The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1889-12-12
INDIAN LANDS.
Recent Acquisition by the Government of
Large Reservations.

Large Reservations.
The report OF the secretary OF the interior ex-
hibits the transactions OF the government with
the Indian tribes. Substantial progress has
been made i'll the education OF the children OF
school age and in the allotment of lands to
adult Indians. 1t is to be regretted that the
policy of breaking up the tribal relation and of
dealing with the Indian as an individual did not
appear earlier i'll our legislation. Large reServa-
tiOnS held in common and the maintenance OF
the authority of the chiefs and head men have
deprived the individual OF every incentive to the
exercise of thrift, and the annuity has contrib
uted an affirmative impulse towards a
state OF confirmed pauperiSm. Our treaty Stip-
ulations should be observed with fidelity and
our legislature should be highly considerable of the
best interests of an ignorant and helpless peO-
pie. The reservations are now generally sur
rounded by white settlements. We can no
longer push the Indian INTO the wilderness, and
it remains only by every suitable agency to
push him upward into the state OF a self-sup-
porting and responsible citizen. For the adult
farm, and for the child to place
him in school. School attendance should be
promoted by every moral agency, and those
failing should be compelled The national
schools for Indians have been very successful
and should be multiplied and as far as possible
should be so organized and conducted as to fa-
cilitate the transfer of the schools to the states
or territories in which they are located, when
the Indians in a neighborhood have accepted
citizenship and have become otherwise fitted for
such transfer. This condition of things will
be attained slowly but it will be FASTENED by
keeping it in mind, and in the meantime that
cooperation between the government and the
mission schools, which has wrought much good,
should be cordially and impartialy sustained.
The last congress enacted two distinct laws re-
lating to negotiations with
THE SIOUX INDIANS OF DAKOTA
for REIMBURSEMENT of a portion of their lands
to the United States and forl dividing the re-
mainder into separate reservations. Both were
approved on the same day, March 2. The one
submitted to the Indians, a specific proposition,
the other (sectiOn OF the Indian apprOpria-
tiOn act) authorized by the president to appoint
three commissioners to negotiate with these In
dams for the accomplishment of some general
purpose and required that any agreements made
should be submitted to congress for
ratification On the 10th day of April
last l appointed Charles Foster, of Ohio,
William Warner, of Missouri, and MAJ or General
George Crook, of the United States army, COM
missioners under the last named law. They
were, however, authorized and directed first to
submit to the Indians the definite proposition
made to them by the act first mentioned, and
only in the event OF a failure to secure the as
ton, to open negotiations for modified terms
under the other acts. The work of the commits
sion was prolonged and arduous, but the assent
OF the requisite number was, it is understood,
finally obtained to the proposition
made by congress-, although the
report of the commission has not yet been sub,
mitted. In view of these facts, shall not, as at
present advised, deem it necessary to submit the
agreement to congress for ratification, but it will
in due course be submitted for information
| This agreement releases to the United States
| about 100000 acres of land. The commits
sion provided for by section Ia of the Indian
appropriation bill, to negotiate with
THE CHEROKEE INDIANS
! and all other Indians owning or claiming lands
lying west of the ninety-sixth degree of longitude
for the session OF the United States ofall such
ment of Hon Lucius Fairchild, of Wisconsin
Hon. Jno. F: Hartranft, of Pennsylvania, anc
Hon. Alfred N: Wilson Of Arkansas. and organ
lied on June 20 last. Their first conference will
the representatives of the Cherokees was held al
Tohlequah July 20, with no definite results
Gen. John F. Hartranft, OF Pennsylvania, was
prevented by i'll health from taking part i'll tn!
| conference His death, which occurred recently
il justly aRd generally lamented by people HI
had served with conspicuous gallantry in wa
and with great fidelity in peace The Yacanc!
ment of Hon. Warren G. Sayre, o
Indiana. A second conference between thu
commission and the CherokeeS was begun Nov
6, but no results have yet been obtained, nor il
it believed that a conclusion can be immediate
ly expected.
| The cattle syndicate now occupying the land
for grazing purposes is clearly one of the agencie
responsible for the obstruction of negotiation
with the Cherokees. The large body of agricul
| tural lands constituting what is known as tn
Cherokee outlet ought not to be and indeed cal
not long be held for grazing and for the advan
tage of a few against the PUBLIC interests and tn
best advantage of the Indians themselves. TIL
United States has now under the treaties Ger
tain rights ON these lands. These will not b
used oppressively. but it cannot be allowed tina
| J0OSe VINO DY SuT16rdIlC6 occupy Gl6Se la0US Sna
interpose 10 defeat the wise and beneficial pun
poses of the government. / cannot but belev
that the advantageous character of the offe
mad. by the United States to the Cherokee ns
ton for
FULL RELEASE OF THESE LANDS,
as compared With other suggestions now mad
to them, will yet obtain for it a favorable col
sideration. Under the agreement made betwee
the United States and the Muskogee Tor Greek
nation Of Indians the 10Th day of January
1888, an absolute title was secured by the Unite
| StataG tn ahnnf 2 ZOO 600 of of land,
Section IL of the general Indian appropriate
act, approved March 2, 1889, made provisio
for the purchase BY the United States from tn
Seminole tribe of a certain portion, of the
: lands. The delegates of the Seminole natio
{ having first evidenced to me their power to az
53sE ned es p tbe an
mentioned in the act, which was accepted b
: me and certified TO be in compliance with tt
statute. By the terms of both the acts referre
} to, all the lands SO purchased were declared
J be part of the public domain and open to Sc
Element under the homestead law. But
, the land embraced in those purchases being
acres, three and q half million acres had alread
e under the terms of the treaty OF 1866 been a
: quired by the United States for the purpose
J, settling other Indian tribes thereon and ha
8 been appropriated to that purpose. The lar
9 remaining and available for settlement consists
pf ,887, 796 acres, surrounded on all sides /
: lands in the occupancy of Indian tribes. Coz
: gress had provided no civil government for I'll
people who were to be invited by m
prOClamdClOH 10 BeLIle upon JneSe lalQS exec
as the new count, which had been established
Muscogee, or the United States court in some
the adjoining states, had power to enforce Il
e general laws Of the United States. In this co
e dition Of things was quite reluctant to
Il OPEN THE LANDS TO SETTLEMENT.
But In view of the fact that the several thousaI
i persons many OF them with their families, hs
e gathered upon the borders Of the Indian territ
e ~ with p view Of securing HON
e steads on the .ceded lands, az
8 that delay would involve them in much 10
: and suffering, did, on the 23d day of Mar
4 last, issue n proclaim alton, declaring that Il
8 lands therein described would be open for sett
n ment under the provisions of the law on t
22d day Of April following at IL O'Clock moo
l. Two land districts had been established and t
e Offices were open for the transaction of busine
s when the appointed time arrived. 1t is much
s the credit of the settlers that they very gene
= ally observed the limitation as to the time VIII
Q they might enter the territory. Care will be TAX
q that those who entered in violation Of the ls
e do not secure the advantage they unfair
r sought. There was good deal of apprehensit
e thai the strife for locations would result
T much VIOLENCE and bloodshed, but happily the
g anticipations were not realized. 1t is estimat
e that there are now in the territory about 81
d 600 people and several considerable towns ha
IS sprung up, for which temporary municipal 60
e ernmpOta have baan OpOq0izad Cuthria Ia an