The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1894-12-22
!YAHKTOA FIRST PAYMENT
Uncle Sam Distributing a Hun.
bred thousand Dollars.
Initial insta.lment OF Six Thou
sand Which the Government owes
for Land distinguished by
the Indians.

BEItLAI >. D., Dec. 15.--lhe
treaty negotiated by the government
with the Yankton tribe Of Sioux lndi-
ans renders this tribe one of The wealth.
lest IN the country if they exercise
ordinary judgment. This treaty was
completed December 81, 1892, and by
its provisions the Indians will receive
5000, 900 Us payment for the 10000
acres relinquished TO the government,
and to be opc.icd to white settlement
whenever President Cleveland issues u
proclamation to that effect, which will
probably not be until next spring.
Fifty-one Yankton Indians acted
as scouts for General Alfred
Sully in 1864, and for additional
compensation were by the treaty
granted 1925 each, or n total Of sll,47a.
This amount has already been distrib-
utcd among them. The difficulty now
existing is over the payment of $780,
600, the first payment by the govern
ment for The land surrendered. The
treaty says the mount is to 10 paid
II divided among the, indians per
capita. The discussing officer, WHO is
now at the agency, commence. paying
the Indians with checks, rs is custom
ary. nnd this caused a protest OH their
part. 1t was understood among the
bankers in the adjoining towns that
the checks would be chshed without
discount, but the Indians appear not to
relish tho trip which would be ncccs.
snry in going from the agency 10 any
Of the towns. They want the amount
paid in cash ut the agency. AS the
hvhims OF Indians are usually acccded
to, it is likely that they will win their
point.
Tho remaining $500, 900, placed to the
credit of the tribe, shall be payable to
tho Indians at the pleasure Of the
United States after tho expiration of
twenty-five years. But during the
trust period OF twenty-five years, ii
the necessities of the Indians shall re-
qnirc it, the United States may pay
such part Of the principal sum as the
secretary of the interior may rcco,n-
mend, but not exceeding $a0.O 900 in any
one year. Upon the payment Of such
sum the nmount sha!l be deducted
from the principal sum IN the treasury,
and the United States shall thereafter
- VII ~ 4 &NoG W
exceed IS. 200 is to be expended each
year for the maintenance OF orphans,
the aged and in6rm, or such other help.
less members of the tribe az may be
unable to AXE care of themselves; and
for schools and educational purposes
Tor the tribe; also for courts of justice.
Each person Who signed the treaty is
to receive u $50 gold piece, struck in
the year 1897. as Il memorial of the
year in which the treaty was ncgoti-
ated. These Indians have taken their
aiiotments of land III scveralty, and it
is The surplus which is to be opened to
settlement. The treaty provides that
where any indian cannot cultivate his
land or otherwise use it advnntageously
1t may be leased for one or more years
1t a time. To prevent the possibility
Of land sharks securing possession Of
The land, all leases must be approved
by the Indian agent by and with the
consent OF the commissioner of Indian
affairs. This provision applies alike to
10th sexes, and to all ages, parents
acting for their children who are under
control, and the Indian agent netting
for minor orphans who have no guard
.nns.
a peculiar paragraph in tho treaty
reads rs follows: "NYhen this agree
ment shall have been ratified by con
gress an official copy of the net OF rati-
ticatlon shall be e~ngrosscd, in copying
ink. II y y and sent to the Yankton
Indian agent to be copied by letter
press in the agreement book of the
1ankton Indians" This shows the
natural childishness of the Indians, and
that they must be dealt with simply as
children.
Nevertheless. the Yankton Indians
have thrown aside the traditions aud
habits of the past, and have adopted
the mode OF living Of their white
ncighbors. They are intelligent as a
rule, dress in the gnrb OF civilization,
and many of them have turned their
energies to farming and stock raising.
1t it q difficult matter for any Indian,
however we'll civilized and progressive.
to ave his money. They are natural
born spendthrifts, and permit money to
slip through their fingers in ex-
change for all sorts of useless articles.
Tho result of past cash payments to
the Indian tribes by tho government
has been that within a very short time
the Indians rave expended I'LL their
money md were penniless.
Whether the YNnkton tribe will re-
verse this rule remains to be seen.
Should they do so there is no reason
why they should not be in good circum-
stances for generations to come.
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