Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-07
THE SIOUX WILL SELL.
Gov. Foster Tels9raphs Secretary Noble
eve Have Won the Fight"

eve Have Won the Fight"
rns sscaETAaY GREATLY rtnAsxp wfrn rHr m
SUIT or xus LAsons or rHn coxxrsslox-rr.
rxxEsTrNa FACTS ABOUT TEE AssknvArroS-
THE rxnAs OF sALE.
Another step has been taken In the solu-
ton Of the problem Of the disposition
Of the great Sioux reservation in south
ern Dakota. For years en- effort has
been made 10 divide up this immense
tract OF lsnd, but the Indians have always OPP
posed II. In the latter part Of June another
commission was sent TO endeavor TO obtain the
consent Of the Indians 70 purchase Of por-
ton Of this land by the United States govern
ment They visited the different agencies, had
long conferences with the Indians, and finally
secured the signatures Of two-thirds Of them 10
An agreement 10 sail about one-haif OF the
reservation 70 the government This result
was announced in the following telegram, re-
ceived this morning by Secretary Noble from
eK-Gov. Foster Of Ohio, chairman Of the COM
mission:
ave have won the fight We leave to-mor-
row tor Chicago. WIN write you fully from
The dispatch was sen. to-day from Fort
sxcRHrARY NOBLE coxeLAruI.ArEs THE CON-
MISSION.
Secretary Noble was very much pleased 10
receive this Information and at once sent
reply congratulating the commission upon the
results OF their labors.
In speaking TO STAR reporter the Secretary
said that the settlement Of this matter affected
the welfare OF large number Of people and
was great thing FOR the Indians as well as for
the people in that section of the country. He
said that the President was very much inter-
ested In this matter and he had forwar ded the
telegram received from Gov. Foster to Bar
Harbor.
TEE LABoRs or THE COMMISSION.
The members Of the commission are ex-Gov-
ernor Foster of Ohio. Mai. Gen. Crook. United
States army, and Hon. VIM. Warner OF Missouri
The commission haze been moro than month
in convincing the Indians that they ought 10
agree to the terms offered by the government
From various causes there was good deal Of
opposition among the Indians to signing the
agreement Under the provisions of the law,
however, it was necessary only to secure the
consent of two-thirds of all the male Indians
who wore eighteen years of age. II is under
was not obtained The Law provides that this
agreement
MUST BE SUBMITTED TO CONGRESS-
at its next session for ratification. In the event
that the agreement is approved by Congress
and no further legislation is passed the secre-
tary viii proceed to carry out the law OF March
2, 1889. Under this law il is provided that out
of the great Sioux reservation five reservations
shall be set apart for the use Of the Indians al
the following-named agencies: The Cheyenne
River, the Crow Creek and Lower Bruie, the
Pine Ridge, Rosebud and the Standing Rock.
THE KNrIRE RESERVATION
contains some twenty-one million Of acres
and about half will be included in
the Eve reservations and the other
half will be restored to the public
domain. The Standing Rock and Cheyenne
River reservations occupy the northeastern
part Of the Sioux reservation and the other
three will be in the southern half, leaving a
large tract of land in the center of the presen,
reservation, which win be thrown open to set.
Element and which will permit communication
between the portions of Dakota which the
Chinese wall of the great reservation has
hitherto shut off.
THE TERMS OF SALE.
The terms under which this great body OF
land was secured to the public are as follows
The Indians are to receive CLIPS per acre for all
land sold to homestead settlers within the frs,
three years after the act goes into effect. 75
cents per acre for all lands disposed OF within
the next two years following, and so cents per
acre for the residue Of the land then undisposeJ
OF. All lands remaining undisposed OF at the
end of ten years from the taking effect Of the
act shall be taken and accepted by the United
States and paid for by the United States at 81
cents per acre.
The money received from the sale of the
lands is to be held in trust by the United States
for the Indians at per cent interest
THE RESERVE FUND.
The act further provides for the reserving Of
fund of IS. 600 900 in the U s. treasury and tina,
the annual interest at 5 per cent of such sum
shall be appropriated under the direction OF
the Secretary Of the Interior for the use of the
Indians, one-hah to be expended for educa-
tional purposes and the other half, including
cash payments per capita, rs in the judgment
of the Secretary Of the Interior may be best
for the welfare of the Indians. Provision is
also made for the allotting of the lands in
severalty to the Indians when the proper time
comes.
THE ROSEBUD RESERVATION.
The largest reservation provided under the
act is the Rosebud, at the southern. limitlof the
present reservation. All the new reservations
include the land in the vicinity Of the agen.
cies where the Indians are now living. The
land to be thrown open to public settle
ment is not occupied at present by the Indians.
The number of Indians at the different reserva-
tions according to the latest reports are az
follows: Standing Rock, 1885; Cheyenne River,
2,925; Pine Ridge. 5000; Rosebud, 7,4O4
Lower Brule and Grow Greek, 2,244. Total,
q, SGT.
CENSUS OF THE INDIANA
An agent OF the Interior department is now
in Dakota and will proceed to take an accurate
census Of the Indians. It is anticipated by the
Interior department officials that there will be
a rush OF prospective settlers to Dakota as soon
as the fact of tho agreement becomes generally
known. Steps will be taken, as was done when
the Oklahoma land was opened to settlement,
to prevent the invasion of the country before
the time fixed by the President 1t will proba-
bly, be some time next year before the land be-
comes available for settlement Congress must
first ratify the agreement. The land must be
surveyed and then the President by proclama-
ton will announce that the land will be open
for settlement at certain date.
IT REQUIRED THE SIGNATURE OF THREE THOUSAND
INDIANS.
It is stated at the Interior department that
the number of Sioux whose consent was needed
to ratify the agreement was over 5000. At the
Rosebud agency the Indians were nearly unan-
imous In signing, nearly all the Indians at
Lower Brule signed. and a large percentage at
Grow Greek and Pine Ridge. The strongest
opposition was manifested at Cheyenne River
and Standing Rock.
THE FAILURE OF LAST TEARS NEGOTIATIONS.
The Sioux Indians at one time owned nearly
the whole of the northwestern portion of the
country. Under the treaty Of 1858 the control
OF that portion now known as Nebraska1was OBJ
tanned by the government. In 1876 q further
ccssiou was made by the Indians of the lands
known as the Black Hills. The present limits