New-York tribune., 1902-05-06
THE OGDEN LAND COMPANY.
ITS CLAIM TO INDIAN LANDS MERELY THE
RIGHT TO PURCHASE THEM AT THE
MARKET PRICE WHEN THE
INDIANS DESIRE TO SELL.

INDIANS DESIRE TO SELL.
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir In The Tribune of April 2S. 1902. there appears
a letter from J. S. Whpple bearing date of Albany
NewYork. April H. 1902 in defence of the so-called
Nreeand bill for the allotment OF the Alegany and
Cattaraugus reservations among the Seneca Ind
ians and the admission OF those Indians to citizen
ship, which bill also provides for the payment Of
100000 of the money belonging to the Seneca Ind
ians to the Ogden Land Company, to eXtinguish
its claim to the said reservations.
Whatever may be the individual opinion of those
interested the advisability and desirability of
the breaking up of the Indian tribal relations and
aottng their lands in severalty. II will have be
admitted-and, in fact was admitted at the hearing
before the subcommittee OF the Committee Of the
House on Indian Afairs-that large majority OF
the Indians themselves opposed TO all the pro-
visions of this hill. must also be admitted that
the Government of the United States is under
solemn treaty obligations the Seneca Nation not
to compel them 10 dispose OF these lands nor 10
disturb them In the quiet use and enjoyment OF the
same. 1t will also be conceded the other hand
that the United States has the arbitrary power to
violate these solemn treaty obligations and it
would seem that those who pose most strongly
as the friends of the Indians disposed
favor such violation upon the theory that the ult
mate good of the Indians (Which they themselves
are unable to appreciate) would justify such step
that the guardian shOul- force upon his ward that
which is for the ultimate benefit of that ward
though such action involves
diture of the wards separate property.
This makes It necessary to consider the character
OF the claim of the ogden Land Company to the
lands in question, for the eXtinguishment Of which
the bal provides for the payment of 100000 of the
money of the Seneca Nation to the ogden Company
To arrive at correct conclusion in this matter it
must borne in mind that the Supreme Court Of
the United States and the highest courts of the
State of New-York have determined that the
Seneca Nation IN their ancient possession under
their original title and entitled TO the undis-
puted enjoyment of all their lands from generation
to generation, until they shall fit 10 sell the
same. When the time shall come that the Indians
desire 10 sell, then. and not until then does the
right of the Ogden Land Company to purchase
those lands arise When 1t does arise 1t is merely
the right pay the fun market value for those
lands-not cent less Moreover. such sale can
only be made with the sanction OF the United
States and the United States guardian of the
Indians is bound to 1t that nothing less than
the full market value of the lands is received by
them.
At the time the Ogden land Company. or it's
predecessor the Holland Company, acquired this
claim the situation Of the Indians vastly diff
naturally were eTpecfed "a b yIiIna to diss t aI ~
there was opportunity for fair business trans
their mutual benefit The history of this company,
however discloses the fact that II was not content
10 conhne It's dealings with the Indians to fair and
legitimate methods, but IL Tesorted to every device
thelr nachnations can In a measure be appreciated
by the perusal OF the speech of United
senate Of the treaty Of Buffalo creek Of Ja4uaPy Sy
=. lo3s. between the United States and the Six
The foundation for the judgment in favor of the
of which IL is proposed to take the $200000 for the
payment Of the ogden company. II is sufficient
for the purpose Of this letter to assert that during
the first half Of the last century the peace and
quiet OF the Seneca Nation was completely destroyed
by the ntrlgues and artces of the officers of this
concern
as that under consideration and created in opposi-
great public necessity demands that these reserva
tons should be broken up, then the government
condemn the alleged interests Of the ogden com
of the general funds of the government
No one yet has advanced any reason for fixing
10000 except the naked fact that the ogden Land
Company refuses TO accept any less sum. The idea
advanced Is that, irrespective of the real value
this alleged claim. the government is be held
ians to be held up-for the Payment of this nx
travagant sum simply because the claimants will
ternin9tton Of the 1nestdon ,wbatb Juq@e,ai @ d-
such rights may be. II has even been stated that
are so wealthy that they do not care whether they
dispose Of their claim or not, though this were
a justlncation for paying any sum that they might
For more than forty years the Seneca Indians
I'm connection with the other tribes of the Six Ma
tons, have been striving to force from the govern
of the treaty OF Buffalo Creek and after
great disbursement and labor before the depart
ments and Congress. and, finally after a most pro-
tracted litigation before the Court of Claims and
the Supreme Court of Ihe United States. they have
at last secured measure of justice and an award
In cOmpensatlon but before the Indians posi-
tion to enjoy the fruits of these labors the Ogden
Land Company once more comes in TO demand this
eXtortionate portion of the share Of the Senecas
and some of the so-called friends the Indians are
apparently upholding this demand
Surely there must be some solution OF the much
discussed and admittedly difficult Indian problem
of the State OF New-York which does not involve
such grave injustice to the Indians.
GUION MILLER.
Easton. Md, April 90 1902