The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1907-02-28
10 PROTECT THE INDIANS
Governments Endeavor to
Make Them Good Citizens,
| LAND DEALING LAWS.
Leases Expire at End of Five Years
Dispensation of Proceeds OF Sales.
Becoming Averse to Mortgages
and Notes Considers Carefully
Before Entering Into Contracts.

Probably the most efficient system
in the world of protecting the Indian
in his rights is maintained by the
Union Indian agency at Muskogee,
which administers the laws of Con-
gress and the regulations of the Sec
| rotary of the Interior for the purpose
of keeping the fullblood in possession
Of his worldly goods, says the Kansas
City Journal Every foot of land the
fullblood sells must be alienated with
| the consent of the Interior Depart
| ment, either through the removal OF
| his restrictions or the posting Vf his
! land to be sold to the highest bidder
| through the Creek land sales division
| Of the agency. The fullblood cannot
| sell nor incumber his homestead for
period of twenty-five years. and
can only ALLEVIATE the other portion OF
his allotment with the consent AID
under the supervision of the Govern
men, He is not allowed to lease mis-
land for agricultural purposes for
a period of over five years, and he
cannot lease it for mineral purposes
| rior Department and upon proof being
| submitted thai he is receiving ade-
| Quate compensation for the lease.
At present the only fullbloods who
| can sell their land at all are citizens
| OF the Greek Nation. In the Chero-
kee, Choctaw and Chickasaw nations
| the delivery of deeds to allotters has
| not been completed, and therefore
| Indian lands there are not yet alien
able. At present from 5000 to 5000
acres of land month are sold through
the Greek land sales department Of the
Union agency at prices ranging from
$12 to $50 an acre for raw upland
farms.
By this system the fullblood Indian
gets the greatest possible protection
He must first file petition with the
Indian agent for the sale of his land.
He must stipulate how much land he
desires to sell, and what he intends
to do with the money. He is also
asked about his age, physical and IL
nancial condition and all of these
things are taken into consideration by
the Government before action is taken
upon his petition. If the Government
believes it is to the best interest OF
the Indian to sell portion of his
surplus holdings, his land is posted
for sale and sealed bids are received
upon it, At the expiration of sixty
days these bids are opened and the land
is sold to the highest bidder IT, how
ever, the Secretary of the Interior be-
lieves that the compensation is not
large enough, the bids are rejected
and the land readVertised.
1t would naturally be supposed the
protection to the fullblood would stop
here, but it has only begun. The Gov
eminent next ascertains through the
Indian agency how much of the money
the Indian owes, if any, and how much
of the money he receives from the
sale of his land it is necessary for
him to have Immediately This is paid
over to him in cash, usually small
sum, and the rest of it is held in
trust for him at the local United States
depository in Muskogee. According to
the rules of the Secretary, he is al
lowed to draw upon this sum at the
rate of $50 month.
The fullblood, before he is allowed
to sell his land, is usually compelled
to promise that he will use most Of
the money in building improvements
upon his homestead. AS soon as he re-
ceives his first payment he is instruct
ed to go ahead and have the improve
ments made. He secures carpenters
and has buildings erected, and some
times has a few acres Of his homestead
broken for cultivation. When it is
all done Government inspector goes
to the place and inspects the improve
ments and ascertains if they were
properly made. The fullblood is then
required TO send the bills submitted
by the contractors and others who
have done the work, as well as the
bills for material, to the Union agency
where they are reviewed and if the
Indian has been overcharged they are
cut down. They are then approved and
paid out of the funds realized from the
sale of the Indians land which are
being held in trust for him. If any one
has a bill or note against the Indian
representing a debt contracted before
the land is sold, these are sent to the
Union agency, where they are review
ed before the money is checked out to
the Indian so he can settle the obI1-
cation.
In going ahead and engaging his own
labor, buying the material and super
intending the work of having his i'm
provements made, he is given all the
advantage of managing his own al
fairs without being subjected to dan
ger of being grated in the proceeding.
Indian agency officials say that
fullblood seldom breaks his promise
to use and make improvements as
agreed when he is allowed to ALLEVIATE
his land. Another admirable trait in
the fullblood is that he seldom sends
to the agency for monthly INSTALL
1T Of the monev due hin n advance
OF the stipulated time and if he is not
actually in need of the money he al
lows the payments to run over for sew