state that the credit of
the American navy for seamanship, cour-
age and generosity was magniiicently sus-
tanned in the storm-beaten harbor OF Apia.
INDIANS AND RESERVATIONS.
A Territorial. Form of Governments For
Ok ahoml-The Sioux Reservation.
The report OF the secretary of the inte-
rior exhibits the transactions OF the gov
eminent with the Indian tribes. Substan-
tial progress has been made in the educa-
ton OF the children of school age and in
the allotment OF lands to adult Indians.
1t is to be regretted that the policy of
breaking up the tribal relation and 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 the
chiefs and head men have deprived the
individual of every incentive to the exer-
else of thrift, while The annuity has con-
tributed an affirmative impu sc toward
state OF confirmed pauperism. Our treaty
stipulatiOns should be observed with
fidelity and our legislation should be
highly considerable of the best inter
ests of an ignorant and helpless peO-
pie. The reservations are now gen
orally surrounded by white settle
ments. We cannot longer push the
Indian back into the wilderness, and
it remains only, by every suitable
agency, to push him upward intothe estate
of a self-suppOrting irresponsible citizen.
For the adult the first step is to locate him
upon a farm, and for the child to place him
i
promoted by every moral agency and those
failing should becOmpelled The national
schools for Indians have been very sue
cessful and should be multiplied, and, as far
as possible, should be so organized and
conducted as to facilitate the transfer of
the schools to the states or ter
ritories in which they are located,
when the Indians in a neighbor
hood have accented citizenship and have
become otherwise fitted for such trans
fer This condition of things will be at
tanned slowly, but it will be fastened by
keeping it in mind. And, in the mean
time, the cooperation between the govern
ment and the mission schools, which has
wrought much good, should be cordially
and impartially maintained.
The Sioux Reservation.
The last congress enacted two distinct
laws relating to negotiation with the Sioux
Indians of Dakota for a REIMBURSEMENT of
a portion OF their lands to the United
States and dividing the remainder into
separate reservations. Both were APP
proved on the same day-March >. The
one submitted to the Indians a specific
propositions; the other (sec. 3 of the In
dian appropriation act) authorized the
president to appoint three commissioners
/ - 20, 4ho.n T,,IforE TO- fIo
accomplishment of the same general pur-
pose, and required that any agreements
made should be submitted to congress for
ratification. On the leth day of April last
| / appointed the Hon. Charles Foster of
Ohio, the Hon. William Warner
of Missouri, and Mai. Gen. George
! Crook OF the L. S. army, commits
sioners under the last-named law. They
WERE however, authorized and directed
first to submit 10 the Indians the definite
proposition made to them by the first act
mentioned, and only in the event of
| failure TO secure the assent of the requisite
number to that proposition to open nego-
tiations for modified terms under the
other act. The work of the commission
was prolonged and arduous, but the assent
/ of the requisite number was, II Is under
| stood, finally obtained 10 the proposition
made by congress, though the report of
! the commission has not yet been submit
ted 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, in due course, be
submitted for information. This agree
ment releases to the United States about
nine million acres of land.
The Cherokee strip.
The commission provided by sec. II of
| the Indian appropriation bill to negotiate
with the Cherokee Indians and all other
Indians owning or claiming lands lying
west of the ninety-siXth degree of longi-
tude for the cessiOnt0 the United States of
all such lands. was constituted by the ap-
/ pointment of the Hon. Lucius Fairchild of
Wisconsin, the Hon. John f. Hatranft
OF Pennsylvania and the Hon Alfred NJ
| Wilson of Arkansas, and organized on
June 20 last. Their first conference with
the representatives of the Cherokees was
held at Tahlequah, July %, with no
| definite results. Gen. John +. Hart
ranft of Pennsylvania was pre-
vented by ill health from taking part in
the conference. His death, which oc-
Cured recently, is Justly and generally
lamented by a people he has served with
conspicuous gallantry in war and with
great fidelity in peace. The vacancy thus
created was filled by the appointment OF
the Hon Warren G. Sayre OF Indiana. A
second conference between the commits
sion and the Cherokees was begun Nov.
6, but no results have yet been OBJ
tanned, nor is it believed that a
conclusion can be Immediately expected.
The cattle syndicate now occu-
plying the lands for grazing pur-
poses is clearly one OF the
agencies responsible tor the obstruction of
our negotiations with the Cherokees. The
large body of agricultural lands consti-
tuting what is known as the Cherokee
Outlet ought not TO be, and indeed can
not long be, held for grazing, and for the
advantages OF few against the public in
terests and the best advantage of the In
dians themselves. The United States has
now, under the treaties, certain Nights in