Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-01
IN ROSEBUD RESERVE
Congress Will Not Provide for Opening
During Present Season.
OPPOSITION IS DUE TO APPROPRIATION
Expected Rush TO Gregory County,
south Dakota, VIII he Put on I'm
til Next Spring, owing 20
Failure of Legislature.
OPPOSITION IS DUE TO APPROPRIATION

Failure of Legislature.
OMAHA, June 23.-To the Editor Of The
Bee: l saw an article in The Bee Of the
goth stating: Senator Gamble thought 1t
doubtful II the Rosebud reserve would be
opened up this fall" Kindly give us all
information possible in regard to time res
ervation will be opened up or any and all
information pertaining thereto will be
thankfully received. l assure you, by the
readers Of your paper. Yours respectfully.
A. L. WOODS.
The foregoing was referred to the Wash
ington correspondent OF The Bee. who re-
plies:
In reply to the letter of your correspond.
ent, AL Woods, asking about the status
OF the Rosebud treaty bill:
strenuous efforts have been made during
the last week by the delegations from Mon
lana, Minnesota, North Dakota and South
Dakota to secure the consideration of
treaty bills now pending in congress, but
as all these measures carry appropriations
with. them the leaders Of the house, the
speaker and Mr.. Cannon, chairman OF the
mouse on appropriations, have
beer, pronounced in the opposition to per-
hitting the bills referred to above to be
among the number. All hope has been
soandoned OF securing legislation at this
bill, however. will be among the first bills
considered at the short session of congress
next December, and the reservation in
to the Rosebud Indians, will in all proba-
bility be opened in May or June OF next
year. In many particulars this time is
more advantageous than to have the reser-
walton opened in the late fall. as OF neces-
sity it would be II the bill had passed CON
gress during this session.
For your information I enclose a copy
of a letter written by Senator Gamble to
the Bonesteel Commercial club OF Bone
EtRaI - 4 N m q nlnnEn - D
bill.
enato CANDLES Letter.
The following is the letter Of Senator
Gamble, referred to in the foregoing:
WASHINGTON, June 25.-To the Bone
Gentlemen: l received your telegram last
night and wired you quite fully the status
Of the reservation bill. The bill was in
20, and l secured a favorable report from
the committee on Indian affairs on March
Z. The bill as prepared, in conformity to
This question was discussed before the
senate committee on Indian affairs. and
this element of the bill. rather than compel
the settlers to pay $3.50 per acre. The
majority of the committee so authorized
me to report the bill. It was the UNDER
standing of the delegation that we would
not. allow this feature of the bill to Inn
peril its chances of passage. We believed
only a matter Of great interest locally, but
to the people of the entire state. When
the senate Senator Plat of Connecticut
insisted that we should accede to an amend
ment striking out the free homes provision
and compelling the settler to pay $3.50 per
acre. AS l had succeeded against his OPP
position before the committee, we did not
feel that 1t was wise to accede to his re
quest. That in no sense would this matter
prejudice the bill in its consideration In
tho nFnViGinn ~ with II we could QpClTA
The bill was up for consideration during
ceeded in passing it by a majority of prac-
tically three to one. 1t passed the senate
on May g. 1 enclose copy Of the bill as
the same bill In the house and secured a
favorable report thereon on March IA. but
the same was amended by striking out the
bill was referred in the house to the com:
mittes on Indian affairs of that body, and
II was likewise amended In the house by
striking out the free homes provision, and
bills have been pending. upon the house
calendar. 1t was proposed, as above stated,
to secure the free homes provision; II possi-
BILE, either in the house or through confer
ence, but in no sense has it been the pur-
pose of the delegation to imperil the pas
sage of the bill by unduly insisting upon
this provision.
Could Not Secure Consideration.
7 have sought to cooperate to the ut
most with the house delegation In securing
consideration Of the MEASURE since its
Bile to secure consideration. Last week two
evening sessions were held by the house
for the purpose of considering bills reported
the house. This bill was in the list. I'm
fortunately, however. 1t was not reached.
Even had 1t been reached, l am informed.
the question of quorum would have been
raised and its passage would have been
resisted. The same objections are urged
against a similar bill in opening a reserva-
ton in Minnesota, also another reservation
in North Dakota and one in Montana. The
ground OF opposition is the amount OF ap-
preparation therefor.
I regret exceedingly that It has been i'm
measure. No bill of like character has
been considered by the house and II Is IN
the same position as the other b,lls above
could have been done by the delegation In
the house than has been done; They have
had, also, our cooperation. The speaker
absolutely refused recognition. l have IN
terviewed him at different times, also other
leaders in the house: Inc entire deiesSe
been persistently pressing consideration, OF
their respective bills in the house. but
without avail. ! have had the fullest conn;
dence that this, with other like bills, would
receive consideration, but this AFTERNOON
l had a full conference with the speaker
and such is the determination. We VIII
take the bill up at the next session ana
use our utmost endeavors TO secure taNoI-
the house. I have no question as 10 the
action of the senate, as I has already
n fnrmatively passed upon the proposition,
even including the provision for free homes.
/ felt like Writing you at length and CIV
N means TO YOU and the people I'm that
locality, as we'll as the people OF the entire
state. / keenly feel the disappointment or
the failure TO secure, consideration IN ne
house. / certainly have exerted myself
to the utmost. and do not know what
more I could have done to promote the
Passage OF the measure. Yours very truly.