The Ketchikan miner., 1915-03-04
INDIANS MUST WAIT FOR TITLES

age situated within the townsite of Sitka platted by the Federal goyernl ment and title alootted to the proper o"ncrs so that property might de- scend according to the law of the i"hd must await Congressional action petore froition, according to a re ehtly rendered opinion of Commiss ioner of the General Land Office (i,y Tallman.
 1 Last July Mr. Shoup prepared a DC. iitlon to the Interior Department i,, "nich was set forth the tangled na ture of the titles and cIaims f, titro. to the property in the lndion vill,oo 'ae to the peculiar methods of the lhiinket Indians in distributing os- 'atcs, asking that the government sur Sey the lands, marh the boundaries and establish the ownership to the various tracts and lots.
 i The petition represented that sucb disposition of the townsite proper i fy would work toward the breakino np of elan system of government and facilitate the introduction of civil lzed customs among the Indians. This petition was signed by 43 property owners among the Indians, and the prayer of the petitioners was endors- ed by Gov. J. r. A. Strong, Superin- tendent of Education w. G. Beattie. Delegate James Wickersham and the Commissioner of Education P. P. Clax- ton.
 It was thought by Delegate Wick crsham that the survey and allotment of the lands could be made under a law of Congress providing for the al lotment of Indian lands, but which has special reference to lands held out side of townsites.
 The petition and endorsements and correspondence between MT. Shoup and others were presented to the Commissioner of the General Land Office.
 Wickersham To Act
 Commissioner Clay Tallman holds that it will require additional legisla- tion to make the change possible. The discovery of this fact was made too late to warrant the initiation of legis lation during the present Congress, but Delegate Wickersham has prom ised to take the matter up at the next session of Congress. Mr. Shoup who has conducted the negotiations fef the Indians of Sitka, believes the legislation should be general so that 1t would apply to similar conditions at Wrangell and elsewhere.
 Commissioner Opinion
 copy of the opinion of Commis sioner Clay Tallman, which is in the form of letter addressed to the Commissioner of Education, under date of January 20, has been received by Mir. Shoup. It is as follows:
 "I have received your letter dated January H. 1915, transmitting an or iginal petition signed by 43 men and one woman, claiming to be residents of the native Indian village within the corporate limits of the town of Sitka, Alaska, and descendants of members of the Indian tribes of that Territory; and asking that they may enjoy the benefits of segregation survey, not only of their special town site but also of the individual lots on which their houses are standing, for the present and future benefit of their families. They hope, through the operation of a survey under the Town site act, to secure individual titles, and terminate the anomalous condi tion of tribal ownership.
 "The same object is strongly favor ed in letter dated December 29, 1914, addressed to Hon. Franklin K. Lane, Secretary of the Interior by Hon. James Wickersham, Delegate from Al asla. and by Arthur G. Shoup, mem her of the Alaska Legislature; whicl letters have also reached this of flee in inclosure with your own
 "These letters offer eogent reasons why such a course ought to be adopted as the proper means of developing among the people of native decent greater degree of progress as Ameri can citizens.
 "In reply, I greatly regret that tho present state of past legislation for Alaska seems to interpose barrier which has not been observed by those wishing to promote such townste survey.
 Under the present townsite law and regulations this office appoints d trustee, under whom the surveys are
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