The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-12-10

the executory conditions contained in
treaties with these nations have for tho
most part become impossible Of execution.
Nor has II been possible for the tribal gov.
Indian his full enjoyment in common with
other Indians Of the common property or
the nations. Friends Of the Indians have
Indians of the five civilized tribes would
be found in American citizenship, with all
the rights and privileges which belong to
that condition.
The Dawes Commission.
BY section 16 of the act of March 3. 1888,
the president was authorized to appoint
three commissioners to enter into negotia-
lions with the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chicka-
tions, commonly known as the Five CIV
ilized Tribes in the Indian territory. briet.
". the purposes of the negotiations yer, were
to any lands within that territory now
held by any and all such natlons or
tribes. either by .cession of the same OF o..
by allotment and division Of the same In
severalty among the Indians OF sucn ma
tions or tribes respectively as may pe eo,l
as may be agreed upon between the sew
eral nations and tribes aforesaid, or eacn ~
of them with the. United states, WIN a s =
view to such an adjustment upon the ne basis snns
of justice and equity as may, with the con- 3a,
sent Of the said nations OF Indians, SO iar
as may be necessary be re9Visi .ee any of
ap st te re or states Of the union, which shall
embrace the lands within said inoiah 'eR-
ritory. oh onnosition
from the beginning. The Indians were
very slow to act, and those In controi NAM.
tested decided disinSlnaiS Submitted to
them. A little more than three years e a.te
this organization the commisslon enectea
a an esre Ths chickasaws, however refused
to agree 10 it's terms, and as they nave
a common interest with the ChoctaWs IN
the lands of said nations, the agreement
with the latter nation could have no eff
feet without the consent of the former:
on April %, 1897 the commission effected
a Jaws and This
1t is understood. has been ratified by the
constituted authorities Of the respective
requires ratification by congress TO make a
1t binding On the 9th of September. 1897,
an agreement was effected with the Creek
nation. but 1t is understood that the ma
tionai council Of said nation has refused
to ratify the same. Negotiations are yet
to be had with the Cherokees, the most
with the Seminoles, the smallest in point
of numbers and territory.
The provision In the Indian appropriation
act, approved June 10, 1896, makes 1t 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 tribes and has made APP
pointments for taking the census of these
people up to and including the 30th, of the
, present mouth. Should the agreement be-
tween the Choctaws and Chickasaws be
ratified by congress and should the other
tribes fail to make an agreement with the
commission. then it will be necessary that
some legislation shall be had by congress,
which, while just and honorable to the In
dams. shall be equitable to the white peo-
pie who have settled upon these lands by
Invitation of the tribal nations. Hon; Hen
~ L.. Dawes. chairman of the commission
IN q letter 10 the secretary OF the interior.
under date of October II, 1897, says:
individual ownership Is in their the
commission's) opinion absolutely essen
tial to any permanent improvement In
present conditions, and the lack of II is
the root. of nearly all the evils which SO
grievously affiict 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 1t was originally granted"
concur with the secretary OF the interior
mat there can be no cure for the evils en-
gendered by the perversion of these great
trusts excepting by their resumption by
the government which created them.