Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1908-04-23
INDUSTRIOUS SUBJECTS.
Indian Agent Tells of Delegations
Trip to Washington, in a Letter
Distributed Over the Res.
erYali0n.
Fourth OF July Celebration in Tow

sDEAE FRIENDS: have Just
returned from Washington and
had intended to make a trip
around the Reservation and tell
the people what had found out
about matters concerning their
Reservation, but owing to the
great amount of work now at the
Office it will be impossible for me
to see you until the payment of
the annuity money.
The day after the delegation and my
self arrived in Washington the President
talked to us in very friendly way. and
was very much pleased with the repre-
sentatiNcs YOU sent to WASHINGTON and
expressed great pleasure when informed
llim that your representatives We're Well
to-do men. and that the Indians of this
reservation were making great progress
and were doing very much work on their
alIotments. and trying to help themselves.
Later on we had IL long talk with the
Commissioner of Indian Affairs about the
land To he opened to settlement and vo,lr
delegates stated that they would like to
open up only so much land us was agrcad
on by the Coumcil here. However. the
new bill took i'm Il great deal more lano
than was agreed ON by the Council That
is, it took in all the Cherry Creek land and
twelve miles south of the northern bol,n-
Diary To the Missouri river. The delegates
aud myself, requested that the Cherry
Creek people and the people along the
Moreau river be allowed to remain within
the lines OF the reservation. At the end
of our three hours talk with the Commits
sIoncr the latter stated that he would
take the matter up, with the President
and tell him the wishes of the Indians.
II took up the matter of getting cattle
for you under the treaty allowances and
secured promise from the Indian office
that 5000 head of hcif,rs and 200 bulls
would be supplied this year.
81 also took up the matter of allowing
the indians to draw out their shares of
the trust funds and was informed bv the
.Coninissi.,ner lila. il was his opinion that
any Indian who Withdrew his share of the
trust funds would not thereafter be cnti-
tied to share in amy tribal benefits. as the
Commissioner believed that the courls
would say that the Indian by thus with
drawing would thereby rclinqnish all his
rights as member of the tribe
II informed the Commissioner of all the
good work You had done i'm the past wear
and OF the very good crops you raised last
summer. Also that you had taken very
good care of your hcifers during The vim
ter and that you had put up much hay to
tepu these Hrl,efS
II also talked to the Indian office about
the Fourth of July celebration. and they
told me that | might allow it provided il
did not interfere With their farm work.
and that there was no objectionable
feature about the celebration. have
according appointed committee to make
the necessary arrangements
Il hope to have seeds at the Agency
very soon and wish all the people would
al once start TO pillow their land so that /
will know how many seeds to give them.
as it Will he necessary to have their land
plowcd before receiving the seeds. have
also secured Il large amount of fence
Wire and will issue the same to YOU at
once. ! desire the people who want wire
To set their posts a once. 50 that | shall
know how much wire To give them, also
desire that the people shall put llp a great
amount OF hay this year. as when we re-
cciNe this larg" number of heifcrs which
the Indian office promised to send this
year. il will be very necessary that each
man have plenty OF hay to feed these
hcifers during the winter.
IL hope to have the pleasure of seeing
you all during payment and in the mean-
time trust You will go ahead with vomr
spring work; so that | will be able to
make IA very good report To the Indian
Office concerning the condition OF this
reservation.
''Your friend.
&C. w. RAsrALL.
''Supt. 4 Spec. Dis Agent