The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-01-06
OUR indian Lands
Title to the Country May
Cause Trouble.
Recent Decision OF the Interior De-
partmcnt In the BLACK Tomahawk'
Case Will Require Congress Ia Act
In the Matter soon.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2.-There IL quite Sc
rious trouble ahead I'm regard 90 the title
to our recently acquired Indian lands-an
empire themselves in extent. The dcvel-
opmcnt of the difficulty has been gradual,
but the gravity of the matter is now fully
appreciated, and IL ia quite possible that
the question may come up for action inn
mediately on the reassemb bling of con
gress. In fact. Just before ongress dis
persed for the Christmas holidays, Senator
Kyle, of South Dakota, ON the 2lst of De
cember, introduced u resolution In the
senate which brought out the ssentia
facts OF the difficulty. Mr.. kyle's pre-
amble recited hat by article IL of the
treaty between the United States and the
Sioux Indians. IL was provided that n
treaty for the cession of any portion or
part Of the reservation herein described,
which may bee held In common, shall Ice of
any validity or force M against the said
Indians, unless executed and signed by at
least three-fourths of all the adult male
Indians occupying or Interested in the
same" and further that 1.-The two acts of
congress, both dated March >. 1880, en-
titled AN act Co divide a portion of the
Sioux nation OF Indians In Dakota into
NtIaIu'f Tt~tEN dlloIN ullu W N'tuTt w
Indian title To the remainder. and for
other purposes and the appropria-
ton bill approved March 2, 1890,
show upon their face that they
were signed by a number of adult
Indians Of the whole blood less in number
thar the threc-fourths M provided I'm the
said treaty, and that In order To obtain
the necessary three-fourths aforesaid divers
n,fNah hlnn1a xxara .altattal IN md xxara
permitted TO. and did sign such treaty
made by the commission OF the part Of
the United States acting under said acts
of congress; and whereas the secretary OF
the interior of the United States has de
cided. a. Il IN claimed, that divers of the
mixed bloods who signed as aforesaid
such treaty made with said commission
are not Indians In contemplation of law,
and that they and their families are not
entitled 10 any rights or privileges what.
ever In the land ambraced I'm the ccssion
20 said commission nor 10 any privileges
whatsoever az Indians, and is about to
cause them to bee elected from the NO called
Indian reservations, the secretary of the
interior In directed To transmit TO the SEN
ate forthwith copies of all orders, opinions,
and directions hat he has given In re
spect To the said mixed bloods, together
with copies Of all reports, etc, pertaining
thereto
All these legal difficulties nave been
brought To the front by the recent decision
Of the interior department In what IN
known as the BLACK Tomahawk" ease
that the status of a child born of an
Indian woman and n white father
follows the condition Of the father. This
decision, though involving no new princi.
pie of law, has been suspended because OF
its far-reaching effects. Carried out TO it's
logical conclusion H. would invalidate
pretty well all our indian treaties. Over
ten million tcrcs were acquired unde our
treaty agreements with the Siou alone,
and n large proportion Of the %signators of
that agreement were half breeds, who, nc
cording TO the BLACK T~omahawkn de
cision, are now held not 90 be adult male
Indians occupying or interested In the
same
The same condition Of facts will apply
90 the agreements entered into with tho
Cheyenne and A~rrapahoe Indians In Okla.
homa, ceding about three million acres ~
ments of former years. and some Others
Of recent date, will he affected by this rui-
ing, and thereby the titles Of settlers who
have taken up homes on these lands will
be impaired.
The subject In such n serious one, and 40
surrounded by mbarrassments, that ~
will certainly call for prompt attention.
Some enabling act will bave TO be passed
to quiet titles II the BLACK ~Tomahawk"
decision IL to stand