The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-25
WILL REPAY INDIANS
FOR TIMBER UNCUT
FOREST SERVICE PLANS TO REIN
BURsE THE CHIPPEWAs,
Seed Trees Left Standing On Forest
Reserve Will Be Appraised and
Indians Paid For Them Out of Re-
ceipts From All Notional Reserves
Indians Will Profit.

Inc minnesota Chlppewas are to be
compensated by the government for
the timber included in the Cass Lake
forest reserve, and any other timber
withdrawn from sale. This has been
the intention of the Forest Service at
Washington all along, and is included
in new bill about to be introduced,
which will remove one Of the standing
arguments of the opponents to forest
reserves.
The plan is explained by Mrs. Lydia
Phillips Williams, who is now in Wash
ington representing the state federation
OF women's clubs at the state forestry
association, and who sends Til Q
y o urna a statement prepared by
the Forest Service. The interior de-
partment intends that the Indians
shall be compensated for any timber
withheld from sale, but is satisfied that
1t is not, to their interests as holders Of
farm allotments to have the timber en-
tirely removed from the headwatsrs Of
the Mississippi. A bill providing for
compensation was introduced at the
last session of congress, but not passed.
The new measure is to be introduced bv
Congressman Tawney, and carries the
following plan for recompensing the
Chippewas:
Will Appra1se Timber.
As soon as the last payment has been
made for the IS per cent of pine tim
per which is to be cut for the Indians
benefit from this forest reserve, the
equities Of the Indians, due to it's crea-
ton, should be determined by board
OF three appraisers, one appointed by
the secretary Of agriculture, one by
the secretary Of the interior and one
by the Indians themselves, in a man
ner to be prescribed by the commits
| sioner Of Indian" affairs. In determin-
ing these equities, the appraisers should
compute the value of timber left stand.
ing for seedtrees as allowed by law
and Of all merchantable timber stand.
ing at that time upon the ten sections
ris act. They should also determine
the area Of land which has actually be.
come part of the forest reserve, and
allow the Indians 1925 an acre there
for. For the value of such land al
$l.25 an acre and of the pine timber
| left standing for seed trees, the In
dians- should be reimbursed as follows
Five per cent of the total receipts
thereafter from all national forest re
serves are to be paid to the Indians at
the end Of each fiscal year until this
| appraised amount is fully paid. If the
| ten sections excepted from timber sale
become part of the forest reserve, its
! appraised value should be reimbursed
| to the Indians by ,appropriating fol
| such purpose the total receipts from
the Minnesota forest reserve until this
| item is fully paid. -,
Koon Esoros+ foy Tndione
The forest service will urgently rec
| ommend the adoption of this plan. I'm
der it the Indians will receive more fol
their land and timber included in the
| forest reserve than would have beer
the case if these had been disposed OF
| by settlement and sale; the headwaters
| Of the Mississippi river will be pro
tected to the extent of the area in
| Guided in the forest reserve, thus less
ening danger of food; source Of en-
ployment will be furnished to the In
dams by the numbering incident to the
forest reserve management; a continu
Gus supply Of timber will be maintained
for local use; a forested area will be
conserved for the use and enjoyment
of the Chippewa Indians, many o:
whom have their homes upon allotments
in and near this area; and there will
be maintained, freely open to the gen
eral public, a health and pleasure re
sort Of more than 100000 acres, without
any appropriation from the treasur,
of the United States or the state Of
Minnesota