The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1889-12-13

tween the. eovstnment and tAe mision
schools which has wrought 60 much 400
should DO cordially aud impartially ~.
tanned. "
THE SIOUX RESERVATION.
The last congress enacted two distinct
i fndi. relating =; to ~nsssaations with the siou.
q portion Of their lands to the United States,
and for dividing the remainder into separ.
Alto reservations. Both were approved on
the same day. March q. The one submitted
to the Indians q specific proposition. The
actl authorized the president to appoint
three commissioners to negotiate with these
Indians for the accomplishment of the same
general purpose, and required that any
agreements made should be submitted to
congress- for ratification.
On the 18th day OF April last I appointed
Hon. Clas. Foster. of Ohio; Hon. Vim.
Warner. of Missouri. and Maj Gen. George
Crook. of the United States army, commits
sioners under the last named law. They
we're, however,. authorized and directed
first to submit to the Indians the definite
mentioned, and only in the event of a fail
ure to secure thei assent of the requisite
number TO that proposition to open negotia-
tons for modified terms under the other
acts. The work of the commission was pro.
lonRed and arduous, but the assent of the
requisite number was. it ia understood,
finally obtained to the proposition made by
congress, although the report of the com.
mission has not yet been submitted.
In view of these facts, I shall not, az at
present advised, deem it necessary to SUBJ
init the agreement to congress for ~ratifica-
ton. but 1t will In due course be submitted
for information. This agreement releases
to the United States about 1900, 600 acres of
land.
CHEROKEE COMMISSION.
The COMMISSION provided for by section
IA, of tho Indian appropriation bill, to me-
g0tiate With the Cherokee Indians md
lying west of the aGth degree of longitude,
for the cession to the United States of ali
such lands was constituted by the appoint
ment of Hon. Lucius Fairchild, Of Wis
c%onsin;, Hon. John F.. Hartranft, of
ct Arkansas, and organized on June % last.
Their first conference with the representa-
tives of the Cherokees was held at T%ahlequall,
July y. with no definite results. Gen.
John 4. Hartranft. Of Pennsylvania, wa
prevented by ll.health from taking part III
recently, is Justly and generally lamented by
a people he had served with conspicuous
gallantry in war and with great fidelity in
peace. The vacancy thus created was filled
by the appointment of Hon. Warren q.
Sayre, of Indiana.
0CGWCoA glI0 COIlIIkSs
sion and the Cherokees was began Noveln-
Der 9, but no results have yet been obtained,
nor is it relieved that q conclusion can be
immediately expected. Tho cattle syndi-
cate now occupying the lands for grazing
responsible for the obstruction of our ncgo-
tiations with the Cherokecs. The large body
of agricultural lands constituting what is
known as the ''Cherokee o%utlet,' ought not
to pc and cannot long be held for grazing.
and for the advantage Of a few against tho
the Indians themselves. The United States
has noT under the treaties, certain rights
i'll tties9 lands. These will not be used
oppressively, but it canno be allowed that
those Who by suterance occupy these lands
shall lnterpose to defeat the wise and benef-
cent purposes of the government. i cannot
but believe that the advantageous character
of the offer made by the United States to
the Cherokee nation for q full release of
these lands, as compared with other 9
tons now made to them, will yet obtain for
1t u favorable consideration.
ADMINISTERING II AMI LAWS.
In the administration of the land laws the
policy OF facilitating in every proper way
dividual settlers on the publ: lands has been
pursued. The number of pending cases
had, during the preceding administration,
been greatly increased under the operation
OF orders for a time suspending final action
IN q iarge part of the cases originating in tho
use Of unusual methods of examination.
Only those who are familiar with the condi
ton under which our agricultural lands have
been settled can appreciate the serious aud
often fatal consequences to the settler of n
policy that puts his title under suspicion, OF
care is taken to prevent and 10 expose fraud,
it should not be imputed without reason.
The manifest purpose of the homestead
and presumption Law was to promote the
settlement of the public domain by persons
having q bona fide intent to make a home
on selected lands. Where this intent is vel
established and tho requirements of law
have been substantially compiled with, the
claimant Is entitled to a friendly considera-
ton to his case. but where there is reason to
believe that the claimant is the mere agent
OF another who is seeking to evade the law
intended to promote small holdings and to
secure by fraudulent methods large tracts of
timber or other lands, both princi-
pal and agent should not only be
tiiwarted IN their fraudulent pnr-
penalties of our criminal statutes. The
laws should be SO administered rs not 10
confound these two clauses, and to visit
penalties upon the latter.
TO TITLES.
Iilc unsettled state of the titles to large
bodies OF lands in the territories of New
Mexico and Arizona hns greatly retarded
the development of those territories, md
provision should be made by law for tho
prompt trial and final adjustment before a
judicial tribunal or commission of all claims
based upon Mexican grants. 1t is not Just
TO an intelligent mud ~enterprising people
that they should be disturbed and their
prosperity retarded by these old conten.
tons. 1 express the hope that differences
of opinion as to methods may yet give way
to the urgency of the case.
Pensions.
The law prOvidesa pension for every SOL
der md sailor who was mustered into the
service of the United States during the civil
war, and is now suffering from wounds or
disease having an origin in the service and
line of duty. Two or three necessary facts,
Wig: muster and disability, are usually sus-
ceptible of easy proof: but the third, origin
in the service. is often difficult and in many
deserving cases are impossible to establish.
That very many of those who endured the
hardships of our most bloody aud arduous
campaigns are now disabled from diseases
that had arenl. but not traceable origin in
the service. l do not doubt. Besides, there
is another class composed of men, many of
whom served an enlistment of the three full
years and of rc-enlisted veterans, who added
q fourth year of service and who escaped
the casualties of battles and the
assaults of disease who were