The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-11-28
10, THE POOR. INDIAN
The lille Laos Indians in the Way
s Of Progress at the Lake and
/ Annoy Settlers.
A88Petition Will be Sent to Congress
Asking to Have the Indians Re-
moved to White Earth,

~
s@ Inc people up around Mile Laos lake
seem to be in earnest to have the Chip
;peWas removed from their old-time
p and hunting grounds. The In
dams are picturesque and beautiful to
behold on an Indian summer day and
where distance lends enchantment, but
with the lake settlers the matter is
robbed Of all poetic and sentimental
coloring, for the white man is expand
ing SO fast around the lake that the
Indian is ever present and is more or
less annoying. When the reservation
was thrown open to settlement the
Chippewa was 10th to go to White
Earth to live, and only about 2J0 of the
lake Indians left the Mile Laos reser-
.yation, the rest tarrying until the last
long sunset. But the white people
haye got tired OF waiting for the SUM-
set and intend to ask Uncle Sam to take
his wards and start them in farming
somewhere. There is nothing but the
wild rice fields, the lake for fish, lit
tie trapping, and the sugar bush for
the Chippewa. The only land be has
left are the old burial grounds about
the lake, and it looks as if the Indian
bureau intended to make provisions for
enough ground to bury the rest of the
Mile Laos Indians at the lake, for In
dian Commissioner Jones has written
the State auditor, requesting the State
to reconvey to the United States lot 4,
section %, township 43, range p, of
the old Mile Laos reservation, stating
that this went to the State under the
swamp land grant of 1850. 1t is wanted
for an Indian burying ground. This
piece of ground is right north of Vine
land. The Indian commissioner thinks
it would make fine happy hunting
ground for the last of the Mile Laos
Indians. Under the Morris act which
reserved certain lands for burial
grounds, the old Collins homestead
Ws4sstaken for the: purpose, but this is
not sufficient.
Not long ago Clerk of Court Briggs
sent letter to Congressman Morris
stating that the settlers around the
lake were anxious to have the Indians
removed, and the matter was referred
to Indian Commissioner Jones who has
written the clerk of court letter in
which he says that the department has
used every reasonable effort and in
ducement offered to influence the Mile
Laos Indians to remove to White Earth
reservation, but only about 200 were
induced to go. Mr.. Jones says: THE
department feels that it has exhausted
every reasonable expedient in endeav-
Oring to secure the consent of said
Indians to remove and does not there
fore feel that further efforts should be
made at this time" Mr.. Jones thinks
that there is no greater cause for COM
plant now than there was at the time
the act of Jan. II, 1889 was. passed.
The commissioner forgets that times
have changed since then and that the
lake country is filling up with lot of
people who desire to develop the coun-
try around the lake and contiguous
territory, and that the Indian stands
to-day a stumbling block in the way of
progress. 1t is an injustice and hard
ship on the settlers to have the Indians
remain longer in this section. Every
bit OF land has been taken up and it
would seem that it was the duty of the
federal government to relieve the peo-
pie at the lake from any further trou-
bic with the Indians.
The lake people intend to get up a
strong petition to congress and send it
to Senator Clapp who it is understood
will look after the Indian affairs to a
large extent the coming winter. They
are in earnest in the matter, as they
fail to see what right the government
has to permit the Indians to remain on
land that is now owned by private in.
dividuals and who desire to open it up
and improve it.
The Chippewa is entitled to great
consideration on the part of the gov
eminent as he has been friend to the
whites in times of great need, and for
this reason the people and the govern
ment are 10th to adopt harsh tactics to
remove him. It may be that the gov
eminent is in hopes that the Chippewa
may be swallowed up in the great vor-
tex OF Development and activity at the
Jake and adopt new modes Of living
and take up the. white mans burden,
but while this may look we'll theoret.
ically in Washington it is not very
seriously entertained by the pale faces
around the lake. -. tx