Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1900-05-08
PRESIDENT vtroGs Asllt.
His First Message Of the Kind ID
this Congress,
AFFECTS NAVAJO INDIAN RESERVATION.

N hAah tNV NAtFHakN AAVlh ~
president 10 this congress was sent in
last Friday. II withholds approval
from An act authorizing the adjust
ment Of rights of settlers on the Nava-
10 indian reservation" Discovery that
congress had been misled furnished the
president with abundant reason for his
action.
There was no ohjsotion " the bill
as originally drawn and as it passed
the house. Tn secretary. OF the inte-
rior had investigated the situation
through an inspector sent to Arizona,
and had approved the bill. But In the
senate, at the instance Of some inter,
ested parties, q proyiso was added to
this effect.
That all that portion Of the Navajo
Indian reservation lying north of SO
degrees 80 minutes north latitude and
west Of the ilith meridian be. and the
same Is hereby, opened for mining pur-
poses only n subject to the mining
laws OF the United States"
Examination Of the map shows that
the effect or the proviso would be to
let the miners into a large corner OF
the reservation. Information has
reached the department that some
miners from Colorado and Utah, in an
ticipatlon OF the legislation. have al
ready invaded the reservation. In his
report on the proviso, Secretary Hitch
cock uncovers the Juggling. lie says:
This amendment was not referred to
the department for opinion by any
committee OF the senate, but was so re-
ferred by the house committee on In
dian affairs. Before a report to that
committee could be made, committees
on conferences were appointed In both
houses, and the bill afterward passed
in Its present form. ~embodying the
proviso in question, which represents
the real purpose of the bill, and which
is most objectionable
The Navajoes are the aboriginal
shepherds Of America. They now have
nearly 1900. 900 sheep and 200, OoO goats.
or late years there has been great
trouble ABOUT water. on January 8
the president. by executive order, ex-
tended the reservation 50 that the Nav
ajoes could reach the Little Colorado
river with their fiocks. A bill was in
troduced in congress to 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 dement's of
II Secretary Hitchcock explains as fol-
lows;
About 1,2s0,0 900 acres were added to
the reservation by the executive order
Of January last. II II estimated that
about $50, 900 acres would be taken from
the reservation by the amendment in
question. besides reducing the water
privileges on the western boundary
quite 50 per cent.
Part OF the tract proposed TO be
opened to mining is a part OF the orig
inal reservation, as set aside by the
executive order OF May II, 1884. and
the rights of settlers thereon were re-
served to them; and n tract or tracts
therein settled on or occupied, or to
which valid rights had attached, we're
excluded from the reservation. SO any
vested rights that attached at the
date Of the above named executive or
der still exist. and the legislation to
preserve the same to the locaters seems
unnecessary.
But besides these, II is understood
that there are also trespassers or in
truders on that portion of the lands of
he Indian reservation proposed by the
amendment in question to be opened
under the mining laws, and It Is also
understood hat some OF them nave al
ready come in conflict with the Indi-
ans, It being charged hat two muir
ders have been committed.
''rhe provision in the bill was at
tached thereto In the senate, without
the department having an opportunity
TO explain the serious results which
will unquestionably follow its adoption,
and as good faith to the Indians de-
mands that rights and privileges ac-
corded TO them by our action in a m
uary last should not be Withdrawn or
disturbed. at least until after a con-
ference with them, and as the parties
interested In the said proviso have fur
nished this department with no infor-
nation whatever ~warranting the appli-
cation OF the mining laws to a portion
Of the territory reserved TO the Nava.
joes. the opening OF the same to the
operation Of the mining laws would un-
q~uestionably lead to acts Of violence"
The president fully sustains the sec
rotary n the veto message,