River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-12-09

the president was authorized 20 appoint
three commissioners to enter into negotia-
lions with the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chtcka-
saw, Muskogee for Creek and Seminole ma
tions. commonly known as the Five CIV
iliZed Tribes in the Indian territory. Brief
iy, the purposes OF the negotiations We're
10 be. The eXtinguishmeut Of tribal titles
70 any lands within that territory now
held by any and all such nations or
tribes, either by eession OF the same or
some part thereof TO the United States or
by allotment and division OF the same I'm
severalty among the Indians of such ma
tions or tribes respectively as may be en-
titled to the same or by such other method
as may be agreed upon between the sew
cral nations and tribes aforesaid. or each
OF them with the United States, with q
view 10 such a adjustment upon the basis
Of justice and equity as may, with the con-
sent OF the said nations OF Indians. 50 rar
g. may - ne @ssary. be requisite ana suit I.
able to enable the ultimate creation o.
state or states % the union. which shail
embrace the lands within said indian ter
The commission met much opposition
from the beginning. The Indians were
very slow TO act. and those "a control mani.
tested desided disincllnatlon TO meet
with favor the propositions submitted 20
them. little moro than three years AFTER
this organizat ton the commission effected
alone. The Chickasaws. however. refused
TO agree to Its terms. and as they have
a. common Interest with the Choctaws ~
the lands Of said nations. the agreement
with the latter nation could have no ef-
feet without the consent of the former;
On April %. 1897. the commission effected
an agreement with both trlbes-the Choc.
laws and Chickasaws. This agreement,
i Is understood. has been ratified by the
constituted authorities Of the respective
tribes or nations parties thereto. and only
requires ratification by congress to make
an agreement was effected with the Greek
nation. but y Is understood that the ma
y Ss1u re- OF sad nst3n has re1ussd
% he had with the Cherokees, the most
pophlous Of the Five Civilized tribes. and
with the SemlnOes the smallest IN point
Of numbers and territory
The provision in the Indian appropriation
act, approved June TO- 1896 makes IL the
duty OF the commission to investigate and
determine the rights OF applicants for
citizenship ~ the five civilized tribes. The
commission Is at present engaged in this
work among the tribes and has made ap-
pointments for taking the ensus Of these
people up to and including the Goth, OF the
present month. 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 ii will he necessary that
some legislation shall he had by congress,
which, while Just and honorable TO the In
dams. shall be equitable 10 the white peo-
pie who have settled upon these lands by
invitation of the tribal nations. Hon. Hem
~ L. Dawes. chairman OF the commission.
in n letter to the secretary Of the interior,
under date Of October II, 1897. says:
individual ownership is In their (ths
commissioner opinion absolutely essen
tial to any permanent improvement In
present conditions. and the lack OF Il is
the root Of nearly all the evils which so
grevously afflict these people. Allotment
by agreement Is the only possible method,
unless the United States courts are clothed
with the authority to apportlon the lands
among the citizen Indians for whose
use il was originally granted"
l concur with the secretary 81 the interior
that there can be no cure for the evils en-
gendered by the perversion Il these 81 Sai
trusts excepting by their resumption 10y
! the government which created them.