Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-12-22
!YAHKTON FIRST PAYMENT
Uncle Sam Distributing a Hun.
bred thousand Dollars.
Initial installucnt OF Six Hundred Thou
sand Which the Government Owes
for Land Iiellnquished by
the Indians.

C~HAMBERLAIS, :. d., Dec. 15.-The
treaty negotiated by the government,
with the iankton tribe OF Sioux Indi-
n renders this tribe one of the wealth
lest in the country if they exercise
ordinary judgment. This treaty was
completed December 81, 1892, aud by
its provisions the Indians will receive
$500, 600 as payment for the l10, 900
acres relinquished to the government,
and TO be opened to white settlement
proclamation TO that effect. which will
probably not be until next spring.
tifty-one laukton Indians acted
as scouts for General Alfred
sully in 1864, and for additional
compensation were by the treaty
granted S225 each, or a total OF Sll,475.
This amount has already been dis,rib-
utcd among them. The difficulty now
600, the first payment by tho govern.
ment for the land surrendered. The
treaty says The amount is to be paid
and divided among the Indians per
capita. The discussing officer, who is
now ut tho agency, commenced paying
the Indians with chcclts, rs is custom.
AIRY, and this caused a protest on their
part. 1t was understood among tho
bankers in the adjoining towns hat
the cheeks would be cashed without
discount, but the Indians appear not TO
relish the trip which would be neccs.
sary in going from the agency to my
OF the towns. They want the amount
paid in cash at the agency. AS the
whlms OF Indians are usually accedcd
TO, 1t Is likely that they will vim their
point.
The remaining $500, 600, placed to the
credit Of the tribe. shall be payable to
the indians at the pleasure of the
United states after the expiration of
twenty-five years, But curing the
trust period OF twenty five years, IL
the necessities of the Indians shall re-
quirc 1t, the United States may pay
such part OF the principal sum as the
secretary OF the interior may recon-
mend, but not exceeding $40, 900 in any
one year. Upon the payment of such
huin the amount shall be deducted
from the principal sum in the treasury,
and the tnited States shall thereafter
pay interest on the remainder. Not to
exceed 5000 is TO be expended each
year for the maintenance of orphans,
the aged and intirIu. or such other help
.css members Of the tribe as nav be
unable 10 take care of themselves; and
for school and educational
sor the tribe; also for courts of justice.
Each person VINO signed the treaty is
to receive IL $50 gold piece, struck in
The year 1892, rs n memorial of the
year in which the treaty was negoti-
slel. These Indians have taken their
aliotments Of land in severalty, and il
is the surplus which is to be opened to
settlement. The treaty provides that
where any Indian cannot cultivate his
land or otherwise use il advantagcously
II may be leased for one or more wears
at Il time. 10 prevent the possibility
,; land sharks securing possession OF
The land, all leases must be approved
~ the Indian agent by md with tho
consent of the commissioner of Indian
'ffairs. This provision applies alike to
sexes, and to all nges. parents
lcting for their children who are under
control, and the Indian agent acting
or minor orphans who have no guard.
ans.
A peculiar paragraph in the treaty
>s~xsAAess-sssMsa ~s-AAs--y~-.~s~
SreAs AN Official copy Of the act OF rati-
~tication shall be engrosscd, in copying
iuk, y and sent to the fanltton
indian agent to be copied by letter
press III the agreement book of the
Iaukton Indians" This shows the
natural childishncss Of the Indians, and
that they must be dealt with simply as
childrcI.
Nevertheless, the Iankton Indians
have thrown aside the traditions and
habits of the past, and have adop, 4
tho mode of living of their white
ncighbors. They are intelligent as a
rule, dress in the gurb OF civilization,
and many Of them have turned their
energies To farming and stock raising.
1t i u difficult matter for any Indian,
however VOL civilized and progressive.
TO save his money. They are natural
born spendthrifts. and permit money to
slip through their fingers in ex.
change for all sorts Of useless articles.
The result of past cash payments to
tlie Indian tribes by the government
has been that within Il very short time
the Indians have expended all their
money and were TS'nnilcss.
Whether the lunkton tribe will re.
verse this rule remains 10 be seen.
Should they DO so there is no reason
why they should not be- in good circum.
stances for generations to come.