The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-17
The Forest Reserve.

The Duluth News Tribune says that
making national forest reserve of
225,00O acres Of Chippewa land is
breach Of faith with the Chippewas.
They were permitted, says the News
Tribune, Ito select allotments and were
promised that the, remaining and adj
Joining lands should be sold for their
benefit to white men among whom they
might live on their allotments.''
Let us look at the record,
While not strictly to the point it is
interesting to note that the Chippewas
have received allotments of eighty acres
of land for each Individual Indian, old
or young. It is desirable that they &C.
cupy and cultivate their allotments, but
1t IS only very exceptional that they do
so. They could legally take for allot-
ments only agricultural or pasturage
land; but it has somehow happened that
in many Instances their allotments con-
tain much valuable pine timber, many
million feet of which have lately been
advertised for sale.
! Under the act Of congress of Jan. IA,
| 1889, the Chippewas ceded to the United
States all of their lands except portions
OF the White Earth and Red Lake res
ervations. It was provided by that act,
the terms Of which the Chippewas ac-
cepted." that all of the ceded lands not
containing pine timber should be classed
as agricultural lands and, as soon as
surveyed, be opened to homestead set
tiers at $1.25 per acre; that lands con
tanning pine timber should be G. -.ssed as
pine lands" and, as soon as the pine
could be appraised, be sold land and all
to the highest bidder; but not at rate
of less than So per 1000 feet, board
measure, of the pine timber thereon.
After considerable pine land was sold
under these provisions the secretary Of
the interior became satisfied the Chip
pewas were not receiving the proper
value Of the lands and discontinued fur
Their sales. Matters so remained until
the passage, June, 1902, of the so-called
Morris act of congress, which secured
the Chippewas vastly better terms for
the disposal of the pine, namely, not
less than 50 per 1000 feet, board meas
ure, Tor Norway pine nor less than So
per 1000 feet for white pine-and not
including the land itself. Under this
law the Chippewas are in some instances
receiving as much as $40 per 1000 feet
for the pine. Never before was their
pine timber disposed Of SO adyan.
tageously.
Many people, including friends of
forestry, had advocated park or for.
est reserve to include some of the pri.
meval pine in the vicinity Of Cass lake
and as compromise with the CONNER.
cial interest and with the advocates of
the forestry and park people the Morris
act provided that after 95 per cent of
the pine should be cut-leaving 5 per
cent of the trees a few years to promote
reforestation-on 100000 acres the same
should become and remain a nationa]
forest reserve. Besides, the United
States forester was allowed to select ter
sectlons-6,4 400 acres-on which 95 pei
cent Of pine was not to be cut; also. il
necessary for the proper administration
and protection of the reserve, to select
! $4,000 acres Of land "classed', as aqri
, cultural.
4 AS the ChippeWas will eventually b
paid for the lands taken for the fores1
reserve, the only possible variance il
. the agreement with them is in not hav
ing the presence of homestead settler.
! on the land taken for the forest reserve
and it would seem as if the forest re
4 serve, when improved by roads .ane