Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-12-14
Indian Affairs.

Indian Affairs.
The report Of the secretary Of the inter
Tor exhibits the transactions OK the govern
ment with the Indian tribes. Substantial
progress has been made in the education Of
children of school age, and in the allotment
of lands to adult indians. IL IS to be re-
GREETED that the policy OF breaking up tho
tribal relations and Of dealing with the In
dian as an individual did not appear earlier
in our legislation. Large reservations
held in common and the maintenance of the
authority Of chiefs and head men have de-
priyed the individual of every incentive to
the exercise OF thrift, and the annuity has
contributed an affirmative impulse to-
wards a state of confirmed pauperism.
Our treaty stipulations should be OBJ
served with fidelity, and our legislators
should be highly considerate Of the best
interests of an ignorant and helpless PEG
pie. The reservations are now generally
surrounded 10y white settlements. We can
no longer push the Indian back into the
wilderness, and IL remains only, by every
suitable agency, 20 push him upward into
the estate of "A self-supporting and respon-
sible citizen. For the adult the first. step
is to locate him upon a farm, and for tbs
children to place them in n school. School
attendance should be promoted by every
moral agency, and those failing to attend
should be compelled. The national schools
for Indians have been very successful, and
should be multiplied, and, as far as posi-
BILE, should be so organized and conducted
as TO facilitate the transfer OF schools Of
the states or territories in which they are
located, when the Indians ia a neighborhood
have accepted citizenship and have become
otherwise fitted for such a transfer. This
condition of things will be attained slowly,
but Il will be FASTENED by keeping
IL in mind, and in the meantime that
co operation between the government
aud the mission schools which has
wrought much good should be cordially
and impartially sustained.
THE SIOUX RESERVATION.
Tn last congress enacted two distinct
laws relating TO negotiations with the Sioux
ndian Of Dakota for a REIMBURSEMENT OF
a portion Of their lands to the United States
and for dividing the remainder into sep
crate reservations. Both were approved
on the same day, March 2, The one sub
mitted to the Indians a specific proposition,
the other ~(section 3 Of the Indian appropri.
alton act) authorized by the president to
appoint three commissioners to negotiate
with these Indians for the accomplishment
OF some general purpose and required that
any agreement made should be submitted
to congress for ratification.
On the 10th day of April last, I appointed
Hon. Chas. Foster, of Ohio; Hon. VIM.
Warner, OF Missouri; and Major. General
George Crook, of the United States Army,
commissioners under the last named law.
They were, however, authorized and di-
rected first 10 submit to the Indians the
definite proposition made to them by the
net FIRST mentioned and only in the event oft
failure 70 secure the assent OF the requisite
bar TO the proposition TO open negotia-
tons for modified terms under the other
acts. The work of the commission was
prolonged and arduous bat the assent OF
the requisite number was, &c Is understood,
finally obtained TO the propositions
made by congress-, although the report Of
the commission has not yet been submitted.
In view of these facts / shall not, aS al
present advised, deem 10 necessary to sub
init the agreement to congress for ratiica-
ton, but IL will in due course be submitted
for information. This agreement releases
TO the United States about nine million
acres of lands.
THE STRIP.
The commission provided for by section.
IL OF the Indian appropriation bill to nego-
tiate with the Cherokee Indians, and all.
other Indians owning or claiming lands
lying west of the Goth degree of longitude,
for the cession to the United States Of all
such lands, was constituted by the appoint
ment of Hon. Lucius Fairchild, of Miscon-
sin; Hon. John F.. Hartranft, Of Pennsyl-
vsnia, and Hon. Alfred NJ. Wilson, of Ar
kansas, and organized on june - last
Their first conference with the representa-,
tsft ct WINS AltA - A@ast
quah July 20, with no definite results-
General John F. Hartranft, of Pennsyl-
yania, was prevented by i'll health from.
taking part in the conference. His death,
which occurred recently, Is justly and gem
orally lamented by the people. He u
served with conspicuous galiantry in war
and with great fidelity In peace. The va
cancy thus created was filed by the appoint
ment of Hon. Warren q. Sayre, OF Indiana.
A second conference between the commits
sion aud the Cherokees was begun Novem-
Der q, but no results have yet been obtained,
nor Is 1t believed that q conclusion can be-
immediately expected. The cattle syndi-
cate now occupying the lands. for grazing
purposes is clearly one of the agencies re-
'sponsible for the obstruction OF our nego-
~tiations with the Cherokees. The large
body OF agricultural lands constituting
what is known. as the Cherokee Outlet"
ought not TO be and cannot long be held Tor
grazing and for the advantage OF g few
against the public interests and the best
advantage of the Indians themselves. The
United States has now, under the treaties,
certain rights In these lands. These viii
not be used oppressively, but 1t cannot be
allowed that those who by suherencs oc-
cupy these lands shall i~nterpose to defeat
the wise and benefcent purposes Of the
government I cannot but believe that the
by the United States TO the Cherokee ma
tion for a full release OF these lands, az
com pared with other suggestions now
made TO them, win yet obtain for II . favor
able consideration.
II CREEK NATION
Under aha agreement made between the
United States and the Mnskogee Tor Creek)
nation Of Indiana, the 10th day Of January,
lsss, an absolute title was secured By the
United States 70 about three and q half
millions Of acres Of land. Section i2 of the
general Indian appropriation act, approved
March Z, $50, made provisions for the pur-
chase by the United States from the Semi
mole tribe Of . certain portion Of their
lands- The delegates OF the Seminole ma
tisn having frat duly evidenced to me
thafr power to ACT In that behalf, delivered
q proper release and conveyance 10 tho use
II all the lands entinned in the act which
was accepted by nae and certified TO ~ In
compliance witkthe statate. ~ the lorna
81 both the acts referred to ali the lands
so purchased were declared to be a part Of
the public domain and open to settlement
under the honcstead law. But OF hRnd en-
braced in these purchases, being N The az.
gregate abonk 5.5cO, OOv acres hnd already
under the forms Of the treaty Il led6 besn
acquired hg tia United States Cor tho pur-
pose u settling other Indian TRIBES thereon,
and had bean appropriated 70 that pur-
pose. The hand remsining AID available
for setkleUent consisted Of t,861,t06 acrea
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