Arizona republican., 1895-03-08
MONEIED REDMEN.
Yankton Indians Who Are Well
 Fixed Financially.
The Tribe Receives Large Sums of Money from the Government for Lands Surreudered-Condition
 of the Purchase.

The treaty negotiated by the gov ernment with the Yankton tribe ot Sioux Indians renders this tribe one of the most wealthy in the country ii they exercise ordinary judgment, says a writer in the Minneapolis Tribune. The treaty was completed December 31, 1899, and by it's provisions the h. dians will receive s6OO,OO0 as payment for the 17O,OO0 acres relinquished to the government, and to be opened to white settlement whenever President Cleveland issues a proclamation to that effect, which will probably not be un- til next spring. Fifty-one Yankton h. dians acted as scouts for Gen. Alfred Sully in 1864, and for additional com pensation were by the treaty granted s225 each, or a total of S11,475. This amount has already been distributed among them. The difficulty now ex- isting is over the payment of S1O0,000, the first payment by the government for the land surrendered. The treaty says the amount is to be paid and divided among the Indians per capita. The disbursing officer at the agency commenced paying the Indians with checks, as is customary, and this caused protest on the part of the h. dians. It was understood among the bankers in the adjoining towns that the checks would be cashed without discount, but the Indians appear not to relish the trip which would be neces- sary in going from the agency to any of the towns. They want the amount paid in cash at the agency. As the whims of Indians are usually acceded to it is likely that they will win their point.
 The remaining s50O,OOO, placed to the credit of the tribe, will be payable to the Indians at the pleasure of the United States after the expiration of twenty-five years. But during the trust period of twenty-five years, if the ne cessities of the Indians shall require it, the United States may pay such part of the principal sum as the secretary of the interior may recommend, but not exceeding 1000 in any one year. Upon the payment of such sum the amount shall be deducted from the principal sum in the treasury, and the United States shall thereafter pay interest on the remainder. Not to exceed S6,000 is to be expended each year for the maintenance of orphans, the aged and infrm, or such other helpless members of the tribe as may be unable to take care of themselves; and for schools and educational purposes for the tribe; also for courts of justice. Each person who signed the treaty is to receive S20 gold piece, struck in the year 1892, as a me morial of the year in which the treaty was negotiated. These Indians have taken their allotments of land in severalty, and it is the surplus which is to be opened to settlement. The treaty provides that where any Indian cannot cultivate his land or otherwise use it advantageously it may be leased for one or more years at time. To prevent the possibility of land sharks securing possession of the land, all leases must be approved by the Indian agent, by and with the consent of the commissioner of Indian affairs. This provision applies alike to both sexes and to all ages, parents acting for their children who are under their control, and the Indian agent acting for minor children who have no guardians.