The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-12-08

respectively as may be entitled to the same
or by such other method as may be agreed
upon between the several nations and
tribes aforesaid, or each of Them wi,n
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 Indians SO far as may be neces-
sary. be requisite and suitable to BILE
the ultimate creation of a state or states
of the union which shall embrace the lands
within said Indian territory.
The commission met much opposition
from the beginning. The Indians were very
slow to act, and those in control manifest
ed a decided disinclination to meet with
favor the propositions submitted to them.
A little more than three years after this
organization the commission effected an
agreement with the Choctaw nation alone.
The Chickasaws, however, refused to
agree to its terms. and as they have a com
mon interest with the Choctaws in the
lands of said nations. the agreement with
the latter nation could have no effect with
out the consent Of the former. On April
20. 1897, the commission effected an agree
ment with both tribes-the Choctaws and
Chlckasaws. This agreement. 1t is I'M
derstood, has been ratified by the con-
stituted authorities of the tribes or ma
lions parties thereto. and only requires
ratification by congress to make IL bind
ing.
ON the 9th of September, 1897. an agree
ment WAS OIeCIeU with the Creek nation
but IT is understood that the national conn
ell 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. TIL provisions in the Indian an
preparation act. approved June 10. 1Ss6.
make 1t the duty of the commission to In
vestigate and determine the rights of ap-
plicants for citizenship in the five civil
lied tribes. and to make complete census
rolls of the citizens of said tribes. =
commission is at present engaged in Il.
work among the Creeks, and has made an
pointments for taking the census of these
people up to and including the goth of the
present month.
Should the agreement between the
Choctaws and Chickasaws be ratified
congress, and should the other tribes
to make an agreement with the commits
sion, then 1t will be necessary 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 invita-
ton of the tribal nations. Henry l..
Dawes, chairman of the commission, in a
letter to the secretary of the interior I'M
der date of Oct. II. 1897, says: Individual
ownership Is in their (the commission's)
opinion absolutely essential to any per-
manent Improvement In present conditions,
anu the lack OF IL IL the root
of nearly all the evils which so
previously affect thcse roorle.
YELLOW FEVER.
me recent prevalence of yellow fever
M a number of cities and towns
throughout tie south has resulted Ia
much disturbance of and DEM
onStrated the ne eSSity of such amend
ments to our quarantine laws az will
make the regulations of the national
quarantine authorities paramount. The
secretary of the treasury, In the portion
OF his report relating to the operation of
the marine hospital service. calls atten-
ton to the defects in the present quar-
antine laws. and recommends amend
ments thereto which will give the treas
ury department the requisite authority
10 prevent the invasion of epidemics
from foreign countries, and, in times of
emergency like that of the past summer,
will add to the efficiency of the sanitary
measures for the protection of the peo-
pie, ana at the same time prevent I'M
necessary restriction of
concur in his recommendation in fur
ther effort to prevent the invasion of
the United States by yellow fever. The
Importance Of the discovery of the exact
cause of the disease, which up to the
present time has been undetermined, is
obvious, and to this end a systematic
bacteriolog1cal investigation should be
made. / therefore recommend that con-
gress authorize the appointment of a
commission by the president to consist
OF four expert psychologists, one to be
selected from the medical officers of the
marine hospital service, one to be APP
pointed from civil life, one to be de-
tailed from the medical officers of the
army and one from the medical officers
of the navy.
The Union Pacific railway. main line,
was sold under the decree of the United
states court for the district of Nebraska
on me first and Ganand pf -
this year. Ihe amount due the govern
ment consisted of the principal of the
SUBSIDY bonds, $27, 236. 5l2. and the accrued
interest thereon, $3l 2l1 III. 70; making the
total Indebtedness s5S. AS. 223. rs. The bid
at the sale covered the first mortgage
Hen and the entire mortgage claim
or the government. principal and
interest. Thu sale of the subsidized
portion of the Kansas Pacific line.
upon which the government holds a sec
ohd mortgage lien, has been postponed at
the instance OF the government to Dec.
10. 1897. The debt of this division of the
Union Pacific railway to the government
on Nov. l. 1897, was the principal of the
subsidy bonds. Sc, 303, 900, and the unpaid
and accrued interest thereon, Sc. 626. $50. 80
making a total of $12. 1929, 500. 80. The sale of
TINS road was originally advertised for
November 4, but for the purpose OF secur-
Ing the utmost public notice of the event
1t was postponed until Dec. 16, and a sec
ond advertisement OF the sale was made.
BY the decree of the court the upset
price of the sale of the Kansas Pacific
WAL yield to the government the sum Of
$2,5OO,OO over all prior liens, costs and
charges. IL no other or better bid is
made. this sum is all the gov
eminent will receive on Its claim of
nearly $13. 900. 900. The government has n,
Information as to whether there will be
other bidders. or a better bid than the
minimum amount herein stated. The
question presented therefore is: Whether
the government shall. under the author
tty given 1t by the act of March 3. 1897,
purchase or redeem the road In the
event that a bid Is not made by private
parties covering the entire government
claim. To qualify the government to bid
at the sale Will require a deposit of $780,
600, as follows: On the government
cause, $500. 900, and In each of the first
mortgage causes. $500, 900, and In the lat
ter the deposit must be In cash. Pay
ments OF the sale are as follows: Upon
the acceptance of the bid a sum which.
with the amount already deposited, shall
equal 10 per cent of the bid, the balanc,
In instruments of 25 per cent, 30. 40 and
80 days after the confirmation of the
sale. The lien on the Kansas Pacific
prior to that of the government on the
3Oth of July, 1895. principal and interest,
amounted to 81, 2S1, 04S. IL.
The government, therefore. should a he