New-York tribune., 1902-04-28
NEW-YORK INDIAN LANDS.
ARGUMENTS BY WHICH IT is SOT-GHT
TO JUSTIFY THEIR ALIENATION
UNDER THE VREE-
LAND BILL.
the Editor Of The Tribune.

IN The tribune or March q, 1902 here is
letter from Buffalo relative the bill introduced
in Congress by Representative z. B. Vreeland Of
the XXXIVth District Of New-York, to secure the
allotment OF land TO the Seneca Indians residing
upon the Allegany and Cattaraugus reservations
western New-York, and the extension TO them Of
the privileges OF citizenship. The letter severely
cricses the bill in several respects It is held by
the writer that these Indians are not qualified fer
citizenship. that the provisions of the bill are un
wise and calculated result injurously to the
Indians.
The testimony given before the sub-commit-
fairs the several hearings the Vreeland bill
does not coincide with the views of your Buffalo
correspondent. The most conclusive testimony
was offered by Representative Vreeland who for
over thirty years has had intimate acauaint-
ance with these Indians; by DR.. a. D. Lake. who
has been United States dispensary physician on
the Cattaraugus Reservation for twenty-eight
years by A. W. Ferrin for nearly eight years
United States Indian Agent and by DR.. Mer-
rtl E. Gates for eighteen years a member Of
the Board Of Indian Commissioners and its present
secretary, 10 the qualifications of these
for citizenship. Their testimony to the effect
that a large majority Of these Indians are as
competent for assuming the duties and obligations
OF citizenship the average white IN the
same walks Of life
All these gentlemen unhesta atingly declare their
conviction. based long acquaintance with the
Indians and their knowledge of the conditions
reservations.
ests OF the Indians demand abolition Of their
tribal relations and the bringing OF the reserva-
ton residents under the laws OF the State. DR..
Gates representing a body of the very highest
character. who have long been identified with the
cause Of the Indians in this country. and who
recognized among the very best friends Of the
Indians, particularly emphatic In his
deTnnation Of the present reservation system and
in his advocacy Of the changes proposed by the
vreeland bill The Indians who appeared before the
committee. some in favor of the bill and in
opposition, were remarkably bright and intelligent
men. and gave conclusive evidence OF their COM
potency to assume the obligations Of citizenship.
PAYMENTS By LEAsEHOLDERS.
Your correspondent insinuates that one OF the
motives behind this bill is the desire the part
Of the white 1easeholders of Salamanca, q village
in the Aliegany Reservation, incorporated under
at act Of Congress. absolute title TO their
lind. instead of nnety-nine year leases, and for
much less than their real valle The statements
OF Representative Vreeland before the committee
show that under the provisions Of the bill the
leaseho1ders in Salamanca and other villages, in
addition to paying their proportion of the money
required TO extinguish the Ogden companys claim
Cbased upon the acreage they occupy, would
be required pay about 5000 for the Indian IN
terest leased, and that the main street in Saa-
nanca the principal village in the reservation
would pay to the Indians s4,SSO for land
which worth when the white men TOOK IL
not more than $40 10 s15 acre, and that on an
average the village lots in Salamanca would pay
tairty-two times the value Of the land when the
whites took it from the Indians. To this great
increase of land values the Indians have not con-
tributed dollar in labor or money 1t has been
wholly the product Of the white mans labor ana
enterprise Mr. Vreeland said that in ali the
history Of the United States 10 instance can be
found where such liberal compensation has been
made 10 the Indians for lands surrendered TO the
whites Dr.. Gates. speaking upon this point, said
that he regarded these provisions OF the Dill as
on the whole fair and that he believed they would
be so pronounced by all business men who became
familiar with all the facts in the case.
EARLY ALIENATION OF LAND.
Your correspondent says the opponents Of the
bill object particularly TO that provision OF the
bill which provides that under certain contingencies
the Secretary Of the Interior may cause q patent
TO issue allottee after the expiration OF one
year The provision which your correspondent
quotes on this point is the original provision IN me
bin which gave the Secretary OF the Interior lhe
power to issue such patent upon sood reason De-
ing shown" This provision has been so changed
that an Indian must submit certificate to the sec
-etarv Of the Interior from the County Judge, the
Surrogate and the County Clerk of the county IN
which he may reside, stating that such allotIee III
their knowledge and opinion IS temperate. indusri-
o1Js competent to manage his affairs ana Quallleo
for citizenship In such the Secretary OF the
Interior may cause a patent in Zee simple 10 ~
issued at once after the eSp pIa+ioe as the ecre
farv of the Interior may prescribe IhlS Wou!Q aP
pear 10 10 gesigafng whites and other evils which
your correspondent seems TO appr.eu uexnressad
nis cnn1icticn that this provision is an enie!llIy
9 @ ~ cI. While II protects the ignorant Indians
1850 WISE oi the yiies of the designing white man. it
does not keep the bright intelligent ahe wen aad
Of twenfv-fve years, but will enable him TO take s
his place among the citizens OF the coiiiiil"i'S "
which he lives.
THE OGDEN LAND COMPANY CLAIM
vou- correspondent condemns the bill because
,,,ision &c made for taking money belonging to
the Indians to extingush the claim OF me oeUeA
Land Company to the lands in question He SPEAKS
conteuoptuously Of that claim and insinuates that
this provision Of the bill is downright roooeiS.
Space Will not permit in this letter 70 20 iiiIo
yolved were very clearly discussed before te coI oil
1nittee by Judge G. D. DaVle OF I'M sthori
showed by quotations from enlheh 1s3 lille is
ties and court decisions that the lIo1d.I fee
Va Va ba,6 a risinajiv by the crown Of England and
was conveyed by grants 10 those from .t r,eSa
ecendeS nv CONVEYANCE in due form TO the 0eueII
company The title is plain and easily lrasa' % ~ NJ
any one who cares TO examine II Ioi @ o 20 more
doSbt about II than he would about the uoe 70
any farm in the STATE alter s a S 20 10 the English
Dr. Gates, speaking this point, says: os che
Ogden Land Companys claim, slldIi 10 ~,
have in YOUR possession the brief of judge DAVE
es S9h sa TGes ans s conr decisions bearing the
wiz only say that ac Ingch hfrsndv 3s E regard
for the Indans wish that 1t were possible TO ignore
entirely the claims Of the Ogden company, & aneIe
Who % bgiyeIes tSa. this claim can be ignored
In the efforts Of the Irlelos oi ~ -l,e
method Of allotment of lands which has aIreaagg
made more than 5000 Indians cizens o. t ybich
was well Stated by the Hon d NJ Bro Browning sa f5s
eommssioner Of indian AaI his ~ Subject bic on Febru-
airy J. 1896 when he said: the KnoWle1sv svIetions
means immediate enforcement Of the cam @ o.