The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-07-31

Success Expected with the Sioux-Doubt
About the Outcome with the Cherokees.
Special to the Indianapolis journal
WASHINGTON, July 30.-At the Interior
Department it was said to-day that every
indication points to successful outcome
of the laboys of the Sioux commission. The
difficulties which were encountered at first
and the expectations of failure which fol-
lowed as a natural sequence have been set
aside by the late reports. and the depart
ment is convinced that General Crook and
his associates will now be able to present
to the Secretary an agreement by sufi-
cient number of Indians to warrant the
opening of the great Sioux reservation at
an early day.
The Cherokee commission viii, it is
thought, have some difficulty. and it may
be necessary for Congress to act again be-
fore the lands in the Indian Territory eau
be opened to settlement. The action of tie
cattle syndicate in making bluff offer to
the Indians for long lease of their lands
will doubtless embarrass the commission,
and may, unless the Indians can be con-
WINGED of the exact situation of things, pre-
vent the commissioners and Indians from
getting together. The department is not
sanguine as TO the result of the meeting be-
tween the commissioners and the Chero-
kees and it is hardly thought that salts
present summer.
Devils Lake Indians Dissatisfied.
WASHINGTON. July 3o.-The Commission
er of Indian Affairs to-day received a re-
port from Malachi Krebs, special agent of
the Interior Department to allot lands in
severalty to the Indians upon the DEVILS
Lake reservation, in northern Dakota, an
nouncing the refusal of the Indians to re-
ceive the allotments as contemplated in
the general allotment act of 1857. Mr..
Krebs, in his report, says: Il have the
honor to report that a council of the Indi-
ans on Devils Lake reservation was held
yesterday. July 25, and the matter of al
lotting lands to them in severalty was laid
before them. The matter of pay
ing taxes was their greatest objection TO
taking land in seyeralty. They we're told
that they would have no taxes tonay on the
years. and this was fully explained
to them, but they could not be reconciled to
paying taxes even on personal property.
Many of them offered to take land if the
government would exempt them from pay
ing any tax for several years. aud until they
became more prosperous and independent.
Other questions were brought up by the
Indians. They allege that they have not
been treated fairly by the government; that
certain an0u1u1eS were taken 1fOm tnein
that ought to be restored; that by an error
in the exterior lines of the survey on the
western boundary of the reservation, 64,0o0
acres of land were takep from them for
(which they should receive pay. and that by
treaty of 1861, each child was entitled to
16O acres of land when he arrived at the age
of twenty lone years. Now they claim the
government wants to limit the children 10
forty and eighty acres, according TO age.
They hold strongly to the idea that every
child should receive 16O acres, and freely
express themselves that the government is
not keeping faith with them. Major Cram
sic and myself fully explained that portion
of the treaty relating TO all0tments. and the
act of February, 1887, and by comparison of
the provisions endeavored to show the ad-
vantages of the latter, but they were i'm
movable. Every objection raised was met
and explained patiently and at length.
but no impression could be made upon
them. and they remained obdurate and IN
yielding"
Major Cramsie. who co-operated with Mr..
Krebs in this work, is the Indian agent at
the Devils Lake agency. The Indians
number about 1000 and occupy reserxa-
tion ontainine about 166.400 acres The
error in the survey of the reservations
boundary lines. In 1875, complained OF bs
the Indians, by which they lost nearly
$4,000 acres. was referred to In the annual
report OF the Commissioner of Indian Affairs
for 1887, and the claim for compensation
for the loss Of the $4,000 acres was. in the
Judgment of the Commissioners, a just one.
No action in the matter, however, has yet
been taken by Congress.