The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-31
SOUTH DAKOTA
LANDS MAY NOT sE OPENED
6onesteeI Worried over the Status Of
Roeebud Reservation BiIi.

6ohoSteei worried Over the Status OF
Rosebud Reservation Bili.
BONEsTEEL. IS. D. Much anxiety is
felt by the people OF Bonesteel and sur
rounding country over the runlor that OPP
position has arisen In congress to the
opening Of the Rosebud Indian lands in
this county. 1t appears that Congress-
man Cannon is the chief opponent to the
bill, and his opposition arises from the
fact that 1t would necessarily require an
appropriation by congress in order to full
fiji the treaty obligations. This position
seems unjust, not only to the people of
Bonesteel and surrounding country. but
to- the thousands OF others who have been
waiting for congress to take some action.
Unless the bill is passed this session, the
people realize that its chances In the next
congress will be slim with Mr.. Cannon as
speaker. 5h'~ %-a
BY dropping the free homes feature Of
the bill and requiring the settler to pay
the price the government agreed to pay
the Indians, $3.50 an acre, the government
is not a loser. only that it will be some
time after the necessary appropriation is
made before the amount is returned. A
clause might be inserted In the bill pro-
vtding that the homesteader be required to
pay 81 an acre, besides the usual land Of
flee fees and commissions, the day the fill
ing is offered. This would return at least
one third Of the appropriation Immediately
after the opening, and would have q ten-
dency to shut out an undesirable class Of
settlers. - .E ..-st
Hundreds of reasons could be advanced
why the bill should pass at this session,
but one reason alone should be sufficient,
and that is that there are many homeless
families who would Immediately avail
themselves of the opportunity to secure a
home by settling on this land and would
cultivate and enrich not only It, but the
surrounding country as well.
Another reason that should hasten the
ratification of this measure Is the fact
that many of the Indians realize they sold
ished with the treaty they made with the
government. T e ] o urn CORE
spondent, who has lived near these people
for thirty years, and who speaks their
language as fluently as English, in an In
tervieW with many OF the leading men
among them, was informed that unless
congress ratified the treaty this session, a
petition bearing the signature, Of nearly
every Indian on the reservation would be
immediately forwarded to the secretary Of
the interior demanding the withdrawal Of
the agreement and that a new treaty, be
entered into. This petition, Of course,
could be denied, but it would place the
government in no env1able position.
Suppose the petition should be granted,
mean that about 10000 acres Of good land
would remain undeveloped and unused,
except by a few cattlennen for range pur-
poses. 1t would also mean that If the
government should again attempt to pur-
chase this land, the consideration would
be placed at not less than $40 an acre.
Where, then. would be the saving? Many
more reasons can be assigned why this
matter should receive favorable considera-
ton at once. IT, ~ sc.-ya q
A better opportunity for the government
to acquire land at a minimum price and
open it for settlement and development
was never offered than in this Rosebud
treaty matter. It is a magnificent body Of
| land. and at least IS per cent Of it will be
worth from $1,000 to $4,000 quarter Sec
ton as soon as an entryman can secure
his fling. 1t is a much prettier and richer
area than is generally supposed.
This measure is really the most impor-
tant piece of legislation, so far as the in
terests Of South Dakota are concerned,
that will come up during this session. The
Gregory County Abstract company has
received letters of Inquiry regarding this
land from people in every state in the
union except Mississippi. ~ Last evening
the company received a letter from a man
IN Honolulu, in the Hawaiian islands,