The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-05-17
is READY To TREAT.
The Dawes Commission Reaches
the Indian Territory.
Will Show Indians Defects of
the Present System.
PROPOSES 4 CHANGE.
Indian Chiefs Will Consider it
in Council.

SOUTH McALEsTER, !. T., May II
All of the Dawes commission except
Senator Dawes arrived in the city yes
terday morning and will proba bly, To-
cate permanent headquarters at this
place. The commission, while refus-
ing to outline the future policy, inti-
mated that they will first endeavor to
gain the consent of the Indians to in
corporate towns and cities. giving
titles to lots and real estate, the one
thing which at present most affects
commerce and the non-citizens of the
territory. The policy, as outlined by
Secretary Hoke Smith, will be to prove
to the Indians the impossibility of per-
manently continuing the present form
of government of the five civilized
tribes, which is apparent to those who
consider the great difficulty already
experienced, even by an administration
favorable to the enforcement of
treaties in preserving for them
the rights guaranteed by the gov
eminent; that the time will soon
come when they will have to change
their present system, and how much
better it will be for the tribes to
negotiate with the commission in
order to perfect plan by which the
change will be accomplished favorable
to their rights, rather than violent
abrogation of the treaties and setting
up by congress the desired government
in the territory. The chiefs of the
various nations have arranged to meet
at an early date in council for the pur-
pose of protecting their rights, as well
as to treat with the commission.
MAPPING THE INDIAN TERRITORY.
WASHINGTON, May 17.-Chief Clerk
Rizer, of the United States geological
survey, has returned from the Indian
territory, where he assisted in insti-
tuting the survey of the territory to
be made by the government His
special duty was to purchase the out
fits for the ten parties that have
been placed in the field. The first two
parties in the field surveyed the base
lines east and north. the second two
ran the external township lines, while
two others are triangulating the ter
ritory with view to mapping it. Four
other parties, each of whom consists
of four divisions of six men each, but
having a common head topographer
and camp, have just been started to
divide the townships into sections and
quarter sections.
All the work at present is being done
in the Choctaw nation. It is expected
that the survey of the western portion
of the territory will be completed by
the close of the year, or at least by
next spring. The appropriations for
the purpose will not be sufficient for
the survey of the entire territory and
more funds will be required to COM
plete the work. The surveyors are
suffering severely from insects and the
danger from snakes, centipedes and
tarantulas.
A PRECEDENT FOR SETTLERS
WASHINGTON, May II. The secre-
tary of the interior yesterday rendered
decision in the case of eagle against
Mendenhall from the Perry, Ok, land
district, which was argued before him
Wednesday. The decision of the com
missioner of the general land Office
is overruled and MendenhalPs en-
try is to stand intact. The secre-
tary holds that settlers who acted
in obedience to the instructions given
by the department forbidding entry
from the Ponca and Usage reservations
should not be deprived of their rights,
and therefore directs that the contest
of eagle, who made 1.-THE run'' from the
latter reservation, be dismissed. The
. secretarv's promptness in rendering
the decision was due to the fact that
there are a number of other contests
now before the department in which
the sauna oueStion is involved