Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-09-05
CREATING TIE indian
Another New Scheme for the
Whites to Fleece the
Red Man.
Sale Of Lands Of a Deceased In.
dian Allottee Taken Ad.
vantage Of.
White Men Often Secure valu.
able Property Thru Tech.
meal Errors.

washington Sepl. O.-l lie ldttsN
phase of the aggression of the white
people on the inferior races is shownrin
the act passed on May 9th last, which
provides for the sale of the lands Of
| a deceased Indian allottee. Under the
operation of the present system of di-
viding the reservations among the In
dams in severalty, an Indian OCCASION
ally dies and in the disposal of his es-
tate to his heirs there has been created
| a new opportunity for the whites to
make a grab. 1t has been found that
among the Pawnees alone there are $50
such allotments, of l6O acres each all
ready available for sale under this act
allotments command prices ranging
from $4,000 to $4,000 per quarter sec
ton, according to location and fertility
1t is computed that these Pawnee allot-
ments are worth on the average of ST.
900 each. or sl,36O,0OO for the amount
now available.
1t Is no wonder that combinations
have worked up among the whites for
cornering these lands and discouragng
other purchasers. The regulation which
the interior department made in pur-
suance OF the act of congress provided
merely that the deed of transfer should
be approved by the secretary of the in
terror but as he can not personally look
into these things. he has to accept the
Judgment of the Indian agent or some-
body on the ground who may or may
not be honest. These combinations
have gone so far In some cases as to go
into the orphans court to ask that
guardians be appointed for minor In
dams, often when the relatives them.
selves want no such assurance. But
the guardian, as soon as appointed. asks
for the sale Of the deceased allottee's
lands, as a part of the plot. It is OBJ
|vious that this is defeating the object
of the government in apportioning the
lands, which was to encourage the red
man to hold on to his farm and acquire
the ways of the white civilization to
which the ownership of property all
ways gives substantial support.
1t has Become notorious that COM
bination is working for the purpose of
getting the lands of deceased Indian al
lottees in Oklahoma territory OF late
various we'll meaning persons have WIS.,
tied the agencies for the purpose of
buying land, but have met discourage
ment from the agent and others in
charge; it is often difficult to gain even
the privilege of inspecting the records
describing the land allotted. There are
nearly ESQ allotments for sale under
1.-The law at the Sac and Fox agency and
one third as many more among the
Kickapoos, together with large num-
Der of absentee Shawnees.
| Letters of all sorts are pouring into
the Indian Office. not only from friends
Of the Indians but from those who want
to buy land outside of the controlling
combination. The Omaha Bee. in a re-
cent editorial. declared that the neigh
borhood of the Omaha and Winnebago
reservations has for years been infest-
| ed by an unscrupulous gang of land
sharks who have operated in profitable
Indian land and leases and speculative
Hand sales with the connivance of a
very accommodating Indian agent with
an India rubber conscience" The Bee
adds:
But even an Indian may feel as sore
as an ostrich when he is plucked; and
l W
full roar. That is. doubtless. the con-
dition OF the Omaha tribe. which. at a
general council held last Thursday.
served notice upon the land sharks that
lit would assert its rights and appeal to
the government for protection and re-
dress. The resolutions adopted by the
| Omahas not only denounce the specu-
Ilators. but openly present charges
Il to-; ,,
them and has countenanced highly re-
spectacle citizens in the work of allur-
! ing ignorant and helpless Indians to
dispose of their lands at inadequate
prices. The systematic plucking of the
Indians is not confined to the Omahas.
The Winnebagos have been the victims
of the land spectators to a much
greater extent. The Omahas are reput-
ed to be industrious, orderly and, in the
main. sober people, and as nearly civil
lied as Indians living on a reservation
can be, but the Winnebagos are reput-
ed to be dissipated, thriftless and gem
orally demoralized, having inherited all
the vices of their own race and absorb
| ed the vices OF the white race
The Indian Rights Association is now
endeavoring to secure the adoption of
Regulations which will require the sale
| of those lands by sealed bids. whenever
a sale is necessary. and not by the
doubtful method of mere approval by
| the secretary of the interior, which so
often means the mere approval OF the
agent who may have received his APP
pointment for this very purpose. under
the existing system of senatorial nomi-
nation and presidential confirmation.
The interior department has no doubt
based it's approval of the present regu-
lations controlling the sale of these
lands upon the apparent assumption
that the Indian alone can enter into
contract of sale. The law, however, in
reposing in the secretary Of the interior
the right to pass upon the sufficiency of
the purchase price. In the Indians in
terest. is in a position to require that
lands be advertised for sale under seal
ed bids.
Indian Commissioners Jones is in ia
vor of disposing of the lands under
sealed bids and hopes to have that plan
adopted. since II will not only come
nearer meeting the ends Of Justice but
relieve the Indian office of a vast
amount of labor, especially as to de-
termining the sufficiency Of the pur-
chase price of the lands.
Indian Commissioner Jones says that
up to date he has not had one applica-
ton from the northwest for the sale of
land belonging to the heirs of a de-
ceased Indian allottee