The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-10-13
WARDS OF NOBODY,
Canadian Crsss Either Want Citizen
ship or Some Reservation
TO Live On.
Tho Governor Sends Their Request
to the Authorities At
Washington.
Unitsd States D;sota,ms Responsibility and
Montana IL Unwlniss tn Assume
Any In shs Matter.

4 communication from The Canadian
Cree Indians. o In Montana, asking
either to bs admitted a. citizens or TO be
allowed a reservation on which to live, hiss
been referred to the int ior deps tmsnt at
Washington by Gov. Riokards. 10 whom II
Vas addressed. These same Indians made
an application 10 the clerk o. the ooult Of
Cascade couaty last June 10 b allowed 10
declare their intention Of becoming eit!-
zens. Their applieation was rejected.
Then they wrote to the governor, who
found hs had no authority 10 act In the
a after. and referred their petition 10 WASH
inRton. II IL extremely deuhtfuI. In The
light Of past experienced. whether anything
will b done " thp federal autnosisiss.
There have been about $50 Cree Indiaus IN
Montana for about eight years. Many have
supposed that they crossed the line from
Canals about ths tims Of the Risl rebel
lion, in order TO avoid tho consequences 6f
participating In that uprising. his, how
sv. :. 10 declared not TO bs the fact. eome
OF them. II is claimed. cams before the Risl
rsbsllion and others afterws'd de-, but that
event. IL 10 stated BY the Indians Shsua-
selves. had nothing to do with their
crossing tho line into United States tori
tory. However that they may DO they arc
here, and in the absence Of any other *
planntion. the most reasonable suppoaition
IL that they came because they would rather
be wards Of this government than stay on
British soil and rustic for themselves.
The Canadian Crees now here are In .
somewhat peculiar position. In one way
thew are better of than Tho Indians Of the
Unitsd States, In that they can GENE Of 40
No they PHI ase and there 10 no agent 10 in
terfere with their movomo nts. In another
way they are worse OF, since this govern
responsibility for their care OF ma!nte.
nass. and fssls no moral or legal 0bliRa-
lions to provide them with blankets, food
or hunting grounds.
When Gov. Toole was In the executive
ofi 90 he stated in a Communication to the
we're not = desirable lot Of people to have
travelling around Montana; but that al tho
state had no control over Indians tho fed
eral government should look nfto them
and see that they wsro deported over tho
line into Canadn, where they belong. The
letter went through tbs ofice Of the pom
missioner of Indian affairs. tbs interior
department and the department OF state
and the answer came back that the Cress
we're not under the jurisdiction OF the
United States authorities and that the gen.
eral government could no nothing toward
sending them back to Canada. Since Gov.
Richards came into office he has renewed
the agitation and has met With the same
success, or want OF success, that attended
Gov. Toole's efforts.
Az the general governments disclaims all
responsibility and tho state government
does not are TO ASSUME any, II looks -
though ths Crses would DO allowed TO
wander sver Montana d. they see 1T, camp
ing and hunting where they please. and
killing game in or out of season as they
need Il,