The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-07

Relief for the Yukon.
The startling, though possibly exagger-
/ ated, reports from the Yukon river coun-
I try Of the shortage of food for the large
| number of people who are wintering there
/ without means of leaving the country, are
! confirmed in such measure as to justify
/ bringing the matter to the attention OF
! congress. Access TO that country ia win
/ ter can he had only through the passes
J from Dyea and vicinity, which is a most
/ difficult and perhaps an impossible task.
| However, should these reports of the suf-
/ fering of our fellow citizens be further YER
| flied, every effort at any cost should be
4 made to carry them relief.
Five Civilized Tribes.
For a number Of years past it has been
/ apparent that the conditions under which
| the five civilized tribes were established
/ in the Indian territory under treaty pro-
/ visions with the United States, with the
1 right of self-goVernment and the eXclu-
| sion of all white persons from within their
| borders, have undergone so complete a
| change as to render the con tinuance of
/ the system thus inaugura led practically
| impossible. The total number of the five
| civilized tribes shown by the last cen
| sus is 45.49S, and this number has not ma
/ terially increased; while the white popu-
| lation is estimated at from 200 900 10 go, 600
| which, by permission of the Indian govern
ment has settled in the territory. The
| present area of the Indian territory con-
| tains 1904 564 acres. much of which is
| very fertile land The United States cit
| liens residing in the territory, most of
| whom have gone there 10y invitation, or
| with the consent of the tribal authorities
| have made permanent homes for them
| selves. Numerous towns have been built
in which from 500 to 5000 white people now
reside. Valuable residences and business
houses have been erected in many of them
| Large business enterprises are carrd on
in which vast sums of money are employ
ed, and, yet, these people who have invest
| ed their capital in the development of the
productive resources of the country are
without title to the land they occupy and
| have no voice whatever in the government
either of the nation or tribes. Thousands
of their children who were born in the
| territory are of school age, but the doors
| of The schools of the nations are shut
against them, and what education they get
is by private contribution No provision
| for the protection of life or property of
| these white citizens is made by the tribal
| governments and courts
The Secretary of the Interior reports
| that leading Indians have absorbed great
tracts of land to the exclusion of the
common people and government by the
| indian aristocracy has been practically
| established, to the detriment of the peo-
| pie. Ii has been found impossible for
| the United States to keep its citizens out
| OF the territory and the executory condi-
tons contained i'm the treaties with these
nations have for the most part become
| impossible of execution. Nor has il been
| possible for the tribal governments to Sc
| cure to each individual Indian his fun en-.
| Joyment in common with the other In.
dams of the common property of the ma,
| tons.
Friends of the Indians have long be
IleYed that the best interests of the five
| civilized tribes would be found in Ameri-
can citizenship with all the rights and
privileges which belong to that condition
BY section sixteen Of the act of March g.
| 1893, the President was authorized to an
point three commissioners to enter into ne.
| sotiations with the Cherokee, Choctaw
| Chickasaw, Muskogee (or Creek and
Seminole nations, commonly known as the
| five civilized tribes, in the Indian Ter
| rtory. Briefly. the purposes of the ne
EQUATIONS were to break off the extin-
| guishment of tribal titles to any lands
| within that territory now held by any
and all such nations or tribes, either by
| cessation of the same or some part there
| or to the United States, or by allotment
| and division of the same in severalty
among the Indians of such ma
tlons or tribes respectively as
may be entitled to the same.
| or by such other method as may be agreed
aforesaid, or each of them, with the Uni
| ted States, with a view to such an adjust
ment on the basis of justice and equity
| as may with the consent of the said ma
ton of Indians, so far as may be neces-
| sary, be requisite and suitable 10 enable
the ultimate creation of state or states
| OF the union which shall embrace the
| lands within said Indian territory.
The committee met much opposition
| from the beginning. The Indians were
| slow 10 act and those in control manifest
| ed a decided dissemination to meet with
| favor The proposition submitted to them
| a little more than three years after its
| organization the committee effected an
| agreement with the ChoctaW nation alone
| The ChicEasaws, however, refused to agree
| to its terms and they have a common
| interest With the Choctaws in the lands
of said nations, the agreement with the
| latter nation could have no effect without
| the consent of the former. On April 90
| 1897, the commission effected an agreement
| with both tribes-the ChoctaWs and Chick
| asaws. This agreement, it is understood
| has been ratified by the constituted au-
| thorties of the respective tribes or ma
| tons parties thereto, and only requires
| ratification by congress to make it bind
| ing.
! on the nth of September, 1897, an agree
ment was effected with the Creek nation
| but ii is understood the national council
| OF said nation has refused to ratify the
! same. Negotiations are yet TO be had.with
the Cherokees. the most populous of the
! five civilized tribes, and with the Semi
noles, the smallest in point of numbers
! and territory.
| The provision in the Indian appropria-
| ton act, approved June 10. 1896, makes it
| the duty of the commission to investigate
| and determine the rights of applicants for
| citizenship in the five civilized tribes The
| commission is at present engaged in this
work among the Creeks and has made
! appointments for taking the census OF
| these people up 10 and including the Both
| of the present month. Should the agree
| ment between the Chocktaws and Chick
| asaws be ratified by congress and should
! the other tribes fail to make an agree
ment with the commission then it will be
| necessary that some legislation shall be
! had by congress which, while just and
! honorable TO the Indians shall be equit-
! able to the Write people who have settled
upon these lands by invitation of The
/ tribal relations.
Hon. Henry l.. Dawes, chairman of the
| commission, in a letter to the Secretary
of the Interior, under date of Oct IL 1897