The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-06-21
HANNA EXPLAINS
BERTHOLD BILL
PROVISIONS OF THE BILL UNDER
WHICH BIG LAND OPENING
WILL BE HELD IN NORTH DA-
koTA THIS FALL CONTAINS
NUMBER OF NEW PROVISIONS.


Il have had many letters asking for
synopsis of my bin, which provides
for the opening Of that part of the
Fort Berthold Indian reservation lying
east and north of the Missouri river
said Mr.. Hanna today, the main
features of the bill are as follows:
"The bill first provides for a survey
Of the lands and the contract for this
survey has been let and men will be
in the field within the next ten days.
1T also provides that the United
States geological survey shall make an
examination of the lands to be opened
and any land that is found to be more
valuable for coal than for agricultural
purposes is to be set aside and reserv-
ed. am having this survey made at
this time, so that the settlers who file
on land in this reservation, will not
have any trouble when the time shall
come for them to make their proofs
and have their proofs held up, as has
been the case with so much of the
government land in the western part
Of North Dakota.
The bin provides that the Indians
shall be allowed to take 100 acres of
agricultural land or 800 acres of grazing
land in addition to the lands previous
ly allotted to them. These allotments,
however, are only to be made in those
townships east of the river in which
they have previously taken land and
the balance of the allotments which are
granted to them under this new law,
are to be taken west of the river.
1T further provides for the setting
aside as place OF historical interest,
the ruins of the old Fort Berthold
Indian village and the Indian burial
grounds adjacent thereto.
There is also reserved what ever
land may be necessary for agency,
and religious purposes. These lands
are to be SO reserved as long as may
be needed.
There is further reserved an area of
land, not to exceed $40 acres, which is
to be set aside for the purpose OF. es-
tablishing and maintaining a iemon-
stration farm for the benefit OF the
Indians and the bill appropriates $685.
| 600 for building the necessary buildings
and providing the necessary stock and
machinery. This is the first demon
stration farm to be established in this
way upon any reservation in the United
States.
''All timber lands arc to be set aside
and reserved for the use and benefit
Of the Indians. There are some quite
good bodies Of timber along the Mis-
souri, river
Section Is and SO In every township
a xyixr 70 Al
for the benefit of the common schools
and where any Of these sections have
been allotted to the Indians. the state
Is to receive other lands in lieu for
them. and the government is to pay the
Indians for the school lands which are
given to the state and the bill pro-
vides an appropriation for that pur-
pose.
:. The bill further provides that gov
eminent townsites may be located upon
the lands that are to be opened and
when the lots in these government
townsites are sold, the money shall go
into the United States treasury for the
benefit of the Indians.
The lands to be opened are to be
appraised by commission OF three
persons, consisting of representative
of the department Of the interior. a
citizen of the state OF North Dakota
and a member OF one of the three
tribes of Indians. the latter to act as
representative for the Indians.
There is no maximum or minimum
price on the lands whatever. The
lands are to be disposed OF under the
provisions of the homestead and town
site laws of the United States and will
be opened by proclamation OF the pres
ident. The settler can live upon the
lands as under the homestead law for
five or seven years. ans prove up, or he
can commute at the end OF fourteen
months, pay the government price and
prove UP If he so desires.
"At the time the settler files upon
the land, he must pay one fifth OF the
price that has been set upon the land
by the board of appraisers. The ball
ance is divided into five payments. one
due each year for five years, but this
bill provides that no payments shall be
required from the settler at the end of
the first year, but that the Ave paw
ments which are stilf due, shall be
paid in two. three. four, FIVE and six
years respectively. This is the first
bin for the opening OF a reservation.
which has ever had a clause of this
kind in it and 1t win be of great helm
to the new settler, as it Is well known
fact that when a settler goes upon the
land, he is put to quite large expense
in building buildings and breaking up
his land and as a rule he does not get
any crop from the land the first year
THE deferred payments on the land
draw no interest whatever and this is
of help to the new settler.
"All of the money received from the
lands Is to 90 into the treasury of the
United States and the government is
to allow the Indians interest at the rate
OF 3 per cent per annum upon all
moneys deposited and all of this money
to the credit of the Indians. shall be
subject to appropriations by congress
for the education. support and civiIi-
zation OF the Indians.
THE bill further provides that the
lands allotted. those retained or re-
served, and the lands sold or granted
to the state. or otherwise disposed OF.
shall be subject to ali Of the laws OF
the United States, prohibiting the In
PRODUCTION Of inToxtcauks into the In
dian country.
THE department Of the interior in
forms me that the new bill Is model
bin IN every respect: that 1t Is fair to
the new settler, fair to the state. and