The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-11-22
TRIBES MUST CO.
The Dawes Indian Commission
Makes Its Report
The Abolition of the Tribe is
Recommended.
A REMEDY FOR EVILS.
Individual Ownership is the
Best Way Out.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 22.-Ihe Dawes
commission, which has been iuvesti-
eating the affairs IN the Indian ter
ritory and endeavoring to secure the
consent Of the five civilized tribes to
an agree ment on some plan Of terri
torial or state government looking TO
the improvement Of the conditions Of
affairs, has submitted its report to
the secretary of the interior, but Sec
rotary Smith has not had a chance to
examine it.
The report of the commission re COM
mended the revocation Of the power
of self government by the United
States 1t is a rehearsal of the pro-
ceedings of the com mission, in con-
ference with the Indians, which have
already been given to the public from
time to time as they occurred.
The commission appointed by the
Indians was not given authority to
enter upon negOtia tons looking to
allotment or change of government,
so that little has been accomplished
The proposition made to them was to
divide the land among the Indians
except the town sites. coal and
minerals, which were to be sold and
the proceeds divided A homestead
for each citizen was to be made
inalienable for twenty-five years
or longer. Safeguards for the inter
est of tribes were included. After
division a territorial government was
to be formed by congress and APP
proved bv the Ind ian government
The Indians refused to entertain
these propositions and declined to
sell the land. Complications have
grown up in the title to coal lands
which viii lead to endless litigatsons-
The full bloOds are less fit for citizen
ship than they were twenty years
ago and there is little hope they viii
improve. The Indians invite and in
duce white people to come into the
Territory, there being 25O. 600 white
peOple who cannot be called intr ud-
ers and the Indians cannot fairly ask
the United States to remove the IN.
The treaty stipulation for equal tracts
being in the control of leaders while
the real Indian is pOwerless to ecure
any part Of his common property
The report says: The United
States guaranteed the holding of
these lands as cOntem plated by the
treaties and is in honor bound to
wrest them from unlawful holders
and restore them to rightfnl owners
This can only be done, and the treaty
stipulations honorably maintained
by allotment Of these lands among
the people giving to them individual
title Their for. =
The failure Of tribal government,
it is said, makes it impossible to en-
force the treaty provisions. a vivid
picture is given of the lawless CON
dition of affairs IN the territory which
Is reflected daily IN the newspa pers-
Many private persons entitled to
benefit in the payments by the gov
eminent. it Is stated. never receive
any money while agents are growing
rich. Payment should be made di-
rectlv to the people by its own
officers. Liquor traffic should be pro-
hibited Provision should be made
for the education Of the children
The report concludes as follows.
''The United States put the title to q
domain and its countless wealth and
I'M measured resources in these
several tribes or nationalities, but it
was conveyance in trust for specific
uses, clearly indicated in the treaties
themselves and for no other purpose.
IL was for the use and enjoym i'm
common Of each and every citizen Of
his tribe of each and every part of
territory, thus tersely expressed in
one of the treaties. To be held in
common 50 that each and every mem
Der of either tribe shall have an equal
interest in the whole The
tri bes can make other use of it They
have no power to grant it to any one
or to grant to any one an exclusive
use Of any portion of It. These tribal
governments have wholly perverted /
their high trust, and 1t is the plain
duty of the United States to enforce /
the trust 1t has 50 created and recover /
for its original uses the domain and
all the gains derived IN the perver- I
sion of the trust or discharge the
trustees
THE United States also granted to (
these tribes the power of self-govern- Z
ment not to conflict with the consti- (
tuition. They have demonstra ted Z
their incapacitv to 50 govern them 4
selves and no higher duty can rest up 7
on the government that granted this 4
authority than to revoke it when it
has so lamentably failed"