Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1900-10-19


would have been given over to the
possession of the Indians virtually
forever and ever. The opening Of
this reservation will enormously
ncl ease the population, taxable
and wealth of the state,
and make Idaho and Nez Perez
the center of population
and civilization in this state, and
we pledge the incoming democratic
administration to promptly enforce
the terms Of the Several,y act on
this reservation y
These planks | wrote myself,
and the why and wherefore may be
worth repeating as a matter OF
ancient history.
To begin at the beginning: In
1885, when Mr.. Cleveland was
president for the first time, wrote
a series of letters for the Portland,
"Oregonian," denouncing the
Indian reservation system. At
the suggestion Of General Miles.
who at that time commanded this
military department of the Column
bia, had these letters printed in
pamphlet form and sent them to
every United States senator and
congressman, and to all the men,
bers of the Cleveland cabinet,
together with additional personal
letters to the president setting
forth the condition and status OF
the Indians on the Nez Perez
reserve, and suggesting that the
Nez Perez reservation be put at
the head of the list for test OF
the Severalty system under the
then newly enacted General Allot-
ment act. This was done and il
was the intention Of the demo-
cratic administration to have gone
ahead and opened the reservation,
but in 1883 the democratic admin
istration was fired out and the
republicans under President Harri-
son ran the government until 1892.
In 1890 Idaho was admitted as a
state, and although we had two
republican United States senators,
and republican congressman, and
a republican administration, not
a man of the whole republican
outfit lifted u finger or raised q
voice in this matter of opening the
Nez Perce reservation to white
until the democratic
state convention Of 1892, and the
Idaho county democratic conven-
ton Of the same year denounced
our two republican senators and
our republican congressman for
'imbecility, incompetency and
neglect of duty" .
What was the result?
When those democratic plat
forms were published the republic
ian politicians at Boise and Lewis
on kept the telegraph wires to
Washington red hot with their
messages to Senators Shoup and
Mcconnell and Congressman
sweet, urging them to have Presi-
lent Harrison do something with
his reservation business. Finally
Hiss Fletcher was sent out to
Hot the lands for the Indians,
ust in time to enable the republi-
ans to use her presence here as
'ampaign thunder on behalf of the
'epublican party. During the
presidential campaign of 1892 the
'hree commissioners were APP
pointed to negotiate treaty with
the Indians.
And again:
In order to get congress to ratify
that treaty the republican delega-
ton from Idaho in congress tele-
graphed us in Lewiston, Moscow
and Grangeville to send Hon.
]. w. Reid to Washington. A
large fund was raised for that
purpose, but Mr.. Reid was unable
to go, but influential citizens oil
the Clearwater country accom-.
plished the purpose by writing
letters to our friends in congress
urging the opening of this reser,
walton.
l mention these matters in M
spirit Of contention or partisan
ship, but solely from u desire t.
give credit to whom it is due, ant
to show up the insinccrity ant
hypocrisy of the adherents Of Sena
tor Shoup who are claiming fo
him and the republican party tn,
sole credit of opening the Ne
Perez reservation and the passag'
of the Free Homes bill. Senate
Shoup did his duty equally will
his colleague, Senator Heitfelt
and Congressman Edgar Wilson
and / have not heard that eithe
Heitfelt or Wilson have been guilt,
Of the discourtesy of claiming tn
credit for the passage of thi
measure over 6hOup.
In conclusion, permit me ts cal
particular attention to the follow
ing plank in the platform adopte,
by the republican state conyentio,
which met at Moscow on Angus
10, 1892, after four years of re
publican administration unde
President Harrison:
"We call the attention of tn,
national administration @o IL,