The San Francisco call., 1897-12-07

known as the five civilized tribes in The m
dian Territory. Briefly, the purposes OF he
negotiations we're the extiuguishment OF the
tribal title 10 any lands within that Territory
now held by any and all such nations or
tribes, either by cession of the same or some
part thereof to the Uni ted States, or by allot-
ment or by the division of same In severalty
among the Indians of such nations or tribes
respectively, may be entitled 10 the same,
or by such other method as may be agreed
upon between the several nations and tribes
Aforesaid, or each of them, with the United
States, with a view to such an adjustment,
upon the basis of justice and equity, as may,
with the consent of the said nations OF the
Indians, 50 far as may be necessary, requisite
and suitable to enable the ultimate creation
OF State or States of the Union, which shall
embrace the lands within said Ind ian Terri
.ory.
The commission met much opposition from
the beginning. The Indians were very Sow
TO act, and those in control manifesto a de-
cided disinclintftiJn to meet with favorite
propositions submitted TO them. Alittle more
than three years this organization (the COM
mission) effected an agreement with the Choc-
taw nation alone. the Chickasaws have re-
fused to agree 10 its terms, and, as they have
a common interest with the Choctaws in the
lands of said nations, the agreement with the
latter nation could not have been with the
consent OF the former. april 20, 1881, the
commission effected an agreement with both
tribas-the Choctaws and Chickasaws. This
agreement, it is understood, has been ratified
by the constituted authorities of the re-
spective tribes or nations or parties thereto,
and only requires ratification by Congreas TO
make it binding.
On the 9Th of September, 1897, an agree
ment effected with the Greek ma tion,
but ii is understood that the National Council
refused 10 rstify the same.
Negotiations are yet 10 be had with the
Chorokees, the most populous of the five
civilized tribes, and with the Seminoles, the
smallest in point OF mum bers and territory.
The provision in the Indian appropriation
act, approved June 10, 1896, makes it the
duty of The commits sion to investigate and de-
termine the rights OF applicants for citizen
ship in the five civilized tribss. The commits
sion is a present engaged in this work among
the tribes, and has made appointments for
taking the census OF these people up to aud
including the 30;h of the present month.
Shonld the agreement between the Choc-
laws and ChicEasaws be ratified by Congress,
and should the other tribes fail to make an
agreement with them, then it win be neces-
sary that some legislation. shall be had by
Congress, which, while just and honorable to
the Indians, shall be equitable to the white
people who have settled upon these lands by
invitation OF the tribal nations. Hon. Henry
l. Dawes, chairman of the comm ission, in a
letter to the Secretary of the interior, under
date of October IL, 1897, says: "Individual
ownership is in their 0he commissions 81
opinion absolutely essential TO any permanent
improvement in present conditions, and the
lack Of 1t is the root of nearly all the evils
which have SO grievously afflicted these
people. Allotment by agreement is The only
possible method unless the United States courts
are clothed with the authority TO apportion the
lands among the citizen Indians for whose
use II was originally granted"
I concur with the Secretary of the Interior
gendered by the operation of these great
trusts excepting their resumption by the
Government which created them.
The recent preYa-
Urgent Need for Better lence of the yellow
National Quarantine. fever in the number
of cities and towns
throughout the South has resulted in much
disturbance OF commerce and demonstrated
the necessity of such amendments to our
quarantine laws will make the regulations
OF the national quarantine authorities para
mount. The Secretary of the Treasury, in that
portion of has report relating TO the operation
OF the marine hospital service, calls attention
TO the defects in the present quarn ntine Law S
and recommends amendments thereto which
Will give the Treasury Department the requi-
site authority to prevent the invasion of the
epidemic diseases from foreign countries and
in times of emergency like that of the past
summer will add to the efficiency OF the sani-
tary measures Tor the protection of the people
and the same time prevent unnecessary re-
strictions of commerce. l concur in his rec
ommenda:ion.
In further effort to prevent the invasion OF
the United States by yellow fever the import
ance of the discovery of the exact cause of the
disease, which up TO the present time has
been undetermined, has been obvious and to
this end systematic Dac,eriogical investiga-
tion should be made. l therefore recommend
that Congress authorize the appointment oil
q commiss ion b. the President, TO consist ot
four expert bacteria! ogists. one to be selected
| from the medical officers of the Marine Hos
pital service, one to be appointed from civil
| life, one to be detailed from the medical off.
GERS OF the army and one from the medical
officers of the navy.
The Union Pac ic Railway, main line, was
| sold under the decree of the United States
Court for the District OF Nebraska on the Isl
and ID of Novemb Der, this year. The amount
| due the Government consisted of the prin
| cipal of the subsidy bonds, $27 236 5l2, and
| the accrued interest thereon, $31, 1,211, I'll rs
making the to tai inde btedness sos, ,44S, ,223 70
| The bid at the sale covered the frst-mortgagE
| lien and the entire mortgage claim OF the
| Government princial and interest
The sale of the
Government Ready to subsidized por
Buy the Kansas Pacific. ton of the Kan
| Pacific line
] upon which the Government holds a second
| mortgage lien, has been postponed at the in
| stance of the Government to December 16
| 1897. The debt of this division OF the UnioI
| Pacific Railroad to the Government on No
vcmber 81, 1897, was the principal of the sub
| sidy bonds, Sc 303 600, and the unpaid auc
accrued interest. $G.626 go 33. making
| total OF $12 ,929, $50 33.
| The sale of this road was originally adver
| tised for Novem her f. but fOr he purpose of Sc
| curing The most pu bic notice OF the event o
| the postponement until Decemb 16, a sec
| Ond advertise ment OF the sale made b.
| the decree of the court the upset price of tn,
| Kansas Pacific will yield 10 the Government
| The sum of So 500 600 ever all prior liens
custs and charges Ii no other or better bic
| is made this sum is all that the Governme n
| will receive on its claim of nearly $13, 900,
| 600.
The Government has no informa tion as Il
| whether there will be other bidders or anothe
| bid than the maximum amount herein stated
| The question pre.ented, therefore, is whethe