The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-11
Red Man and White,

The Colville Indian reservation, in
what is now the State of Washington,
was created out Of the public domain
by Executive orders Of April 9 and
July 2, 1872. For nineteen years the
Indians possessed It. Then, under au-
thority Of the Indian appropriation act
FOR lS90-91, an agreement vas made on
May 0, 1891, between the Indians and a
commission appointed to treat with
them, by which the red men coded the
north half Of the reservation, in consid-
GRAFTON of 81, 500 900, to be paid to them
by the Government.
Congress declined to ratify this treaty
and in 1892 passed an act vacating that
portion Of the reservation for which the
commissioners had negotiated with the
Indians in the previous year. This
included about 800, 900 acres, and after
allotments had been made for all the
Indians resident within its bounds it
was thrown open for settlement. The
Indians retained the south half Of their
original reservation. Not versed in the
methods Of Congress, they persisted in
the notion that they had sold the upper
portion Of it and regarded themselves
as creditors Of the Government In the
amount of 81, SOC, 900.
In the F~ifty-eighth Congress a bill
was introduced providing for the resto-
ration to the public domain OF that part
Of the reservation still held by the In
dams after eighty acres had been allotted
to each Of the enrolled members of the
tribes. In recounting these transactions
F. E. LEUPP, Indian Commissioner, says:
Tho position taken by this ofnoe has always
been that the indiana were Justly entitled to all
the territory within the reservation az it existed
prior TO the opening to settlement OF the northern
part. and that they arc entitled to compensation
for the part taken"
Therefore the Indian Commissioner
opposed the bill before the Fifty-eighth
Congress. 1t did not become a law.
After it's failure to pass, Indian Inspector
MCLAUGHLIN went among the Indians
to see what they would consent to do,
In his report he says:
1T was dinacult TO bring the Indians to under.
stand why the agreement entered into with them
under date Of May 0, 1891, was never ntlned by
Congress, they regarding said agreement as bind
ing upon them, and through which act Of the inter
ested tribes. as they earnestly believed. the north
hall OF their reservation was opened TO settlement,
and In consequence OF which they maintained with
great persistency that the Government was in.
debted to them In the sum Of 81, 10000. under the
provisions Of this said agreement, for the lands
opened TO entry by the act OF July I. 1890.
After much painstaking explanation the In.
dams were brought to understand the true situa.
gether with the status OF their diminished reserya.
ton. commonly known as the south half; also that
their asserting 70 the cessIon Of the surplus lands
Of their dir. inished reservation, after providing
for llotment OF eighty acres each to all Indians
entitled thereto. conditioned upon the payment
70 them OF 81 100000 for the north half, ceded by
the agreement Of May o, 1891, offered the only hope
for their being compensated for the lands opened
10 entry by the act of July 1. 1899; and after being
brought 10 q full realization Of the questions In
volved and having the agreement read 10 them
which I had prepared. after consulting with Can.
tain J. MICA. WBBsrER, their agent, as 10 It's several
provisions, they accepted It with great unAnimity,
the Sanpoil tribe alone excepted.
THE S6Dpoils, numbering sixty three male
adults, boast that they have never accepted any.
thing from the Government and have invariably
declined to participate in any negotiations involving
the cession Of iands.",
Now Congress 10 called on to alIot
eighty acres in the diminished reserya-