Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-06-01
SIOUX INDIANS ARE
TAKING ALLOTMENTS
They Drop Old Prejudices anc
Ask for Best Land OBJ
tainabie.
LAND OWNERS CAN VOTE
Indians Who Have Taken Their Allot
ments Have Full Citizenship Priv
ileses, Including the Buying
Of Liquor.

Deadwood, s. D., May 22.-Majol
Kelly, the Indian agent at Rosebud,
and Colonel John H. Brennan, agent
at Pine Ridge, have been in the city
attending United States court and give
some interesting facts regarding the
working of the allotment laws on theiI
reservations.
The Indians who offered the greatest
opposition to this law at first are com.
ing into line at last and taking their
own individual allotments. Over Oh
Rosebud, Old Grow Dog, one OF the
best known Indians in the west, whose
famous trial for the murder of Spotted
Tail has not been forgotten, has Il
last announced his intention of taking
his allotment. For years he q fought
this movement. He thought that allot.
ting lands to the individual Indians
savored too much of the habits and Gus.
toms of the White man, inc he an,
nounced boldly that he would kill any
Indian who Ventured to take advan-
tage OF the allotment law.
All the Indians on he Rosebud with
h exception of about ninety have
taken their allotments, and a number
of those who were half-hearted at first
are now requesting TO have their allot4
ments changed so that they may have
better land. One feature that is es-
p~ecially attractive to them is the fact
that when a man takes his allotment
n government gives him a team, a
wagon, two cows, a pillow, a harrow,
hoops and a cover for the wagon and
$50 cash. This accumulation of small
yaluables looms up very large in the
Indians eye.
One interesting thing in connection
with this which Is not realized by most
people is that when the Indian has once
taken his allotment he becomes a citi-
zen Of the United States with the right
to vote. Many Indians have been vot.
ing in Gregory and Charles Mix coun-
ties for some time, M 1t has not been
an unusual sight to see indian dele
gates at the state conventions.
One accomplishment of this law tina.
is most undesirable is the fact that
when the indian becomes a citizen OF
the United States he a a right to
purchase liquor. AS the Indian seems
more susceptible to the action OF
whisky than are most white men this
provision is much to be regretted. The
one circumstance that has so far pre-
vented this from becoming a menace is
the fact that the liquor dealer is often
unable to tell whether the Indian has
taken his allotment or not and hence
is afraid to sell to him, for if by chance
he should happen to sell TO a red man
who has not yet taken his allotment
the dealer would of course become
liable. With the land allotment pro-
visions the wealth of the individual In.
dams Is increasing. Although citizens
of the United States they are yet wards
of the government which looks after
their money interests with a keen eye.
They are not permitted to sell their
land for twenty-five years, and when
an Indian dies the estate which he
leaves is administered by the govern
ment. The heirs of his estate are al.
lowed to draw a SO a month from
their legacy and If they desire to make
purchases of and or cattle the agents
may approve their checks for the re.
quired sums. Individual Indians have
given their checks for as high as 81, 900
and have had them honored.
The first Of June 5000 cattle will be
distributed among the Indians on the
Rosebud in accordance with the Greg
Dry county treaty of 1901.