Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-10-14
CATTLEMEN ARE OBJECTlNC
Complain 0olOnSl NOsby iI Too Active
Tearing Dswn the Fences
SENATOR MlLLARD BACKING THEM UP
T;rst Payment of Money from Land
les 60 the Omaha Indians TO he
Made within the Next
Few Days.
CFrom a staft Correspondent


gram )-Colonel John s. Mosby. special
agent Of the land office, is in Washington
to give President Roosevelt and Secretary
of the Interior Hitchcock his views regard
ing conditions affecting the reduction of
fences in western Nebraska. Colonel Mosby
was authorized by the land department Of
the government to see that the fences the
cattlemen have unlawfully erected upon
public lands be taken down and Mosby has
seen to 1t that the fences the cattlemen
had run on the public domain were re-
moved This action of Mosby in carrying
out the regulations of the secretary of the
interior has created such a feeling OF In
dignatlon on the part Of the cattlemen that
Senator Millard has taken a hand in the
fence war. He protests against Mosby's
activity and has asked for an investigation
of his acts. Accordingly Colonel Mosby has
reported to Washington to explain what he
has done in the way Of carrying out the
regulations of the Interior department.
Colonel Mosby is obdurate. He says the
fences are down in his district, a region
comprising six or seven counties bordering
on Wyoming, and that so far as he is
concerned they will stay down. II, how
ever, the secretary OF the interior decides
that the aggressive work now going on
looking to the removal Of the fences be
curtailed Colonel Mosby will execute the
wishes OF his superior officer Charges are
made against him of undue severity in
carrying out the regulations Of the In
terror department. II is asserted cattle
men who have rights in the premises are
being deprived Of the Enclosures by reason
of the manner Of which Colonel Mosby in
terpreted his orders from the land office.
1t was stated today at the Interior de-
partment that in view OF the presidents
illness and the interest which he is taking
in the anthracite coal strike, the confer
ence with Colonel Mosby will not take
place until the end of the week. The fact
remains. however. that Senator Millard is
active in bringing about the conference as
the spokesman OF the cattlemen. Mean
time the fences were, but are not.
Paying Money to the OmahRs.
The 500, 900 authorized by the last Indian
appropriation bill will be distributed within
the next ten days to the Omaha Indians.
This is the first amount which the Omaha
Indians have received out of their prin-
cipai derived from the sale Of lands in
Nebraska, which was authorized by act of
congress, approved August Z, 1882. The
rolls to cover this appropriation are now
In the hands Of the secretary of the in
terror and the aecretary's approval is ex-
pected to be appended within day or two.
so that payments may be authorized by
telegraph. Special Agent F. NJ. Conser Of
the Indian office is already at the Omaha
agency to aid Agent Mathewson to dis
tribute the money, which will be author
lied by Secretary Hitchcock to be drawn
A.
Sioux City.
Four payments will be necessary in view
OF the bond which the agent Of the Omaha
and Winnebago agency gives. His bond is
for $4,000. so that the government will
only permit him to draw $125OO but as
the special agent, Mr.. Conser is under a
similar bond the first payment Of S25, 900
will be authorized as soon as the rolls are
approved, which is expected to be tomor-
row. Just as soon as this first amount OF
| $25, 900 is disposed Of similar amounts will
be telegraphed to the depository in Sioux
City to be paid to the agent on check to
the Indians OF the Omaha agency. 1t is
thought in view of these payments there
will be several celebrations in order on
the Omaha agency and that possibly an
old-time dance may be decided upon.
Charges Against Saunders.
George w. Saunders. superintendent OF
schools at Santee agency is charged With
| ''jimmying" his way into the classified
I service. Mr.. Saunders succeeded H. C.
| Baird as agent of the Santee agency in
Nebraska. He was appointed to the place
| by Senator Millard. 1t appears, however
by the record that his bond as superin-
tendent OF schools was filed before he went
| into once as agent at that agency. There
was an interregnum OF some two or three
! hours between the termination OF Agent
| Bairds term and the assumption of once
! by Saunders. Baird terminated his posi-
tion as agent on June 30 and Saunders as
| sumed ONCE for a few hours as agent oi
! the Santees on the 30th, and thereafter
was transferred into the classified service
as superintendent OF schools at the Santet
agency, the last Indian bill having abol-
lshed the agency at that place The at
| tention Of the Civil Service commission has
been called to this matter and It is under.
stood 1t proposes an investigation as e
the manner in which Saunders got undei
cover Of the civil service. 1t is also charged
that Senator Millard was imposed upoI
when he recommended Saunders.
Putting Indians 10 Work.
Commissioner Jones, in speaking Of hi
report to be made to the secretary Of tn,
interior. and which is now In press, salt
that outside Of routine matters afectinj
the department II would discuss the subiec
OF Indian employment in view OF the sue
cess which the employment Of Indians hai
met with In the Sioux nation in South Da
kota The commissioner has been an ar
dent advocate OF putting the Indian L
work wherever work could be secure
within the limits OF his reservation. H
has impressed his views upon secretar
Hitchcock to such an extent that II wa
finally decided TO try the experiment G
allowing Indians to do manual labor in
stead Of issuing him rations, as provide
by legislation. In consequence Of this me-
departure the commissioner devotes con
siderable space to discussion OF the In
dians. He sees in 1t new hopes for tn
race. He states that Indians in a yer
large degree have shown a disposition
accept wages instead OF rations. Durin
last season, in the Sioux nation in sout
Dakota, reservoirs have been built fence
put up. bridges erected and lands pre-
i tected by Indian labor. and the commits
sioner says they have shown an enthusiast
desire to work "just like the white man
Yet strange as Il may seem, Commission,
Jones is in receipt OF many letters fro
9 ethnolOgists in the field and elsewhei
1 -.