Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1911-07-28
HARD ON
Sc L.ERS
Drought in South Dakota Cauaes
Appeals for Relief to Be Sent
i; to National Congress.
BURKE MAY BE A CANDIDATE
immigration Station is in Crowded
Condition-.-Appropriation
is Asked.

Washington, D. c., July 24.-Persis-
tent appeals and demands continue to-
reach the South Dakota congressman
rnd senators asking for legislation
that will afford relief to the settlers
On Indian lands in South Dakota. The j
nature of most of these demands Isl
that lands formerly purchased thrnS
the government from the Indians be
converted into free homes. Way
back in 1900 an act of congress re-
lieved the settlers who had gone on.
Indian lands from payments, The
legislation at that time cost the gov
eminent may millions of dollars. At
that time congress provided for pay!
ment by the settler to the Indians
with the government as trustee. The
amounts as collected by the govern
ment have been passed to the credit
of the Indian wards. The agitation
for conservation and protection of
Indian rights brought about a condi-
ton in the public land service where
by the appraisal of Indian allotment
lands Of South Dakota were raised to
as high as six dollars an acre. After
the initial payment at the time OF
entry amounting to one-fifth of the
purchase price, the subsequent pay
ments have fallen hard upon the
white settlers, and in view of the
drouths, attempts have been made to
influence congress to rebate the a.
mounts due from the whites to the
Indians. The impossibility of this is
shown in the legislation passed in.
1900, whereby the actual ownership
OF the land should remain with the In
dians and the government stood spon-
scr only as trustee. Therefore, the
government is found to have no real
title, claim or equity in these lands,
except in the responsibility to pro-
| tect the original Indian owners, and
therefore, any act Of congress affect
ing the lands would have to be in the
nature of an appropriation made for
the direct purpose of acquiring title
from the Indians before relief could
be afforded to the white settlers.
There is no doubt but what the rep.
resentatives of South Dakota have
been very much embarrassed over
this matter, because notwithstanding
their anxiety to do something for the
relief OF the settlers, the absolute i'm
| possibility of favorable action is pre-
Guided by the change in the manner
Of handling these lands as laid down
by she law of May II, 1s06--the ex-
press purpose OF that legislation be.
ing to forestall any such action as is
now asked for.
i considerable interest has been mai.
4 1fested in the capital in the newspa-
Ter comments coming from South Da.
4 kota to the effect that Congressman
Burke may be candidate for the
,Cniten States senate to succeed Mr..
Gamble. The congressman declines
absolutely to be interviewed concern
ing the matter. The politics of the sit
uatDn are rather clear Mr.. Burke
Is recognized as regular republican
While Mr.. Gamble has aligned him
self at times, with both factions, and
IN case the two men became rivals
Tor the place. the position of the pres
eHt senator would doubtless be inse-
| cure, in view OF the fact that "regu-
! lar' republicans would likely incline
toward Mr. Burke. The name of Mr..
Martin has also been brought into the
/ senatorial matter s
1 Representative Burke has been
rHimed as a member of the committee
On expenditures in the interior de.
| IGartment,which is in charge of most
of the big investigations now being
conducted. MIR. Burke was formerly
chairman of the committee on Indian
affairs, while Mr.. Mondell, of Wyo-
ming, occupied the same position on
the committee on public lands. The
membership of both of these gentle
men on the investigating committee
gives to the work under way the full
est possible measure of strength.
Wickersham vs.. Wickersham has
furnished lively diversion for the cap
ital during the last week. Parties to
the controversy have been Delegate
Wickersham of Alaska and Attorney
General of the United States, who has
the same name. The Alaska delegate
has been specializing, during his term
in congress, on attacks upon the Nor.
gans, Guggenheims. and everyone
else conencted with them in Alaska
development. 1t is claimed that the
attorney general has not been persis-
tent in prosecuting certain Alaskan
tc1. ~,