The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-10-30
10, THE POOR INDIAN.
Noble on the Purchase Of the
Cherokee Lands.
THE GOVERNMENTS AUTHORITY
Is Paramount to Cattle Syndicate Professions
Locomotive Engineers-Tracy's Recon-
mendatiens.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29.-Secretary Noble
has addressed a long letter to Governor
Fairchild, chairman of the Cherokee COM
mission, in which he defines certain posi-
tions the department will maintain in ne
gotiating with the Cherokees for the pur-
chase of the Indian lands in the Cherokee
outlet. The secretary refers to the illegiti-
mate influence of the Cherokee Strip Live
Stock association in attempting to thwart
the benefcent purposes of the government
The secretary reaches the conclusion that
the syndicate purposes to outbid the United
States for these lands, and to enter the
arena as citizens contending with the ma
tional government. The secretary insists
that the cattle syndicate falls within the
law prohibiting citizens from making
leases with the Indians; that the leases of
the Cherokee outlet are unlawful and ille
gal; that the President has authority to
declare invalid any agreement or lease for
grazing purposes made contrary to the pro-
visions of the law, which provide that
the purchase, lease or grant of Indian
lands to be valid must be made by treaty
pursuant to the constitution, and that the
President has authority to remove I'M
authorized persons from the reservation
whenever their presence is believed to be
detrimental to the peace and welfare of the
Indians. The secretary shows that the
syndicate purposes to lease the land at
rental of 100000 year for the first five
years; S4O0, 900 for the next five years, and
$4,000 for the last five years. The govern
ment proposition shows that the Cherokees
will get from the United States at least
seven million dollars, after deducting the
payments already made. The cattle syndi
cate, he says, is presumably one of the
ordinary kind, of which hundreds have
heretofore existed and disappeared with
the loss of their assets. No responsibility
attaches to the individuals composing the
corporation, and if it did, they are persons
whose fortunes, however great they may
be today, are liable to the fluctuations
attendant upon such ventures.
The prices offered as rental are deemed
by all acquainted with the subject as ex-
travagant from first to last. The govern
ment of the United States is seeking the
land only for the good of the people, to fur
nish new homes for a'vastnumber of citi-
zenS who wish by their labor TO redeem it
from the wilderness of plains roamed over
by scattered herds. The secretary in cor
clusion says the proposition of the United
States is not only fair, but munificent,
while the title to the use Of the land even
by the CherokeeS is precarious; that the
cattle syndicate has NO authority to make
case such as IS proposed an by its evident
intention to rival and defeat the govern
ment on which it depends for all claim to
in9ulgent consideration and can, and
ought to be, expelled from the outlet.
The secretary therefore announces in.
order that it may be communicated with
out delay to the Cherokee nation, that in
his opinion those who purpose to make
leases do so with the knowledge that such
leases are unauthorized and may at any
time within the discretion of the United
States government be set aside; that their
interference with the negotiations of the
United States gives occasion for the
government to consider the propriety of
laying it's hand upon these ciJizens act
ing in defiance of law and against public
interest, and to restrain them from pro
ceeding further in this direction; that it
is deemed necessary that such lessees
should be compelled to leave said outlet
with their property on or before the 1st OF
June next, it being deemed proper not to
fix the time earlier that they may escape
without injury or suffering to their cattle
and herds; that it is deemed to be to the
best interests of the Cherokee
people to receive at the hands
Of the government fund, the interest on
which will give them a steady, reliable and
abundant amount for Improvement and ad-
vancement in place of the future payments
that transient company may make; no
claim being made to authority to take these
lands, but that no right is hereby waived.
If the Cherokees do not wish to sell they are
at liberty to keep their lands under the
broad burdens resting thereon in favor of
the United States, unless the United States
sees fit hereafter to assert its right by
superior title, and that the Cherokees shall
receive under any circumstances the same
Indulgence and generous treatment they
have heretofore and so long enjoyed.