The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1901-1901, 1901-04-10
REFUSE TO
SELL LANDS
Flatheads Refuse to Partition
Their Holdings.
COMMISSIONGIVESITUP
Stoekmen Who Have Grating Privileges
on the Reservation Seem to Be
All Powerful.
COMMISSIONGIVESITUP

The meeting at st. Ignatius last
week, between the commissioners ap-
pointed by the government ami The
Indians, in regard to the opening Of
part of the Flathead Indian reserva-
ton, was without result. The repre-
sentatives of majority of the Fiat
head and Pen d. Oreille Indians were
present but nothing definite Was
agreed upon.
Commissioner B. J. Mclntire, CT
this city, who was present, states that
the sentiment in regard to opening the
reservation to settlement is very much
divided and that a statement as to
whether an agreement would be reach
ed would be mere guess work.
On the other side of the range there
seems to be less doubt of the final
outcome. Two members Of the COM
mission made their headquarters at
Missoula and were probably authority
for the following, which blasts the
hopes Of the treaty every being made.
We quote from the Daily Missoulian:
Report reached Missoula yesterday
that the council of the United States
treaty commission and the Indians Of
the Flathead tribe to agree on a sale
of portion of the Flathead reserva-
ton held near the St. Ignatius mis-
sion last Wednesday was fruitless in
results desired, and the overtures of
the government to purchase the lands
had been so fatty refused by the as
sembled reds that the commissioners
have come to the conclusion that the
purchase is an impossibility and will
ask that their services be transferred
to some more favorable section.
The conclusion is arrived at after
several years has been spent by the
commission in attempting to make a
bargain with the Indians. The tract
which they desired to purchase COW
cred approximately 100000 acres.
It was situated largely in Flathead
shores of Flathead lake. Three coun-
ellis or pow vows had been held prior
to the one of Wednesday, at which
some slight difficulty had arisen which
was considered surmountable with
more work of explaining how advan-
tageous the sale would be to the In
dians. Each delay and explanation
has appeared to bring the owners to
a more favorable consideration of the
sale, and the commissioners expressed
much confidence that the last gath
ering would bring them a favorable
reply to their terms of purchase.
Instead of this reply, it is stated
that on every point sought agreement
the Indians so firmly refuse to con-
cede that it was clearly apparent that
future work would secure the pur
chase would be time wasted.
In many ways the transfer of the
land to the government would have
been of immense benefit to western
Il NOACdud. AC OIL ~ SOApAAoCo q
section that is considered the most
productive of the reservation, and
is used for grazing purposes where
large crops could more beneficially be
produced. An important factor in
the action of the Indians is said to
have originated from owners of large
bands of stock, who use the land fOI
grazing to the disadvantage of the
ordinary sharer of the reservation
bounties. These owners have stub
bornly opposed sale, and have Wig
orously worked among the Indians to
create a feeling that fair treatment
would not be meeted out. Another
feature of the discomfort of many q,
the treatment accorded the Flatheads
in payment for Bitter Root valley
farms sold to the government at the
time of the assembling the tribe or
the land that now comprises the Flat
head reservation. The opposition
from this cause has been great AND
no~amount of persuasio or guarantee
would disabuse the belief that the
government would not keep faith"
NOTICE TO TRESPASsERS.
All parties are hereby warned agains