The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-28
OPPOSITION TO
SALE OF TIMBER
VIGOROUS REPRESENTATIONS
MADE TO SENATOR CLAPP.
G. H. Beaulieu and B: L. Fairbanks of
the White Earth District Call Upon
the Senator at st. Paul and Enter
Strong Protest Against Regulations
of Proposed Sale.

G. II. Beaulieu and B. H. Fairbanks,
residents of White Earth, and members
OF the Chippewa tribe of Indians To-
Gated there, were in st. Paul today to
see Senator Clapp with regard to the
proposed sale of timber on the allotted
lands on the reservation. They think
they have induced the senator to take
vigorous measures to head off the dis
posal OF their lands under the regula-
tlons adopted by the department.. They
have also sent, direct to the president,
a letter signed by the head chief and
other members of the tribe, explaining
to him what the regulations are and
how the sale Of the timber under them
would work great hardship and injus-
tice to the Indians
In speaking of the matter today to
he Journal, Mr.. Beaulieu said:
Cannot 'Protect'' Interests.
"Tr view Of the regulations ap-
proved by tie secretary of the interior
in relation to the manner in which the
timber on the allotments Of the Indians
at White Earth is to be sold, it is alb
surd for Commissioner Leupp, as stated
in the special from Washington to r h e
J ourn last Saturday, to say that he
will protect the interests Of the In.
dams, for it will be impossible for him
to do so. Every practical lumberman
or other person who has read the regu-
lations knows this.
"The regulations read as if they had
been carefully prepared for a purpose,
and we believe, as stated in the council
at White Earth last. Monday, that this
purpose was to give the .Stearns Lum-
Der company of Wisconsin, an advan-
tage over all competitors, for this is the
only firm which deals in all the classes
of timber enumerated in the advertise
ments giving the date of the sale.
"Who made the, regulations
"Well, that, might be hard to. say
definitely, but it is. I suppose; the bust
4ende9 of q arF end So src
matters matters = There. are ! large number 1e Of
lumber firms that deal exclusively in
pine timber, and these men have no
use for the other classes Of timber, and
will undoubtedly bid on none. On the
other hand, there are a large number
of small lumber concerns which do not
deal in anything but hardwood timber,
and these are shut out }entirely because
they do not feel able to bid on all the
timber.
'While the Indians deprecate the
great injustice Of the deal, they do
not believe the commissioner of Indian
affairs, nor his assistant, are parties to
any transactions that would be detri-
mental to the Indians, but that they
have been misled we do not doubt.
Rules Shut Out Bidders.
"Had the commissioner had in view
the Wisconsin lumbermen, he could not
Class Of rules for this pu nP of than
those under which It is proposed to sell
the timber on, the White Earth allot-
ments. ~, ,,s ~ ~. - ''f'".' -
"1f it; is a fact, as stated by Mr..
Leupp;, that the sum Of $4,000. which
eraT Years ago ii oider T that lumber ier
men with. small capital could compete
in the bidding, he certainly had moth
ing to do, with it, for he was appointed
to his present position only last year. -
a@.a VI Came Up Suddenly. .a.
'".How does this matter happen to
come up in this unexpected way9o Z
of Washington have not been asked re-
Gently by the Indians to permit them to
sell their allotment timber, and. until
they do this, the secretary has no right
to call for bids and thus practically sell
it for them. The law permits him to
prescribe rules under which the timber
may be Sold, but does give him the
right to accept bids for it until the
Indian allottees have made formal ap-
plications to be allowed to sell it.. Some
allotment timber was sold last winter
and the method used then proved to be
entirely satisfactory to the allottees,
and the method should not now be
changed, for the Indians got good prices
for their timber, and graft was entirely
shut out - '... p. -,'- ~.