Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-02

and properly care for the Apaches and
other Indians IN New Mexico or Ari-
zona," but the accounting officers Of the
treasury department have refused TO
allow this money to be 90 applied. II is
hoped, however, that some adjustment
OF this tair demand may yet be made;
for otherwise those now held for the sake
of peace will have 10 be restored to the
| camps aud new disorders will be opt 10
arise.
At the same time Maj. Gen. Nelson
Miles, then commanding the division Of
the Pacific, urged again upon this de-
partmeut. through the war department,
his views for removing from the San
Carlos reservation the more peacea6ly
! disposed Tontos and Mojaves 20 the
Camp Verde and Fort Mcdowell military
! reservations, in order TO separate them
| from those who were disposed TO be
| troublesome at San Carlos, and because
the Indians desired to go TO those iocaii-
! ties, from which they had been formerly
!; removed.
! Under all the circumstances, and in
/ v.ew OF the Information furnished By the
/ acting agent at san Carlos, an officer OF
! Inc army, II is no; deemed that the con-
| g ton of affairs would be so improved, IL
! improved at all, as TO warrap, al order
S-siu ectstteEiua the luuIduS from tue
= San Carlos reservation over The localities
] from which they have been here tofore
! gathered.
! INDIAN CONTRACTS WITH ATTORNEYS.
Il is appropriate In connection with the
! foregoing to cessions speak OF those con-
| tracts made by Indian tribes with law
yers and often unprofessional men to Sc
cure their services in obtaining the
allowances Of certain claims. or to aid in
certain negotiations, the fee or compen-
saiiou being usually contingent upon
success. This compensation Is in most
cases measured by percentage
upon the sum realized, and would often,
IN case OF success, amount to large
sum. All such contracts must now he
approved by both the ommissioner of In
dian nffairs and the secretary of the in
terror in accordance with ths provisions
of law relating thereto.
These contracts have had for their
aim either on the one hand. to negotiate
some demuud made by the Indians which
would require legal action such rs the
Indians themselves are incapable of I'M
dertaking or even undertaking or even
understanding with the advice and as
sistauce Of experienced persons, or, on
the other hand, to aid apparently IN Sc
curing for the Indians fair price for
lands 10 negotiations with commissioners
appointed under authority of congress.
The practice of allowing such contracts
has existed for many years, and the
compensation paid has been very large
at times, although only seemingly small
percentage on the sums paid to the prin-
cipais. But mature reflection and expe-
rence have convinced both the secretary
mad . ,l,.,
are to be discountenancsd. Certainly
no more will be allowed with attorneTs
for any supposed assistance they can
give at any negotiations with commits
sioners for the cesson of lands. Ordi-
narily there is nothing to DO discussed |
between those in possession and the !
agents Of. the United States except the !
price, and on this point the Indian is |
found quite as apt to know his interest |
rs any one be might employ; on the |
other hand the commissioners, as rep |
resentatives, are not instructed or ex-
pected to offer less than the Indian |
should fairly have. 1t Is not a case Of |
barter between Independent parties !
dealing at arms length, but an affair
between the guardian and the ward
frequently indeed the offer by the United |
States OF very large sum OF money for
land the Indians title to which is
wholly dependent upon the will of the
executive. The commissioners are Sc
lected for their worth and Intelligence.
with only such compent alton as will
meet their expenses, so that their sole
motive Is to DO justice to the Indians as
we'll as the nation. Moreover, their
agreements when secured are subject to
either approval by tue president or rat,-
it'HriOl by Thara |
reasons TO allow any considerable sum
for services by attorneys in such cases.
There Is, however, reason why con-
tracts in tbs other class of caees should
be approved, at least when the amount
to be realized as a fee is graded reason
ably according to the talent, exp rience,
and labor involved. Many claims would
be lost to the Indians without such as
siStance. The distinction between the
Glasses is easily perceived.
The field work OF making allotmects
has been entirely completed during the
year on the Yankton reservation in
South Dakota, the Grande Ronde re-
servation In Oregon, the MOdoo, Ottawa,
Seneca and Shawnee reservations in the
Indian Territory, and such work will be
finished upon several other reservations
ct an early day.
CATTLE GRAZING ON INDIAN LANDS IN THE
INDIAN TERRITORY AND OKLAHOMA.
In the secretary's last annual report
reference was made to the fact that a
corporation, established under state
law, was seeking to lease for long De-
RODS and at egregiously large prices and
for merely grazing purposes certain
lands. for the cession of which to the