The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1895-02-16
SOUTH DAKOTA'S RIG CLAIM
Uncle Sam May pisgorge Tires
MiIlions.s
F. NJ. %Goodykoontz Says the Govornmep
Owes the State Five Ter Cent on
About s6o,ooo,ooo of In
dim Reservation Land.

Pierre, s. D., Feb. i'll The United States
owes South Dakota from two to three mil
lion dollars, and I believe that 1t can be
collected" This statement was made by
l.. NJ. GoodykoontZ of Mitchell, Soutt
Dakota's state agent at Washington. MI
Goodykoontz was employed two years ago
by the state to go to Washington and looS
up all possible claims of the state govern
ment against the general government ana
to prosecute them, he to get a fee of Z pei
cent on what he recovered. The sun
spoken of above he believes can be recov-
ereb on the sales of lands. A provision OF
the state of South Dakota similar to Other
states and indorsed by the general govern
ment provides that the state shall receive
5 per cent of the value of all public lands
within Its borders which the government
sells. Since the entrance of South Dakota
into the union some s30.e9 has been paid
to the state as the percentage on the land
taken under the presumption act. Mr..
~Goodykoontz claims that the same per
centage can be justly recovered for the
lands in the Sioux and Sisseton reserva-
lions which have heell thrown open. The
government at the present time reststs
these claims on the ground that these
lands are sold for the benefit of the Ind.
ans and that the money goes for tie ben
eft of the Indians: therefore, as no profit
secures to the government, 1t should not
rightfully pay the percentage. Mr.. Goody-
koontz claims that on all the precedents
the government has disposed of this land
and that by disposing of 1t 1t has prac-
tically sold 1t and the percentage should
come TO the state. Just how much would
be realized from this he does not know at
the present time, but it will be a large
sum-. The amount Of land opened was
ohNut 10 400 400 .nraS nnI nf fhiS fnliV
1000. 900 acres have been sold TO actual set.
tiers in Roberts, Coddington, Lyman.
Presho and other counties. The purchase
price being s1.25 an acre the percentage OF
the state would be over $50, 600.
But this is only a drop In the bucket.
MIR. G~oodykoontZ claims that all the land
in the permanent Indian reservation in
the state, amounting to some 4o,OOO,0o0
acres can be legally construed as having
been sold by the government II the state
can recover its percentage on this amount
of Ian vaiuing 1t at sl.25 an acre. He
takes up the case of Kansas. EN-Gov
ernor Crawford of that state evolved an
idea that the permanent reservations could
be shown to have been disposed Of by the
state and that that disposition was prac-
tically a sale. He went to Washington.
spent five years studying the law preco
dents, and he has finally secured from the
interior department a decision substanti-
ating his views. This decision gave to
Kansas for Its Indian reserves about
5000 900 and Governor Crawford realized
nearly half a million as his contingent fee.
Mr.. GoodykoontZ claims that the case of
this state is exactly similar. He shows
that the government has opened within
South Dakota permanent Indian reserves.
1t had a right to 10 so unquestlonably,
but by doing so it permanently disposed
of the property and put out of the control
of the state some 10000, 900 acres of land,
the great bulk OF this being in the two
immense Sioux reservations west of the
Missouri river. The government claims
that the Kansas case had some peculiar
local features but Mr.. Goodykoontz claims
that there was nothing peculia (which had
influence on Secretary ma decision
but that that decision was based on the
broad principle in the case. If that is so
and IL that precedent is followed as it
should be the state of South Dakota can
recover ) per cent on sl.25 or 81 cents for
every acre now held by the Indians.
MIR. Goodykoontz was compelled to re-
sign his position on account OF i'll health,
which will not endure the Washington
climate.
1t is understood that his successor,
Colonel King, will push the claim immedi-
n tn1,-