The evening times., 1897-12-06

W AS VI ON OA
tiunal land district aqthQrixed By law win
be established. with an office at Orne
point in the Yukon; vaffey. No a?pror
priation, however, wak made for this
purpose, and that is f,ow necessary to be
done for the two lansf districts Into which
the Territory is TO be divided.
Reports Of Starvation.
] concur with the Secretary OF War In
his suggestions as to the necessity TO.
military force In the Territory Of Alaska
for the protection of persons and property
Already small force, Consisting oftwensy
five men, with two Officers. under com
mand OF Lieutenant Culunel Randall, If
the Eighth Infantry .,las been sent to st.
Michael to esta blish q intitary post.
As 1t is TO the interest OF the Government
to encourage the Development and settle
ment of the country andits duty to follow
up It's citizens there with the benefits OF
legal machinery, earnestly urge upon Con-
gress the est ablishment OF q system OF
government with such flexibility as will
enable it t. adjust itself to the future
areas of greatest population.
The startling though possibly evagger-
ated reports from the Yukon River coInfry.
Of the probable shortage OF fond for the
large number of people who are rinteF!ns
there without the means OF leaving :he
country are confirmed In SUCH measure It's
TO Justify bringing the matter to tie attcn.
tion of Congress. Access, to that country In
winter can be had only by the passes
frOm Dyea aud vicinity, which is Il most
difficult and perhaps an impossible task.
However, should these reports OF the ,uf-
fering Of our rellow-..itizens be furt i;er yeri-
fled, every effort at any cost should be
made to carry them relief.
THE EINDIAN TRIBES.
For number cf years past it has been
apparent that the conditions under which
the Five Civilized Tribes were establish d
fla the Indian Territory under treaty pro
visions with the United States, with the
right of self government and TIE exclusion
OF all white persons frop within their nor
ders, have undergone SO complete change
as 10 render tile continuance OF the system
thug inacgurated practically Impossible.
The total number of the Five Civilized
Tribes. az shown by the last census, is
40, 5,4S4, and this number has not ma teriai,y
increased: while the white population is
estimated at from 100000 to 2JO,ouO
which by permission OF the Indian GoyerI-
ment has settled in the Territory. The
present area OF The Indian Territory con-
tains 25,694,5G4 acres. much OF which is
is very fertile land. The Tniteii States
Citizens residing in the Territory. most cf
whom have gone there by invitatiun or
with the consent Of the tribal authorities,
have made perman nent homes for them
selves. Numerous towns have been built
In which from 500 to 5000 white people
now reside. Valuable residences md
business houses have been erected in many
of thea Large business enterprises are
carried on in which vast sums OF money are
employed. and vet these people. VINO Lave
invested their capitali II, the develop'n mt nf
the productive resources OF the country, axe
without title TO the land, they occupy and
have no "oice whatever In the g,.vc; :nnnnt
either of the Nations or Tribes. Thousands
OF their children who were bhIh In the Ger
ntory are Of school age. but the doors otthe
schools nf the Nations are shut "a gainsr ;bcm
and what education they get Is by private
contribution. No provision for the pro-
lection OF the life or property of th..se
white citizens is made by the Tribal -ov-
ernments and Courts. Be
TIE Secretary OF fhe Interior reports
that leading Indians have absorbed great
trsctsof land t. the exclusion o & hr common
people. and government by an In'irln aris-
tocracy has been practically established,
10 the detriDent' CT the people. 1t has been
found impossible for tie United States To
Keep its citizens out OF the Territory and
the executory eunditions contained IN the
tre,ties with these Nations have for the
most part become Impossible bf execution.
Nor has it been possible Tor the Tribal Gov
ernnients to secure to each Individual In
dian his full enjoyment in oommon with
other Indians OF the common property OF
the Nations Friends Of the Indians have
long believed that the best interests pf
the Indians OF the Five Civilized Tribes
would I've found in American citizenship,
with all tie rights and privileges which e
long to that condition.
Recent Negotiations.
By Section 16 of the Act of March 3, 1898.
the President was authorized to appoint
three commissioners to enter into negotja
tions with the Cherokee, Choctaw. Chick
aslw. MuscOgee tor Greek, and Seminole Ma
tions, c.r1moDiy known as TIE Five Civil
ized Tribes in the In dian Territory. Briefly,
The purposes If the Eegotia tious were to be.
The eAtinguishment of Tribal titles TO ahy
lands within that Territory now held by
any and all such Nations or Tribes either
Ev cession of the anne or some part thereof
to the United States, or by allotment ana
division Jf the same In seNeralty among
the Indians Of such Nations or Tribes re
specti2eIy as may be entitled to the same,
or by su,.h other ethod as may be agreed
upon between the several Nations and
Tribes aforesaid, or each OF them wit n the
United States, with a view to such m
ad ius.ment upon the basis of justice and
equity as may, with the consent OF the
said Nations OF Indians, SO FAR as may .a
necessary, be requisite and suitable to
enable the ultimate creation OF State or
Statea of the Union which shall embrace
the lands within said Indian Territory.
The Commission met much opposition
from the beginning. The Indians were
very slow tn act and those In control mani
tested a decided diSinclination to meet
with favor tile propositions submitted to
them. A little more than three years
after this organization the Commission
effected an agreement with the Choctaw
Nation alone. The Chiokasaws, however.
refused to agree to its terms. and as they
have a conluon interest with the Choctaws
in the lands Of said Nations, .he agreeiuat
with the latter Nation could have nc "f-
feet without the consent of the former.
On April 23, 1897, the Commission ef
fected an agreement with both tribes tn.
Choctaws and Chickasaws. This agree
mcnt, it Is understood, has been ratified
by the constituted authorities of tie re-
spective Trihes or Nations parties thereto.
and only requires ratification by Congress
10 make 1T binding. l-tc
Action by Congress-.
On the 27th of September, 1897. an
agreement was effected with the Greek
Nation, but it is understood that the Ma