The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-11-22
GIVE THEM THEIR LAND.
But Let Uncle Sam Control
Them.
REPORT OF DAWES COMMISSION
The Experiment of Tribal Govern
ment in the Territory Has
Been a Failure.

WASHINGTON. NOV. 2,-Ih6 T6p0rt OF
the commission of the five civilized
tribes to the Secretary of the Interior
recommended the revocation of the power
Of seif-governme by the Uni ed States.
1t is a rehearsal OF the proceedings OF the
commits lon in conference with the Indians,
which have already been given to the pub
lie as they occurred. AS the committee
appointed by the Indians was not gwen
authority TO enter upon negotiation look
ing to allotment or change of government,
so little has been accomplished. The
proposition made to them was to divide
the land amOug the Indians, except the
townsites, coal and mineral lands, 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. and safeguards for the interest of
tribes were included. After the division
territorial government was TO be formed
by Congress and approved by the Indian
Government.
The Indians refused to entertain these
propositions and declined to sell the land.
Complications are growing up in the title
to coal lands. which will lead to endless
litigation. The full bloods are less fl for
citizenship that they were twenty 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 $4,000 white people who cam
not be called Intruders, and the Indians
cannot fairly ask the United States 10 re-
move them. The treaty stipulation for
equal division of any is fagrantly and
widely violated, large tracts being in the
control of leaders. while the real Indian is
powerless to secure land part of his COM
mon property. The report says:
The United States guaranteed the hold
ing of these lands as contemplated by the
treaties, and is in honor bound to wrest
them from unlawful holders and restore
them to rightful owners. This only can
be done and the treaty slipulations honor
ably main ained by the allotment of these
lands among the people. giving to them
individual title therefor"
The failure Of tribal government. it is
said. makes it impossible to enforce treaty
provisions. vivid picture is given OF
the lawless condition of affairs in the Ter
ritory which is reflected daily in the news
papers. Many persons en- tiled to benefit
in the payments by the Government, 1t is
stated, never receive any money while
agents are growing rich. Payments should
be made directly to the people by their
own officers. The liquor traffi should be
prohibited and provisions should be made
for the education of the children.
The report concludes al follows: "The
United States put the title to domain
and its countless wealth and unmeasured
resources in these several tribes or ma
ton alities, but it was a conveyance in
trust for specific uses, clearly indicated in
the treaties themselves and for no other
purpose. 1t was for the use and eDjoy-
ment in common of each and every citizen
Of his tribe Of each and every part of the
territory thus tersely expressed in one of
the treaties:
To be held in common so each and
every mem Der of the tribe shall have equal
division of the whole
The tribes can make no 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 gov
ernments have wholly perverted their high
trust and it is the plain duty of the United
States to enforce the trust it has so created
and recover its original uses of the domain
and all the gains derived in the perversion
of the trust, or discharge the trustees.
"The United States also granted o these
tribes the power of self-government, not
to conflict with the constitution. Thew
have demonstrated their incapacity to so
govern them selves, and NJ higher duty can
rest upon the Government that granted his
authority than to revoke it when il has so
lameptably failed"