The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1909-07-30
DIGMAR KICKS
ON ROCKY BOYS
E, r. 1adsen Writes q Protest
to Senator Dixon Against
More Indian Settlers.
The following letter from z. r

in regard to the withdrawal OF
lands in eastern Valley County,
Montana, for allotment to the
Rocky Boys band of Indians is
self explanatory, and shows that
the Danish colony north OF Medi-
cine Lake is fully alive to the stu
alton:
Hon los. NJ. Dixon.
U. S. Senate.
Washington. d. c.
My DEAR SIR:-May l call your atten-
ton to an order from the Hon Secretary
of the Interior. June so. for the with
drawal from settlement and entry by
white people of the eastern part of Valley
County. State CT Montana, as outlined on
map herewith notwithstanding said
territory subject to Indian allotment.
You are hereby respectfully and earnest
ly requested to unite your efforts with ours
in persuading the government to reverse
this decision for reasons set forth herein
below
The territory in question is nearly all
settled with the exception Of few scatter
ed pieces here and there. Part OF the ter
ritory has been settled for years The
class Of people are all Of Northern Europ-
can origin-mostly Danes and Scandinav-
ians. They are a class OF honest and
rvaf h..
en- by the agricultural. commercial and
social development of Eastern Valley
County of today. These true settlers have
gone in here on the public domain in good
faith trusting that the policy of the govern
ment during the past decades in protecting
the settlers and unsurveyed lands and Civ
ing them preference right TO their land
by virtue of settlement and cultivation
would not be reversed by the present Of
ficials of the government with whom the
public domain is put in trust by the people
and for the people.
We have broken the virgin soil and turn
ed the sodbound prairie into waving gram
fields. We have built public roads, bridged
the coolies. creeks and rivers. We have or
gani ed road districts, school districts and
voting precincts; We have built churches.
schools. halls. elevators. banks. postofiices.
stores and shops: over dozen new towns
and trading centers have started within the
territory now closed against, he i'm migration
oil true citizens OF the United States. The
government has been slow in surveying
tbs territory, and We have waited patient
ly for years. While so waiting, we have
been continuously annoyed by the fact
Indians have been allowed to go in and
take Up allotemnts among the settlers, and
~ "a many cases taken improved farms
away from bonafide settlers. We have
called the attention of the government to
this fact. but the situation has not yet been
relieved. and We still await these allot-
ments TO be cancelled. We have been
trusting in good faith to the government
that they would be ready to throw the teri
tory open this fall and give the earnest set
tier fair chance 10 secure title to his land.
now closed the territory entirely against
white immigration into this part OF the
state. This order has caused uneasiness
everywhere among the settlers. 1t has
nearly paralzed all industrial and COM
merci4i efforts: discouraged railroad build
ing and other plans for future develop
ment. The sturdy settlers. who went in
here in good faith without a previous
order from the government that he might
be subject to such blow, now droops his
head IN nneasiness. not knowing whether
or moi he shall get title to his land, OF
II shall be allotted to some indian. and We
have seen it done in several instances.
Now then permit me to point out these
three facts:
/. The territory covered by the orde,
Of June 80. comprises some 1000 or =, oos
bonatide settlers.
q. There is ample room in the public ;:
domain where few hundred Indians ma,
be allotted without erowding them in Sc
densely and we'll developed country.
3. We have not only raised the yaiu,
Of our land but We have raised the value.
OF the lev scattered unoccupied piece,
still left among US.
Bearing right down on these facts. per
init me to ask the following questions:
!. Are not the 1000 or 5000 settler:
fairly well entitled to have hearing in 2
case like this'
=. sit 50 urgently necessary to work .
hardship to densely settled eountr,
when there is ample room and an extrs
side stretch Of public domain for all the
Indians in our fair land. and to do thi.
without = fair warning years ahead tina
this certain district was subject to sucl
certain circumstances
8. Is il logically just and fair tina, non
productive. non-citizens shall be allowet