The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-10-19
METHODS OF CATTLE
men Being FELT
Investigation Under Way or
Cheyenne Reservation in
Leasing System.
WILL BE NO SCANDAL
The Cattle Men Who Have Invaded the
Indian Country with Their Herds
Have Treated All Redrer with
Fairness and Dispatch.

Aberdeen, S. T., Oct. 14.--An inves-
tigation is under way at the Cheyenne
indian reservation of the leasing sys-
tenn under which cattle men are graz
ing their stock upon the reservation
lands. The investigation is being con-
Quoted by a representative of the inter-
Tor department n q lawyer Represent
ing the Indians Rights association. Up
to 1901, when Major Ira Hatch, the
present agent, was installed, the cattle
men were allowed to Craze their herds
upon the reservation lands without
paying the redskin owners @ cent, ex-
cept what was paid to squaw men and
half breeds who We're possessed of in
fuence with the Indians.
Major Hatch ordered all these illegal
grazers to leave the reservation, land
an investigation revealed the fact that
there were 10000 head of stock on
the reservation. These animals were
owned largely by big corporations in
Omaha, Kansas City, Chicago and else
where, II the total value OF the cat
tie run up we'll owe S 5000, 600.
Under Major Hatch's regime, the res
ervation has been divided into eight
huge pastures, which have been fenced
by the cattlenlen and leased to them
for periods of five years.
The renters are required to pasture
at least n hundred head of horses or
NeAttAS " SSlSll llCSLNi" VI an liltlGi Iull-
lily on the reservation, free Of cost.
The cattle are limited to one for
every thirty acres, making it impos-
sible to exhaust the rich grazing land,
which is in the South Dakota belt OF
which it has been said that IAN acre y
year will keep a steer.'
Major Hatch also caused a great
trail, six miles wide and e]ighty-fou.
miles long, to be fenced off, running
from the heart of the reservation to
EVarts, S. D., where connection is made
with the Milwaukee road and the great
cattle markets of the country. The
Indians receive 25 cents for every head
of cattle driven along the trail.
Since the system was inaugurated,
$29S,O00 has been paid out to the IN
dians or nearly $25 for every man,
woman and child on the reservation,
the indian population of which is about
$500.
As some of the leases will expire
within a year or two, the cattle baronS,
looking back with longing memories
to the palmy days of the '9Os, have
undertaken to- bring about a reversal
to the old style of things, and as the
best means of bringing this about, it
is charged they have wrought upon the
feelings Of the members of the more
Boston residents, known as the Indians
Rights association, which complained
to the interior department and secured
an investigation.
The Indians on the reservation have
become contented and prosperous UNI
der the q system. Most of them
have taken lands in severalty, and the
remainder of the reservation, which is
nearly 100 miles long and Seyenty-fve
miles wide, will soon be thrown open to
settlement, if the cattle barons do not
succeed in preventing sue action on
he part Of congress by working
through the Indians Rights association
and otherwise.
The region is very fertile and farm
ing experiments have proven it to be
as rich an agricultural section as it is
a grazing region, and it is conceded to
be the finest grazing ground in the
United States.