The Princeton union., 1898-03-10
THE LAST ATTEMPT. I

II "
/ Mile Laos Indians Will Be Given One
1lore Opportunity to Avail Them
selves Of Governments Offer.
| # the Indians Refuse to Go to White
Earth They Must Shift for Them-
selves Further Aid Refused.
Hon Hon D. s.. Hall, Chippewa Indian
commissioner, has returned from
washington and is now at Mile Lacs
lake TO lay before the Indians the GOV
ernment ultimatum. The Indians will
be given holland in severalty at Mile
lacs, as there is no land to give them.
Ifle officials at Washington were at
first frs. disposed to allol, the unpatepted
lands nc ss IN the so-called Mile Lacs
reservation, including the school sec
tlons, to the Indians. But this proposi-
tlonsWas u 1l$'p'is vigorously combatted blythe
friends OF the settlers and the state
officials. Commissioner Hall was sum
moned to Washington, and he had no
Ehesitancy in informing the authorities
that tWhatslittle land there was left at
Mile Lacs would be of no benefit to the
Indians, and he favored removing them
to White Earth. Mr.. Hall was inter-
viewed by a Pioneer, Press reporter and
herei is what he had to say: a..
s It has been pretty up hill
business thus far. There is no
way to compel them to leave the Mile
Laos. 1t is optional with them whether
they4go or stay, so all that is in our
power to do is to try>to convince them
that # is for their interests to make
the change, as it undeniably is. I am
going to keep at them this spring and
summer and I hope to make some
headway. - -.
There are about 600 of the tribe re-
naming at Mile Laos, or scattered
through the Northern country. The
Others some 200 or 800, have already
gone to White Earth. . They are very
much pleased with everything there,
and possibly they may be of some use
to us in bringing the others to the same
wayEof thinking. -... "
"The White Earth Indians are luxu-
riously situated in comparison with
those now remaining at Mile Laos. At
White Earth there are now about 5000
indians. They have Gig hty acres for
each member OF the family, physicians,
schools each family a comfortable
house built by the government,
churches, and better hunting and fish
ing than at Mile Lacs. At Mile Laos
they have none of these things. They
live in old shacks made by themselves,
sometimes nothing better than birch
bark wigwams. There are no educa-
tional privileges, no doctors, no
churches, and nothing that will .con-
tribute to their material comfort or
tend to improve their condition.. In
every way it is to their advantage to
make the change. There are not
enough lands left at Mile Laos to dis
tribute among them. They are camp
ing around, here, there and every
where. and in the end those who
choose to remain there will be simply
wanderers on the face of the earth and
compelled to work or starve.
ut is nothing but a mere matter oil
sentiment that prevents them from
accepting the exchange to the White
Earth agency. They argue that be.
cause some of the other tribes in the
state have received allotments. at their
old homes they ought to have the same
tprivilege. But it is too late to do this
now. They gave up their lands years
ago and they are now occupied by
settlers, who claim them under bona
fide titles. The government cannot
dispOssess these settlers and allot their
homes to Indians. And besides, the
White Earth is far better place for
them. There isn't finer farming and
general purpose land in the state than
that at White Earth. There is every
thing at White Earth that, the Indians
can want. "A white man would see the
advantage Of the exchange in a minute
and jump at the chance to better his
condition. .-.~
ut is for the interests of the Mile
Lacs Indians that they make up their
minds in this matter as speedily as pos
sible. The government isn't going tc
keep the offer open for them for all
time. The other tribes have come in
and are on the road to prosperity. Il
the Mile Lacs decide to go their own
way they will be standing in their own
light. For they have everything tt
gain and nothing to lose by the re.
Emoval. I am in hopes to get most Of
them in line the next few months
There will necessarily be some who
will elect to stay where they are. They
will simply have to look out for them
selves and make living the best they