Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-03-03
HOPE FOR
OLD JOSEPH
President Roosevelt is Reported
to Look FayOrably on
His Claim

President Roosevelt has promised to
consider the claim of Chief Joseph of
the .Nez Perez Indians for the tribes
portion of government land or the
value in money. An effort will be made
to allot them land"
Such, in substance, is the report that
comes from Washington as to the re-
suit of the old chiefs personal inter-
view with the president at Washington,
D. c., last Saturday, says the Spo-
kane Chronicle. So, at last the old
chief may hope for a home of his
own again.
Chief Joseph has made repeated Wis
its to Washington in connection with
his request to have the land of the
Wallowa country in Oregon restored to
him. These are the dispuated lands
that are credited with having resulted
in the war of 1877, when Joseph made
his famous retreat through the Bitter
Root mountains to Montana and was
whipped there. The chief claims that
these lands were wrongfully taken from
the tribe, and he has persistently urged
the government to take action in the
matter.
Following the war, Joseph and his
prominent followers were banished
from the reservation and sent to In
dian Territory. Later they were sent
to the Colville reservation in Washing
ton and finally Joseph began to make
periodical visits to his tribe on the
Nez Perce reservation. When the res
ervation was opened to settlement and
allotments made to the Indians. Joseph
and his followers were not given lands
on the reserve, and he now seeks re-
lief in that regard.
when Joseph made his first trip
here in connection with his request for
reinstatement to the land of the Wal
Iowa valley. the incident was one of
particular interest as the old chief,
| in presenting his case to the depart
ment referred to General Miles for COR
roboration of the statement that Jo-
seph had been promised at the time he
surrendered to Miles in Montana that
| the lands in question would be restored
| to him." states a Washington letter.
General Miles was then called to the
department to give his version of the
terms of the surrender This version
did not exactly agree with the recital
of the matter as made by Joseph, but
the department promised Joseph that
an investigation would be made. Later
an agent of the department was sent
| to Wallowa to inspect the lands, and he
found that they We're all occupied by
settlers, making it impossible to grant
the chiefs request. Joseph remained
persistent. however, in his various
claims. and today he was granted an
audience by the president.
Joseph always attracts much atten-
ton in Washington. He is recognized
here as being one of the real war chiefs
of the far west Indians. and the mill
tary department here looks upon his
retreat through the Clearwater noun
tains as a remarkable feat of untutored
generalship. General o. o. Howard
of civil war fame, followed Joseph or
the retreat. Later, when Joseph sur
rendered to Miles in Montana, the
chief. in designating Howard, pointed
back over the mountains with the sig
nificant statement. Day After Tomor'
row. The western volunteers always
then referred to Howard by the name
given by Joseph and the sobriquet ever
/ never appreciated it,