The Anaconda standard., 1895-12-14
THEY ARE SOONERS
View Taken at Washington Of Pros
pectors on the Colville Reserve.
THAT LAND OFFICE MAP
Commissioner Browning 10 OF the
Opinion That the Open
Ing Is a Very Long
Way Off.

washington, u. u, dispatcn. An IN
vestigation of the status of the land in
the Colville Indian reservation in the
state of Washington on which certain
locations of mines and homestead en-
tries have recently been made. shows
that these entrymen will probably be
decided "sooners" In the broadest sense
of the word.
The item which was telegraphed east
from Spokane to the effect that the lat
est land office map indicated that the
land In the north half of the reserva-
tion was public land was shown to
about every official who would have
knowledge of the matter. both in the
general Office and the Indian office. In
the surveying division of the former
Office a disclaimer was made that any
directions had been given to change
the character of this land on the new
map; that the north half of the reser-
walton is Indian land and is now being
surveyed. At the conclusion Of this
work allotments will be made to the
Indians occupying that portion of the
reservation, after which II will be
thrown open to settlement by presiden-
tial proclamation. Further than this.
the land Office. Neither could any in
formation be had as to the approx
mate date of the opening of the reser-
walton to settlement.
The officials of the Indian office were
very much surprised when the change
that had been made in the description
of the Colville lands was pointed out
to them. Commissioner Browning said
in regard to the matter that no author
ity could have been given to any one
to make the change, as none was war
ranted by the circumstances. Contin-
uing. he said:
II think the mistaken idea among
the lawyers spoken of in regard to the
status of the lands is entirely due TO
the wording OF the last section of the
act of July 1. 1892, which, as you see,
here provides, that nothing herein
contained shall be construed as recog-
nizing title or ownership of said In
dians to any part OF the said Colville
reservation, whether that hereby re-
stored to the public domain or that still
reserved by the government for their
use and occupancy.
"The other seven sections of the act
provide for the survey and allotment
of the lands to the Indians now occu-
pying them and the opening by the
president, at a time when he may see
| Mt. The act further provides that the
net proceeds arising from the sale and
disposition of the lands to be so open
ed to settlement and entry shall be set
| apart in the United States treasury for
| the time being, but subject to such flu
| ture appropriation for public use as
| congress may make. and that until so
! otherwise appropriated may be subject
| to expenditure by the secretary of the
| interior from time TO time in the build
| ing of school houses. the maintenance
| of schools for these Indians. for the
payment OF such part of the local tax
| alton as may be properly applied TO
| the lands allotted to such Indians so
| long n q c1ph allotted lands shall hQ
held in trust and exempt from taxation
and for such other purposes as he may
deem proper.
This act was passed subsequent TO
the agreement entered into between
| the Indian Office and the Indians for
the purchase of the northern half of
the reservation. Congress refused TO
ratify the agreement because IL took
the view that the lands did not belong
| to the Indians and was the property of
| the United States reserved for the use
and occupancy of the Indians. / am
very sorry that the act was not passed
before we negotiated with and secured
| the consent of the Indians to the dis
| posal of the lands, for since that time
| they have come to regard them as their
own, and will probably trouble us a
great deal by reason of the erroneous
impression they have gained. II is
probable that President Harrison was
doubtful as to whether the conclusion
reached by congress for the bill be-
came a law without his signature.
'I will say in conclusion that the land
is still reserved, however. and that no
settler or miner will have a right 10
locate there until the day set by the
president for the opening of the reser-
| walton. Inasmuch as they are now only
| surveying the reservation, I am of the
| opinion that this proclamation is still
a long way off,"