The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1889-12-07
OPENING INDIAN RESERVATIONS.

- T.
non y tween the government and the mi zion
sthooiS, which has roupht much good should
NC euIdlaily ana lmpartially maintained
OPENING INDIAN RESERVATIONS.
heNle" OF the Work of the Sioux and
Cherokee Commissions.
The last Congress enacted Two distinct laws re-
laling TO negotiations VITA the Sioux Indians of
DakotG Tor portion of their lands TO the United
etsles ana Tor diYIdiTg the remainder into sepa-
Iste ItssrVallons Both were apr Iroved on the
same day-March ?. The one submitted 10 the
lnd1aEs specific propos tion; the o her tsection
3 Of the lncian appropriations set) authorized the
Ffesldspt toappolnt three conn is toners To ne
bOtlt btWi II theSe Indians for the accomplish
lnelt OF the same gcaeral purpose. and required
tnht any agreements made should he submitted
10 congress Tor ratification. ON the 10th day of
apr ast | appointed Hon. CHARLES Foster Of
ONO; Hon Wm. Warner, of Missouri, and Mai
Gen. Geo Crook, of the United states army com
hlsslohers under the lest named law. They wer',
however, authorized and direct, d first TO submit
10 The Indians the definite proposition made TO
them ~ The act first mentioned and only in he
event OF IaiIure to secure the a sent OF the
requisite number 10 that proposition 10 open ne
eotiatlous for modified terms under The other
act. The Wo;& of the comm ission was prolonged
ana srduous but the assent OF the roauis te
number was 1t is understood. finally obtained 10
the proposition made ~ Co gress, though the
poit OF the commission has not yet been submit
TED Ia view OF these facts / shall not, at pres
cut auFfei, oeem 1t necL ssary &c submit the
agreement TO Congress for alficaion but IL viii,
III due course, be submitted Tor ratification This
agreement releases to the United Il les about o
tU0,e00 acres of land.
Iae commission provided for by section Il of
u indian appropriation bill to resoiate with
tnt thefokee Indians and All 9th. indians own
ing or Claiming lands Is ing west OF the ninety
SKIN degree OF Longitude, Tor the cession TO the
Cnlted states o. all such lands, WAS constituted
by he appointment OF Hon. LVcius FaiIchild. of
Wisconsin: Hon. John +. Hartrnnt OF Peuusyl-
Vduia, and Hon. Alfred VI. v ilson. of ArkauS as
ana organized on June 29. last. Their first con-
terence with representa-. yes of The Cheroxees
was held at Iaheqnah, July %, with no definite
results. Gep. John +. Hartranft, OF Pennsyl
Vaiid was prevented by iIl-health from taking
part III the conference. His death, which oc.
CURED recently, is justly and generally lameutet
by people he had served with conspicuous
geHantry IN war and with great fidelity in pelce.
Inc vacancy thus created was filed by the ap-
polntment OF Hon. Warren q. Sayre OF Indiana.
second conference between the commission
ana the Cherokees was begun November g. but no
Iesuls nave yet beer Obtained, nor Is IL believed
mat conclusion can be Immediately Xpected.
! ne cattle syndicate low occupying he lands tor
graz ns purposes is clearly one OF the agencies
responsible lor the obstruction OF oar regotiE-
lions with tie CheIokcts. 2 he aTge body OF
agricultural lands constituting what is known
as lte "CheIokee Outlet ought not to be, and
lndeed cannot long be he'd Tor grazing. and
for the advantage OF a Few against the public
interests ana the best advantage OF the Indians
themselves The United States now under
the treaties certain rights in these landc These
VIII not be used oppress siyely, but II cannot be
q lowed that those who by suderance occupy
these lands shall interpose to def at the wise
and benetcent purposes of The government. |
cannot but be ieye that the advantageous char
acter OF Il c offer made by The JniEed states
to The Cherokee Nation, for a Iul release OF
these lands, as compared with other sugges-
uOns now made TO them, viii yet obtain for ii
favorable consideration.
Under the agreement made between the United
States and the Muscogec tor Creekl Nation OF Indi
ans on the 18th day OF January. 1852, an absolute
uHe WAS secured by the United ates 10 about
three and a half millions OF acres o. land. Sec
ton y OF the general Indian appropriation act,
approved March 2, 1889, made provision lor1he
purchase by the United States from the Seminole
abH OF certain portion OF their lands. The
delegates OF the Seminole Nation, having fist
aui5 evidenced TO me their power TO act in hat
capacity delvcTct proper release and convey
aIce 10 me tinted States or ali the lands men
toned IN the act, which was accepted by me ana
certified to be in compliance with the statute.
BY the terms OF both the acts re erred to all the
lands so purchased were declared to be a part OF
the pubic domain and open to sett lemeut under
the homestead law. But OF the lands eTnbrs ced
in these purchases, being in the aggregate about
5,@9OOOJ, $4,000 acres had already under the
terms OF the treaty OF 1896, been acquired by the
United states for The purpose of settling other
Indian tribes thereon, aud had been appropri-
ated 10 that purpose The land remaining and
available tor settlement consisted of 7SS7,796
acres, surrounded on ali sides by laEdsiH the oc-
cupancy of Indian tribes. Congress had pro-
yidtd no civil government for the people who
were 10 be invited by my proclamation TO settle
upon these lands, except as the new court,
which had been established al MuscOgee, OF the
Hited States courts in some OF the adjoining
st5.ts, had power TO enforce the general laws of
The United States. In this condition Of things |
was quite reluctant to open The lands 10 settle
mem. But IN view OF the fact that several thou
sand persons, many of them with their families,
had gaihe, Ell upon the borders OF the Indian Ter
rltOry, with view OF securing horuesteadS on
the Ieded lands, and that delay would involve
them IN much loss and suffering, | did, on
the sd day o. March last issue proc
lamRtlon declaring that the lands therein ae-
scIbed would be open to s,tt emeEt under
the provisions OF the law On the 22d day OF ApIll
following, at y clock noon. The land districts
Had pc II established, and the oIhces were open
Tor the Transaction OF business when the APP
pointed time arrived. II is much 10 the credit OF
the settlers that they very generally observed
enter the territory. Care viii be taken that thoss
who entered in violation OF the law do not secure
the advantage they unfairly sought. There was
gGOd zeal OF apprehension that the strife tOy
locations would result in much violence and
bloOdshed, but happily these 8nticlpatons were
not realized. 1t Is estimated that there are now
III The territory about 60,0J0 people; ami several
considerable towns have sprung up, for which
temporary municipal goyerum nts have been
organized. Guthrie is said to have now popu-
Iaticn oI almost 5000. Eleven schools and nine
churches have been established, and three daily
aud i've weekly newspapers are published i'll
this city, whose charter and o-dinaries have the
sancllon OF the voluntary acquit sceDce OF the
Opie from day to day. Oklahoma has popu-
la'1on OF about 5000, aud is propuTtiongte)y as
vel p;oFld- d as Guthrie with chur hes, schgo's
and newspapers Other towns and villages hay
ing populStlOns of from 100 to 1000 are scattered
over the territory.
IN order to secure the peace of this new com
munlty, IN tie absence OF civil government,
objected Sen. Merritt, commanding The Depart
ment OF Missouri, 10 act in conjunction with the
mHrshas of The United States TO pr--eTNe The
peace, ana upon their requisite tie
troops TO aid them in executing warrA nts and in
quIeting any riots or breaches of the pace tnat
might occur. He was further directed to use his
influence 10 promote good order and to avoid any
conflicts between or with the settler. Believing
that the introduction and sale OF liquors, whprc
10 legal restraints or regulations existed, would
endsuger the pub ic peace. and in view of the
Iact That such liquors must first be introduced
into the Indian reservations before reaching the
White settlements, / further directed the general
c Inmandlng to enforce the laws relating to the
introduction of ardent spirits into the indian
country.
The presence of the troops has given senseof
security TO the well disposed citizens, and has
tended to restrain the lawless. In one instance,
the officer in immediate command of the troops
went Iurther than ] deemed iustifiable in sup
porting the de acto municipal government of
Guthrie, and he was so informed and dlIecled 10
limit the iuuuenCe OF the military TO the sup
port Of the mRTshals On The lines indicated in
Tire original order.
very urgently recommend that Congress st
once provide Il terminal government Tor these
people Serious questous whi h may at any
time lead to violen. outbreaks are awaiting the
II ututlOn of courts Tor their peaceful adjust
ment. he American genius for selt.goveru-
mcnt Las been well constructed in Oklahoma,
but il Is neither safe wise to leave these peo
PIE !onSer 10 The eXpsdients which have Temp
rarily served them.
PROVISION should be made for the aequistt ion
OF title o town lot in the towns now established
III Alaska ioT locating town sites and tor the
adjustment of municipal governments. only
the mining laws have been extended 70 that ter
TtOfy. aud no other form OF title to lands can
now be obtained. The gcgcTel land laws were
framed with reference to the disposition OF sgri-
cultural lands. and il is doubtful If the co-op-r-
suon IN Alaska would be beneficial
GOyERNMEST OF ALASKA.