The Minneapolis journal., 1902-06-13
The MORRIS BILL !

4AU NnONSAO oAhl R
After many conferences and much dis
cussion a bill was finally agreed upon
providing for the opening of the Indian
reservation around Leech and Cass lakes,
in Minnesota. The original bill, intro
duced by Judge Morris, provided for the
sale of pine under sealed bids. but IN
Difference to the views of some members
Of the delegation it was changed to pro-
vide for sale at public auction to the
highest bidder.
After the bill had gone to the commit
tee on Indian affairs it was referred to
the secretary of the interior and the In
dian commissioner. These officers
strongly objected to sale at auc-
ton, and recommended that the pine
be sold under sealed bids. The secretary
of the interior declared that the depart
ment had never, been able to prohibit
combination bet tween the bidders when
the sales were made at public auction. He
was sat fsied that II that method of sale
was adopted it would result in loss to
the Indians, and might also result IN great
delay because the sales might be set aside
because of evidence of combination. The
majority Of the Indian committee in the
house took the same view. They also
contended that there could beAno possible
objection to sales being made under
sealed bids.
The main objections to sealed bids are
that opportunities are offered for dishon-
est bidders, through dishonest officials in
the department, to obtain improper ad-
vantage over other bidders, but the COM
mittee on Indian affairs is satisfied that
the department will so regulate the sale
as to make it impossible for any such ef
forts to be successful. The result is that
the bill was finally revised to provide for
sale by sealed bids. Members Of the In
dian committee will undertake to secure
a day in the house for the consideration
Of the bill and for some other measures
Of importance which have been reported
from that committee. If they succeed
unanimous consent for the consideration
of the bill will not be necessary. If, how
ever, the Indian committee fails to secure
a day for it's measure, Judge Morris may
ask for unanimous consent, or he may
await an opportunity to move for sus-
pension of the rules. He is hopeful, how
ever, that the Indian committee will get
day for consideration of Indian affairs
1t is believed to be impossible to pass
the bill at this session in any other form
than that which 1t now has acquired, and
| if it does not pass at the present time
the Indian lands may yet be opened under
the Nelson bill without provision for for
! est reservation Of any kind. Too much
effort has been made In the past two or
| three years to save a forest reserve from
these lands, and the public benefit to be
derived from a reservation: Of reasonable
size is too important to make: the final
adoption of some such compromise as this
matter of Indifference to public spirited
citizens. -. -w.* :"'> ~ :.
The Morris bill as it stands to-day con-
suits the interests of the lumbermen. the
local settlements and the general public,
of business and health and forestry. In
general it provides for the permanent res
ervation for public purposes of Agency
point, opposite Walker, containing about
1000 acres; of Sugar Point, where the
battle with the Bear islanders was fought
three years ago, and all the islands in
Leech and Cass lake including the large
island in the latter lake which has on it
one of the finest pine groves in the state.
In addition S per cent of the pine land
of the reservations is to be saved for the
nuclei of reforestation and some 225 900
acres of the lands that are opened to the
lumbermen are to be reserved, after cut
ting, for reforestation. The remaining
! cut over lands as we'll as the agricul-
tural lands Of the reservations outside
of Indian allotments are to be thrown
open to settlement. The lumbermen are
sold stumpage, not the land.
| The citizens Of Cass Lake and Walker
who were formerly opposed to any plan
! that would save for public uses any con-
siderable part of the reservations, are
now in favor Of the Morris bill, and it's
author, Congressman Morris, has consist
entity opposed the original national park
| or forest reserve idea. The compromise
| gives small areas for park purposes,
larger areas for forestry purposes and at
the same time satisfies the business de-
mands of the villages by providing for the
immediate cutting of almost all the pine
and the opening Of large tracts to
| settlers.