The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-12-07

dent by the act of congress approved
July "a, 1897, to divide that territory int
fwo lasd districts and to designate tn
boundaries thereof and ia oppoint regis
fers and surveyors OF said land offices
and the president was also authorized Il
appoint surveyor general for the entire
district. Pursuant TO this authority, q
Surveyor general and receiver have beer
appointed, with offices at Sitka- IL in the
ensuing year the conditions justify it
the additional land district authorized
by law will be esta ablishsd, with an Office
ct some point in the Yukon valley Nc
appropriation, however, was made 70,
this purpose, and th1(fs now necessa ~
to De done for the two land districts in
TO which the territory is TO be divided.
MILITARY FORCE.
I concur with tae secretary Of war in
his suggestions as TO the necessity for a
military force in the territory Of Alaska
for the protection Of persons and prop
erty. Already small force, consisting
o. twenty-five men, with two officers, un-
der command Of Lieutenant Colonel
Randall, of the Eighth infantry, has
been sent 20 st. MichaeIs to establish a
military post
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT.
AS It is 10 the interest OF the govern
nnent 10 encourage the Development and
settlement OF the country and its duty
TO follow up its citizens there with the
benefits Of legal machinery, I earnestly
urge upon congress the establishment OF
a system Of government OF such fiexibil-
ity as Will enable ii to adjust itself to
the future areas OF greatest population.
RELIEF FOR KLONDIKERS.
The startling though possibly exsgger-
ated reports from the Yukon river coun-
try, Of rhe probe bic shortage Of food for
the large number Of people who are
winterins there without the means of
leaving the country are confirmed in
such measure as 10 justify bringing the
matter 20 the sttention OF congress Ac-
cess 70 that country rhi. winter can be
had only by the passes from Dyea and
vicinity, which is a most difficult and
perhaps an Impossible task However.
should these reports Of the suffering of
our fsflow-citizens be further verified.
every effort at any cost should be made
TO carry chern relief.
Five Civilized Tribes
For a number Of year. past il has
been apparent that the conditions under
which the five civilized tribes were Sc
tabli.hed in the Indian Territory under
treaty provisions with the United States
with the right Of seh-government and
tle exclusion Of all white persons from
within their borders. have undergone SO
complete a change as TO render the cor
tinuarce OF the system thus inaugural
ed practically impossible. The total
number OF the fve civilized tribes, as
SHOWN by the last census is 45, 494, and
this number 5as not materially incrsas-
ed; while the white population is esti-
mated al from 100000 to 250,oo0 which.
by permission Of the Indian government,
has settled IN the territory.
THE LOT OF THE INTRUDER.
The present area Of the Indian Terri
tory contains 25,6s4, ,584 acres, much of
which is very fertile land The United
States citizens residing In The territory,
most OF whom have gone there by invi-
tation or by the consent OF the tribal au-
for Themselves Numerous towns have |
been 'buih, in which from 500 20 5000 |
waite people now reside. Valuable resi- |
dences and business house. have been |
erected in many Of them. Large busi- |
ness enterprises arc carried on in which |
vast sums Of money are employed, and |
J ct these psopie, VINO have invested their |
capital tn the development Of she pro- |
ductive resources OF the country are |
without title to the land they occupy |
and have no voice whatever in the gov |
either of the nations Or tribes. |
Thousands Of their Children, who were |
horn in tsfe territory OF school age, bur |
the doors Of the schools Of the nations |
are smut against them and what educs- |
ton they get Is By private contribution. |
No provision for the protection Of Tie /
life or property Of these white citizens IL
made by the tribd governments and |
courts.
AN INDIAN ARISTUCRACY.
The secretary Of the interior reports
that leading Indians have absorbed |
great tracts of hand TO the exclusion Of /
the common people and government by
an Indian aristocracy has been practi-
cally established, 10 the ds,riment OF
the peopls. It mas been found impossi-
bic for the United States 10 keep il. cit
izens out OF the territory and the execu-
tory CONDITIONS contained in treaties
with these nations have for the most
part become impossible Of execution.
Nor has II been possible for the tribal
governments 10 secure u each iniivid-
usl Indian his full enjoyment in COM
mon with other Indians OF the common
Of the nstions Friends Of the
Indians have long believed that the best
interests of the Indians Of the five civil
izei tribes would be found in American
with all the rights and priv
ileges which belong to that condition.
DAWES COMMISSION.
BY section Is az the act OF March 3,
1893, the president was authorized 10 ap-
point three commissioners TO enter into
with the Cherokee, Choc-
'aw, Chickssaw, Muskogee (or Creek)
md Seminole nations. commonly known
as the five civilized tribes in the Indian
Territory. Briefly. the purposes OF the
regulations were TO be: The eXtin-
yuishment Of tribal titles 70 any lands
within that territory now held by any
IND all such nations or tribes, either by
,sssion Of the same or some part thereof
% the United States or by allotment and
division Of the same in severalty smong
ne Indians OF such nations or tribes re-
spectivsly, as may be entitled 10 tie
,ame or by such other method as may be
agreed upon between the several na-
ions and tribes aforesaid. or each Of