The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1894-11-29

the newspapers snd make pu96c al
they intend to do.,'
CONDITION OF INDIANS.
The report of the commisd pn Of
the five civilized tribes, to tl sec
retary Of the INTERIOR. recomtuends
revocation OF the power e sell
government to the United bates.
1t is rehearsal Of the proceed 0hga Of
the commission in conferenSs With
the Indians which have aIresdy been
given to the public from tinss! to
time as they occurred. Tho com
mission appointed by the Indians
were not given authority to enter
upon negotiations looking to allbt-
mont or change Of government 90
that little has been accompljssoeAh
The proposition made to them was
to divide the land among the In
dams except 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. Safe guards for the inter-
est of the tribes were included.
After division a territorial govorn-
ment was to be formed by congress
and approved by the Indian govern
ment. The Indians refused to en-
tertain these propositions aud de-
clined to sell the land. Complications
are growing up in the title to coal
land which will lead to endless
litigations. The full bloods are less
fit for citizenship than they were
twenty five years ago and there is
little hope that they will improve.
The Indians invite and induce white
people to come into the territory,
there being 250,000 white people
who cannot be called intruders and
the Indians cannot fairly ask the
United States to remoye them. The
treaty stipulation for equal division
of land is fagrantly and widely
violated, large tracts being in the
control Of the leaders, while the real.
Indian is powerless to secure any
part of his common property. The
report says:
"The United States guaranteed
the holding of these lands as con-
templated by the treaties and is in
honor bound to wrest them from
the unlawful holders and restore
them to the rightful owners. This
can only be done and treaty stipula-
tions maintained by the allotment
of these lands among the peoule
giving to them individual title there
for. The failure of tribal govern
ment itself will make it impossible
to enforce the treaty proposition"
A vivid picture is given of the
lawlesss condition of affairs in the
territory which is reflected daily in
the newspapers. Many private
persons entitled to benefit In the
payments by the government it is
stated, never received any money
while the agents are growing rich.
Payment should be made directly to
the people by it's own officers.
Liquor traffic should be prohibited
and provision should be made for
the education of the children. The
report concludes as follows:
''The United States put the title
to domain and its countless wealth
and unmeasured resources in these
several tribes or nationalities, but it
was conveyance in trust for spe-
cific uses, clearly indicated In the
treaties themselves, and for no other
purpose. 1t was for the use and
enjoyment of each and every citizen
of his tribe of each and every part
Of the territory thus tersely ex-
pressed in one Of the treaties ito be
held in. common so that each and
every member Of either tribe shall
have an equal undivided interest in
the whole.' The tribes can make
no other use Of it; they have no
power to grant to any one the
exclusive use OF any portion OF it.
These tribal governments have
wholly perverted their trust and it
is the plain duty of the Uniten States
to enforce the trust 1t has 80 created
and recover for its original use the
domain and all the gains derived in
perversion OF the trust, or discharge
the trustees.
"The United States has also granted
to the tribes the power of self gov
ernment not to conflict with the
constitution. They have demon
stratei their incspacity to so govern
themselves and no higher duty can
rest upon the government that
granted this authority than to
revoke 1t when 1t has SO lamentably
fa;Iad -