The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-02-15
NEW TREATY E D

information from Washington which
makes it apparent that as now framed
but little hope need be entertained for
the ratification of the Crow Indian
treaty at the present session of con-
gress. It is even doubtful whether a
future congress would pass the meas
ure. unless it is greatly altered and
amended. As the treaty itself con-
tains provisions against such a pro-
ceedings it is absolutely necessary that
a new one shall be negotiated.
The letter to The Gazette states that
the members of the house committee
on Indian affairs consider the price per
acre stipulated in the treaty as too
great, a feeling that is shared by many
members of the house and who have
SO expressed themselves. Conse-
quently it will be seen that the pros
poets for adoption of the bill are not
very bright on this one score alone.
Another source of opposition is based
on the clause in the treaty which pro-
vides that no Amendments shall be
made to it in congress on penalty of
the entire measure lapsing and becom-
ing void. 1t vas insistence upon due
observation Of this clause that was re-
sponsible for the defeat of the bill
when called upon the house last week.
Representative Mondell of Wyoming
asked that the bill be amended to give
right of way across the Indian lands
for irrigating bitches to be constructed
north and west of Fort Custer, so that
the lands proposed to be coded might
be irrigated, and without which they
will be practically valueless to set
tiers. The friends of the bill called
attention to the fact hat under the
treaty such an amendment could not
be made without vitiating the treaty
itself. Upon this Mr.. Mondell object
ed to unanimous consideration of the
bill and it went back to it's place on
the calendar. ....
It will be seen that because of the
objection of members to the price it is
proposed to pay for the lands the bill
is very likely to meet defeat when
called up in the ordinary way. To
prevent such disaster Detailing the
measure and thus greatly 1etarding
che growth and development of this
section of the state it seems absolutely
necessary that a new treaty devoid
of the Objectionable features attaching
to the one now pending be negotiated.
To accomplish this it will be necessary
to secure legislation appropriating a
sum sufficient to defray the cost of a
new treaty commission-for it is abso-
lutely essential that a new commits
sion be appointed, the inability Of the
old to negotiate a proper and reasona-
BILE treaty having been established be-
You'd a doubt. In order that such q
step may be attended by the mini.
mum chances of failure it is necessary
that the people Of Montana enlist the
cooperation of those Of Wyoming, al
they are almost as deeply interested il
its success as are those of this state,
To the end that this effort at co-opera
should be made to have Wyoming rep
resented on the prospective commits
sion. That state should have ont
member, while the remaining tw,
should be appointed from this state
or if objection is made by Wyoming t,
such an apportionment then each o
the two statess could be given on
member, the third to come from else
where. Whatever the plan adopted j
is imperative that some action alon,
the line here recommended be taken
and that at once, in order that some
thing may yet be done at the p1esen
session of congress.
The Importance of opening the res
ervation is recognized by all and a
probably nc community would deriv
greater benefits than Billings, it
proper that the people of this cit
.H +.
should take the initiative in the ma
ter and without further delay max
effort to ecure enactment of the legis
lation necessary for the appointmen
OF q new commission. While they al
doing this they should also make
plainly understood that they want n
more incOmpetents of the Hoyt an