Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1905-10-19
- In an0 About the State -
LAND MAY BE THROWN OPEN
government Is Now Investioatinc
Leased indian Lands

e'" 'nens is Now Investigating
Leased indian Lands.
An investigation into the practice,
Workings OF the leasing of Indian lands
'of grazing purposes is in progress at
the cheyenne agency west of the
missouri river in South Dakota nndar
The direction of an attache of +bo in
'eilor department and an attorney
representing the Indians Rights asso-
citation.
Inc Dig cattle raisers, who for MANY
years enjoyed the free range and who
made millions out of the business arc
SAID TO have complained to the associ.
atlon, which in turn complained to the
department of the interior that the
leasing system was not working to y,
advantage of the Indians. The D.
ent inquiry, which has been under way,
for several weeks, was undertaken as
result of the complaints.
Prior to three years ago a few bic
stockmen and cattle syndicates in
SIOUX City, Omaha, Chicago, Kansas
CITY and elsewhere grazed thousands
OF mead OF horses and cattle on the
lands OF the Indians Of the Cheyenne
reservations absolutely free, except
TOT small sums paid "squaw men" and
halfbreeds who possessed influence
with the Indians and who acted as
their representatives In 1901 Mai,
Ira Hatch, the agent of the reserva.
tlon, undertook to clear the reserva.
ton OF trespassing stock. It was est.
mated that there were 100000 head
grazing on the range at that time. for
winch the Indians received nothing
The total value of this grazing at 500
head amounts to S5,7OO,OOO.
Maj. Hatch succeeded in putting
into force the leasing system. and as a
result the Indians have already receiv.
ed in rentals $29S00O, or nearly s25
tor every man, woman and child ON
the reservation, the total population
OF the reservation being in the neigh.
borhood of $500. But the time is
nearing when the leases will expire,
and, as South Dakotans acquainted
with the situation state, the cattle
barons are seeking to regain the hold
on the reservation which they former
iy possessed, and are trying to achieve
their ends through the misplaced SYM
pathy of the Indians Rights associa-
ton.
The Cheyenne reservation is nearly
100 miles long and IS miles wide. 1T is
conceded to be the finest grazing
ground in the United States. Where
crops have been planted they have
yielded abundantly. For long time
the cattlemen prevented the Indians
from taking land in severalty, as they
knew this action on the part of the In
dams would hasten the time when the
reservation would be opened to set
tlement. AS the influence of the cat
tlemen has decreased the Indians have
commenced to take their lands in sew
crafty, and row nearly all of them
have selected their lands. This leaves
an immense area of fertile soil that
now lies idle except as it is used for
grazing purposes, with one head of
stoc., to every thirty acres. Should it
be opened to settlement it will fur
nish comfortable homes for thousands
Of white families. People who have
traversed the region say it is as fine
as any section of the Northwest, and
that should it be opened the rush will
be enormous. 1t is believed the in
vestigation at present under way will
hasten the opening of the reservation
to settlement.