The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-08-20
The Treaty with the Indians Must Be Acted on
by the Coming Congress Before the Pres
ident Can Issue His Proclamation.
Secretary Window in a Dilemma Over
the Cases of Imported Glass-BlOwerS.
Pension Ruling of Interest to DishOnOrably
Discharged SOldiers-Matters Considered
by the President at Deer Park Yesterday.
MISLEADING SETTLERS.
Misstatements Concerning the Time Wher
the Sioux Reservation VIII BE Opened.

AIisstatements Concerning the Time When
the Sioux Reservation VIII BE Opened.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Aug. 19.-Ex-Delegate Gif-
ford. of Dakota. is the last one to display
his ignorance Of the law and to virtually
advise poor men. desiring to take up home
steads, to rush to the Sioux reservation, in
order that they may try the rigors of the
Northwestern winters without adequate
shelter or food. The continual misstate-
ments which are coming from the North
west, in relation to the status of the Sioux
reservation, now that the necessary
number of Indians have acquiesced
in the bill, are causing an errone-
Ous impression to prevail here,
and are likely to result in great hardships
to the would-be settlers who will, doubt
less, emigrate to the Missouri river, in the
hope of securing homestead. Mr. Clifford,
in common with others who are chiefly IN
terested in increasing the population of
South Dakota, cites Section %. of the Sioux
reservation bill, as evidence that the only
thing necessary now is the proclamation of
the President, declaring the lands coded by
the Sioux Indians open to settlement.
Section % says as follows:
THAT this act shall take effect only upon
the acceptance thereof and consent thereto
by the different bands of the Sioux nation
of Indians, in manner and form prescribed
by the twelfth article of the treaty be-
tween the United States and said Sioux In.
dians. concluded April 20. 1868. which said
acceptance and consent shall be made known
by proclamation by the President of the
United States upon satisfactory proof pre-
sented to him that the same has been OBJ
tanned in the manner and form required by
said twelfth article of said treaty, which
proof shall be presented to him within one
year from the passage of this act. And
upon failure Of such proof and proclama-
tion this act becomes of no effect and null
and void"
Read by itself. or in connection with the
other clauses of the So called Sioux reserva-
tion bill, it would warrant the assertion
that the Presidents proclamation alone is
necessary to open up the territory; but
there was another act in the same line, ap-
proved by President Cleveland on the same
day as the Sioux bill, which is known
as the Indian appropriation bill This act
contains number of riders, among which
is the following:
hereby authorized TO appoint three COM
missi0ners for the purpose of entering into
negotiations and agreements with the Sioux
Indians occupying the great Sioux reserva-
tiOn in Dakota, for full and complete
cession and relinquishment to the United
States of a portion of their reservation, and
to divide the remainder into separate res,
ervations, and for such other purpose
as they may find necessary touching
said Indians and stated reservation;
and such agreements, when made, to be
by them submitted to the first session
of the Fifty-frst Congress for ratification;
and to carry ont this provision the sum of
$4,000, or so much thereof as may be found
necess ary to be expended under the direc-
tion of the Secretary of the Interior, is
hereby appropriated, this amount to be in-
mediately available; provided that the pay
of such commissioners shall not exceed $40
per day. exclusive of travelling expenses"
1t is upon authority granted upon this
last-quoted portion of the statutes that the
President appointed the Sioux Commission,
and it is that act which will guide the Pres
ident and the Secretary of the Interior in
disposing of the lands. This makes ii alb
solutely impossible that the reserva-
ton should be opened before Congress
shall have ratified the agreement, and il is
not probable that any of the lands will be
offered for settlement before the snow dis
appears from the ground in the spring. and
IL is not likely that a single settler Will be
permitted to enter upon the reservation so
soon to be made a portion of the public do
main before April. Inasmuch as ex-Dele-
gate Clifford was member of the Indian
committee which prepared the Indian bill
containing the clause requiring the ratiti-
cation of the agreement. there can be no
excuse for the misstatements which ap-
peared in the press dispatches from Pierre,
as coming from him, to-day.