The Tomahawk., 1903-10-30
CHIPPEWA OBJECTIONS.
TO MORRIS ACT.
White Earth Reservation, Mimi.
Oct. 27, 1903,

White Earth Reservation, MINI.
Oct. 27, 1908,
To The President:
Your petitioners, the chiefs and
headmen-of the Chippewa bands
of Indians on this reservation, re-
spectfully represent that, in 1898,
Ia commission consisting Of Hon.
/ II. M. Rice, Ft. Rev. Martin
Marty and j. b. Whiting, was
appointed to negotiate with the
Chippewa Indians on the several
Indian reservations in the State of
Minnesota, for a complete cession
and REIMBURSEMENT OF all their
title and interest in and to all OF
the said reservations as provided
by the Act of Congress of January
"A, 1889, entitled An Act for the
relief and civilization of the
Chippewa Indians in the State OF
| Minnesota.
That during the negotiations
aforesaid, the said commissioners
informed us that our tribe would
receive one dollar and twenty five.
cents for each and every acre Of
the agricultural lands OF the ceded
reservations and a minimum price
of three dollars per thousand feet
for the pine timber thereon; that
the only expenses which would be
incurred and paid out of the pros
ceeds of the sale of these lands and
timber, would be for the survey
of the lands and for the appraisal
of the timber.
After force consisting Of from
twenty five to thirty men had been
employed nearly or about ten
years. at six dollars per day each,
about two million acres Of agri-
cultural and pine lands We're
| placed upon the market and sold.
The amount received from this
sale did not cover the expenses
incurred in the administration of
the act under which their lands
were sold, Or barely enough was
received to cover the saleries and
expenses Of the officials employed
under it, and our tribe was left
indebted to the Government in the
sum of over one million dollars
out of three million dollars that
was advanced by the Government.
The manner in which the ap-
praisments of the pine timber was
made was the principal cause for
the loss which the tribe sustained.
This injustice caused so much
! trouble and dissatisfaction, that an
amendment to the Indian appro-
priation act of 1899, was passed
suspending the operations of the
act of 1889, aforesaid.
In 1902, Congress passed an act
amending the act of 1889, and
raised it's suspension. These
amendments provide for the sale
of the pine timber, both standing
and fallen, now on the ceded
reservations: for the segregation
of 232, 900 acres Of pine lands,
upon which there will be left five
fper cent of the pine timber grow
inc thereon, for forestry pur-
poses: for the examination and
classification of pine lands, and
for the sale of these lands, except
those reserved for forestry pur-
poses. after the pine timber there
on has been removed; fOf the
burning of the debris of the
numbering operations, and for the
employment of an unlimited
number of employees to administer
the act.
The amendments futher provide
that "All the expenses incurred
in carrying out the provisions OF
this act as to the examining and
| listing of said lands, and the sell
ling, cutting, and scaling of said
timber shall be paid by the
| Secretary of the Interior out OF
the proceeds of the sale of said
timber -