Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-05
THE INDIAN BILL,
Commissioner Morgan Thinks 1t Q Re.
markable Piece OF Legislation.

markable Piece OF Legislation.
In the opinion of Indian Commissioner
Morgan the Indian appropriation bill which
WAS passed by Congress at the session Just
closed was the most remarkable legislation ever
enacted in all the dealings of the government
with the Indians. The reasons for this opinion
are given by Gen. Morgan as follows: In the
first place the total amount of money appro-
priated by the bill reaches the extraordinary
sum of 10000
The ordinary cost Of the Indian service is be-
tween six and seven million of dollars, but in
addition to providing for the usual expenses of
the service the bill also includes the extraordi-
nary expenses incurred in CARRYING out agree
ments made for the cession of lands by the In
dams to the United States.
PENDING AGREEMENTS RATIFIED.
The bill ratifes all pending agreements with
the Indians, the most important of which are
the following: Agreements with the Sisseton
and Wahpeton Indians of South Dakota; with
the Fort Berthold Indians of North Dakota;
with the Crow Indians of Montana: with the
Ceur dAlene Indians Of Idaho; with the
Pottawatomie Indians, the Absentee Shawnee
Indians and the Cheyenne and Arapahoe In
dams OF Oklahoma. In each of these cases the
government has secured large tracts of land
from the Indians and the carrying out of the
agreements will restors to the public domain
extensive areas of land.
APPROPRIATION FOR IRRIGATION.
Gen. Morgan also spoke of the appropriation
of more than $500, 900 for irrigation purposes.
to enable the Indian office to assist the Indians
in bringing their lands into a tillable condition
OF this amount 600. 900 is authorized to be ex-
pended in the construction of reservoirs. canals
and bitches in the Grow reservation
III Montana. A permanent appropria-
ton is made to keep such system in
repair. A right of way is also given to irriga-
ton company through the Fort Hall reserva-
ton in Idaho, giving to the Indians the water
privileges There is also an appropriation
made for the purpose of irrigating lands on
other reservations.
ISSUE STATIONS TO BE ESTABLISHED.
Another important feature lis the authority
given to establish issue stations in the Sioux
reservation in the Dakotas. These stations will
do away with the necessity of the Indians trav-
cling long distances from their homes
in order to obtain their supplies from
the agency. The appropriation is suffi-
cient for establishing two of these
stations on each of the four large Sioux reser-
vations. the only drawback being that the bill
provides that the money is to be taken from
the appropriation made or subsistence.
buying the supplies then the substations
will be established. The bill increases
the number Of Indian police from $50
to $50 and the salaries o; several Indian agents
from $1,000 to Sl,2C0. The addition to the
school appropriation is very large and provis-
ion is made for the establishment of new train
ing schools in Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota,
California and Arizona.
INDIAN SCHOOL REGULATIONS.
An important feature of the bill is the one
which gives to the commissioner of Indian az
fairs, subject to the direction of the Secretary
Of the Interior, the power to make and enforce
by proper means such rules and regulations as
will secure the attendance Of Indian children
of suitable age and health at schools established
and maintained for their benefit.