New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-19
APPEAL FOR INDIANS.
The Government Criticised for Its
Disregard of Treaty Rights.

BY q unanimous vote the New-York City Indian
Association yesterday voted to lend its influence
TO the efforts which the Northern California Ind
ian Association at San Jose is making to mitigate
the sad condition OF the Indians in that State. II
pitiful tale that Miss Marie E. Ives. of New
Haven. told OF the homelessness and hungry Ind
fans who make Northern California their home-a
tale to make the hearers wonder whether faith
keeping could be reckoned among the character
istics OF the American. OF the thirteen thousand
Indians living in California ten thousand squat
ters according the report Of the Northern Cali
fornia Indian Association. and several new
tribes 70 be evicted from their holdings this
number will shortly be augmented. Outside OF
California IL has been the universal practice Of
the national government 90 pay Indians for their
lands In every other State and Territory. it is
said. the Indian title to the soil has been recog-
nized by the government of the United States and
has been extinguished only by payment therefor.
IN Northern California the Indians have never re-
celNeo a single dollar for their ownership OF
than one hundred thousand square miles of the
most beautiful and valuable country in the world.
In the early days Of the American occupation"
says the Northern California Indian Association in
Its appeal 1.-THE national government recognized the
ute OF the Indians their lands by making
treaties with between eighty and ninety bands
Ihese treaties were never acted upon by the Senate
ana SO In the governmental view became
operative Nevertheless. although the government
has never recognized these treaties as binding on
Itself. ii has appropriated every advantage con-
ierred by the treaties without in any manner
carrying out its part Of the agreement or pay
ing any OF the things agreed to be paid The gov
eminent has not only seized the Indian lands
which it agreed TO purchase in the treaties but the
indian reservations also. and has sold the same TO
settlers
The two three tribes who resisted the occu-
patton Of their lands by whites received reserva-
oons' which are now either allotted or in process
OF being allotted These Indians number about
seventeen hundred. The great body of Northern
SaIlornia Indians. who faithful 10 their
treaty obligations, notwithstanding the bad faith
OF the government. have received nothing not
even school privileges for their children or the
equal protection of the law"
THEIR DEPLoRABLE CONDITION.
As the majority of the Indians earned their liv-
ing from the SOIL the loss their land has plunged
them into the extreme OF restitution and misery
30 great has been the mortality among them that
II Is estimated that their number to-day is not
more than u or 10 per cent of what IL was sixty
years ago. They have been forced into The posi-
noh OF squatters and tenants upon sufferance and
nave oeen the victims of a constantly increasing
i4es OF eVlcuons as the white population has in
greater. e"
ihelr oepiorabe condition is illustrated by the
80, % me Colrsa Indians. who agreed by treaty to
e4i lher lands TO the United States retaining as
and The gse acres between Butte Creek
The fre tahS Is xs now worth from $4,000 TO 100000
rsos,,ssS - was never ratified the Indians never
sSe.heo cent OF the money promised them in the
- s1y, SHu their reservation was occupied nv set
ts aio laheh up as government land The num-
80 80 "a Nle uIOe nave been reduced in nfty wears
tSil aDous one thousand 10 less than one hundred
- 49, 49, % apout forty are living on one of
o1ftal MOUNDS or their ancestors near Grand
Island. Colusa County. They are huddlsd toeatber
vi sUoIt tour acres or land in a wheat field and
surroahoea by parbed wire fence The sanitary
sohoiuon Is wretched. and their only water snnply
~ =, well ten feet deep among the graves A band
" aocut inc same size is squatted on the levea
near the village OF Princeton VA inc ie'ee
At crescent City. in Del Norte County are found
ABOUT sixty Indians. living upon the sea beach
where their fororn little implanted bnts arc he
10 inundation at food tides a. ~
SEEK SMALL HOLDINGS
Recognizing that Z: too late TO set aside Indian
'eserFsnons. were these desirable and that il
s uo pe useless to importuns Congress TO pay the
~ amount Of money Que in return for the lands
1Aen the Northern California Indian Association
@@serhlng only with the hope OF procuring for the
'-aEs Indians email holdings OF from three 10
Lss acres esct. There Is very little agricultural
o. o. ~ California svais BILE for this purpose AS
49, steep canyon sides. tops OF ridges barren
70. ana deserts remain in the hands of the
1sashahent. tie alioiments made chiefly OF
CLASS. and SO barren and sterile are they that
lhan twcthircs OF the Indians receiving then,
sr.ceinpeiiec 10 res!se away from their slofments
- 0'1ef TO I've at all.