Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1900-05-12
PRESIDENT VETOES BILL.
His First Message Of the Kind to
this Congress,

this Congress,
AFftcTs NAVAJO MDlAN RESERVATION,
Tho hrst veto message from the
president 10 this congress was sent ia
last Friday. 10 withholds approval
from AN act authorizing the adjust.
ment uf rights Of settlers ON the Nava-
~ Indian reservation" Discovery that
congress had been misled furnished the
president with abundant reason for his
action.
There was no objection TO the Nill
a. originally drawn and as il passed
the house. The secretary OF the lnto-
rior had Investigated the situation
through an Inspector sent to Arizona.
ana had approved the bill. But ln the
senate. az the instance OF sgme inter-
csted parties. proyiao was added 70
this cftoCt.
That an that portion Of the Navajo
Indian reservation lying north OF sc
degrees 30 minutes north latitude and
west % the liith meridian be-. and the
same is hereby. opened for mining pur-
poses only and subject TO the mining
laws Of the United states"
Examination Of the map shows that
the effect of the provisu would be 10
let the miners into large corner OF
the reservation. Information has
reached the department that some
miners from Colorado and Utah, in an
ticipation Of the legislation have all
ready Invaded the reservation. IN his
report on the proviso. Secretary Hitch.
cock uncovers the Juggling lie says
This amendment was not referred 20
the department Tor opinion by any
committee ~ the senate, but was 80 re-
fcrred by the house committee on In.
dian affairs. Before report 10 that
committee could be made. committees
on conferences were appointed In both
houses. and the bill eftcrward passed
IN its present form. enbodying the
proviso in question. which represents
the real purpose of the bin, and which
ia most Objectionable"
The Navaioes are she aboriginal
shepherds of America. They now have
NhHNHN AHN"HfN"N NAtN"N NNAN aNNNNN ANAaN
or late years there has been great
trouble about water. ON January g
the president. by executive order. eN-
tended the reservation 50 that the Nav
aioea could reach the Little Colorado
river with their nocks. 4 bin was in
trOduced Ia congress 20 secure the
rights OF settlers on this extension OF
the reservation. To that bill. this
amendment, In the interest Of the
miners was attached. The demerlta OF
II Secretary Hitchcock explains as fol-
lows
About i..sU00O acres were added TO
the reservation by the executive order
of January last. II Is estimated that
about 96o.oOO acres would be taken from
the reservation by the amendment in
question, besides reducing the water
privileges on the western boundary
quite 90 per cent.
Part of the tract proposed to be
opened 60 mining Is a part OF the orig.
mai reservation. as ret aside by the
executive order OF May ~. 1854. and
the riNhts ~ settlers thereon were re-
served To them; and any tract or tracts
therein settled on or occupied or to
which valid rights had attached. were
excluded from the reservation. SO any
vested rights that attached at the
date of the above named executive orr
der SAN exist. and the legislation 20
preserve the same To- the iocaters seems
unnecessary
But besides these, it is understood
that there are also trcspaasers or in
truders on that portion of the lands Of
the Indian reservation proposed by the
amendment Ia question 20 be opened
under the mining laws, and o Ia also
understood that some 90 them have all
ready come IN conflict with the Indi-
ans, % being charged that two muir
ders have been committed.
The provision in the bin was at
iarhed thereto in thr senate. without
the department having an opportunity
90 explain the serious results which
Will unquestiunabiy follow its adoption.
and as good faith 10 the indians de-
monds that rights ana privileges ac-
corded 20 them by your action ia Jan
uary last should not Doe Withdrawn or
disturbed. az least until after a con-
ference with them and as the parties
Interested In the said proviso have fur
nlshed this department with no inf0r-
ma tion whatever warranting the appli-
eaton % the mining laws 20 portion
of the territory reserved 90 The NavA-
iocs the opening % the same 10 the
opera ton of the mining laws would un-
questlonably lead 10 acts of violence" ="
The president fully suatains the Sec
retary In the veto message