East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-04-07

One of the busiest places in the
county just now is the agency office
on the reservation, where land leases
are being made. A visit to the office
yesterday showed scene or activity. |
Major Edwards, Indian agent, devotes
what time is necessary In the making |
of the leases while the clerical work |
is done by the agency clerk and two
stenographers. Leo Sampson, offic- |
ial interpreter, also assists In his ca
pacity.
Leases are now being made of the
land asked for in the applications
filed month or more ago. Necessar-
lily the work Is slow, as there is an
endless routine to be followed in max
ing each lease. However, many have
already been perfected and the list
is daily growing larger. The method
followed is for each prospective renter
to appear at a designated hour with
his Indian allottees, and in this man.
ner the entire force is engaged with
one man until his leases are COM
pleted.
No Needless Loss to Farmers.
Owing to the delay in getting
leases made before spring work be-
came necessary, many reservation
farmers were forced to do such work
and risk having their applications ac-
cepted. This caused them some ap-
prehension for a time, but 1t is now
diminished, as the leases are gradual
ly perfected. Apparently duly quail
fie1 applicants will not suffer any
losses by the delay.
When the applications were filed
some time ago, Major Edwards refus-
ed to pass any opinions regarding the
probability of any certain ones being
granted, and declared that any work
done on unleased land would be at
the renters risk This policy of eau
ton in making promises to applicants
he declares was necessary. as he had
found by experience to be the only
course to pursue.
No Tricksters Need Apply.
But while the regulations are strict
ly observed, it is the agents aim to
give justice to all concerned, and to
avoid causing loss to parties interested
in reservation lands. Those who have
sought to profit at the expense Of
others, have been disappointed.
Ia AS an illustration of the above may
M oitod ono ,ncidert II was cass
ir u,hioh an onn,,oort des,red 70 CO.
c,,rs Iard haing cultivated bv a man
having more than the 640-acre limit.
We u.as asLed b,, Major Edwards ~ he
b.s barpained with the former ,essea
for tho u,ork that had heep dona an
tho land "No" renIied the apnI,-
cant who seemed to think that had
nothipr to do with leasing.
"rben in nv oninion Won have the
o.r.marIs NJ a scoundreln said Major
Edwards "you want IN get some.
tbirg for notb,ng and wa don't want
that class of tenants on the rcser-
,a,,o,"
J According tn Major Edwards he
! will NOT annrove tho character of =
~or ,,ho ,aa,s +o saoura ,,nd h,, nm
darh,,daa or unfair rears as tbo
Indians have had sufficient exnerience
T., srob ,,nes .Ireadv
Uetrsbin Lands yiootcd Ouestiop
On. NJ tho most imnortant subiect.
connectad with the reservation land,
10 tbot NJ tho land which 10 now hold
h,, tho boirs NJ deceased a,,ottos
rbere arc now ann deceased a,lottees
and tho tracts of land which thew Ief
, raroa from An to 1eo acres Irnde,
tho law tbis land NAV he sold nv tb,
, ba,rs 10 thew so choose though tn,
agent must annrove NJ the nrice
put tho tendarov amonp the Indi
ars &c 70 hold ,beir beirshin land g,
os 70 Loan tho roeoryatio, intact 4.
ros,,,. :, r,oors ootroo;s,, f,,r a,
Ira;an 70 .aII his inhoritad ,ord
NIost NJ tho Iard tbot bas beeen col,
, g., H. ro,. l. ,,,,, ,,hor,,oa ~, ,,,,vo,
h,o,,a, o,houa ,,,ho do M, hay,
tho ,r,haI iotoros,
os ,ho oon hoirs,,, .roots -, ,h.
rosor,,,tio, oho,,t sn ~ eo oro In
,,o,,,od T., aorh, haoorso 90 oon,,,o,,
) tn .,ata ana fodoroI doo,s,ors po
- 30 ,ht,, 81, - 49,, t,,,,o.
! siDto ona ,,,a Iaao,, -, a,,oh Iona /,
D ,roh,ar, - ;,a o,,,,, tIon,.,,ar ~,
I 90, Lii, a,a ,,ou,i,, o.,,a,r
} So -. n -.
I -, 49,. 49, r,a. ,,,,, - s.,,aho,
| Ndyo thS b''ot "''i 'S