The Sisseton weekly standard. (Sisseton, Roberts County, S.D.) 1892-1929, 1906-05-25
REPUBLICAN CAUCUS ELECTION
Both Factions Claim Have Elected majority Delegates
the Convention.
the Convention.

that alloting lands to the individual In
dams SavOred too much OF the habits
and customs of the white man, and he
announced boldly that he would kill
any Indian who ventured to take adj
vantage of the allotment law. But
even Grow Dog has swung into line
and will take the GAO acres of land
which are coming to him.
Ali the Indians on Rosebud with the
exception of about ninety have taken
their allotmentS, and a number of those
who were half-hearted at first now are
requesting to have their allotments
changed so that they may have better
land. One feature that is especially
attractive to them is the fact that
when a man makes his allotment the
government gives him team, wag-
on, two cows, pillow, harrow, hoops
and a cover for the wagon, and $50
cash. This accumulation of small val
uables looms up large in the Indians
eye. Pine Ridge is behind the other
agencies in the matter of allotments,
but about 500 out of the 5000 so far
have been taken, and the attitude of
the red man towards the law is good.
One interesting thing in connection
with this which is not realized by most
is that when the Indian has once taken
his allotment he becomes a citizen Of
the United States with the right to
vote. Many Indians have been voting
in Gregory and Charles Mix counties
for some time, and it has not been an
unusual sight to see Indian delegates
at the state conventions.
An accomplishment of this law that
is most undesirable is the fact that
when the Indian becomes a citizen of
the United States he has a right to
purchase liquor. AS the Indian seems
more susceptible to the action of whis-
ky than are most white men, this pro-
vision is much to be regretted. The
one circumstance that so far has pre-
vented this from being menace is
the fact that the liquor dealer often is
unable to tell whether the Indian has
taken his allotment and hence is afraid
to sell him, for If by chance he should
happen to sell to red man who has
not yet taken his allotment the dealer,
of course, would become liable to pun.
iShment. The supreme court rendered
decision on May Ia in the case OF
James Lincoln, convicted in the Unit
ed States court of Nebraska on an in.
dictment charging him with the unlaw.
full introduction of liquor into the Win
nebago reservation. This decision re.
CARDS the lands included in allotments
the same as the regular Indian reser.
vations, and therefore means that
while Indians who have taken allot-
ments are entitled to purchase liquor
in the towns adjacent to their homes
or elsewhere, they lawfully cannot
take liquor to allotted lands any more
than they can take it to Indian reser.
vations. Hence the United States
courts will have power in future to
| punish Indians or whites who take
liquor to these allotted lands just as
| they would punish those introducing
| liquor on a regular Indian reserva,
ton.
Under the land allotment provisions
the wealth of the Individual Indian is
| increasing. Although citizens Of the
United States, they remain wards of
u,
after their money interests. They are
not permitted to sell their land for
/! twenty-five years, and when an Indian
| dies the estate which he leaves is ad.
ministered by the government. The
| heirs of this estate are allowed to
draw $40 month each from their leg.
acy and if they desire to make pur-
!, chases of land or cattle. the agents
may approve their checks for the de.
| sired sums. Individual Indians have
| given their checks for as high as ST..
600 and have had them honored. The
| first of June 5000 cattle will be dis.
trbuted among the Indians of the
Rosebud, in accordance with the Greg.
DRY county treaty of 1901.
Red Cloud, the famous old chief on
| Pine Ridge, also has bowed to the will
| of the people and has taken his allot'
ment. He is one of the oldest ind
most famous Indians in the West and
is to the Ogala Sioux what Spotted
| Tail was to the Rosebuds.