The Irish standard., 1916-03-25

IN the ln0l8n ApprOprldLlOu ACI Aol
this Congress, H. R. 1885, just report
ed by the Senate Indian Committee
in items affecting South Dakota, are
. these words:
For support and maintenance of day
and industrial schools among the
Sioux Indians, including the erection
and repairs of school buildings, 5000,
900, in accordance with the provisions
of article five of the agreement made
and entered into September 26, 1876
and ratified February %, 1877 (Nine
teenth Statutes, page two hundred and
fifty-four).
If the words, Gin accordance with
the provisions of article five of the
agreement made and entered into Sep
TENDER 26, 1876, and ratified February
%, 1877, Nineteenth Statutes, page
1884," should be voted out and com
pletely eliminated in the Senate, the
100000, in question, will become a
gratuity and will NOT be available for
education in mission schools.
Heretofore it has been the custom
of Congress to extend, year by year,
a certain Sioux treaty, because of the
fact that Congress has failed to COM
ply with its obligations to furnish the
Sioux with educational facilities, ap'
propriating annually 100000 for ed
ucational purposes. Last year the
clause extending the treaty was elimi-
mated in the House, on a point of
order raised by Representative Sisson
of Mississippi, but as the Indian Bill
failed to become law, on account of
a filibuster, the Indian Appropriation
Act of the previous year, in which the
treaty in question was, as usual, ex-
tended, was continued in force, there
by making the appropriation available
for education in mission schools.
This year the clause extending the
treaty went out in the House on q
point of order. Then Mr.. Gendy, one
of the congressman from South Da-
kota, offered a substitute, in which he
makes the 100000 appropriation sub
ject to ANOTHER TREATY - The
Black Hills Treaty, ratified February
%. 1877, which provides that
In consideration of the foregoing
session of territory and rights, and
upon full compliance with each and
every obligation assumed by the said
Indians, the United States does agree
to provide all necessary aid to assist
the said Indians in the work of civil
ization; to furnish to them schools
and instruction in mechanical and ag-
ricultural arts, as provided for by the
treaty Of 1848.
Article Z of the treaty of 1868 Us
Stats, $3.50 provides that, "in order to
insure the civilization of the Indians
entering into this treaty, the necessity
of education is admitted.
the provisions of this article to con-
tinue for NOT LESS THAN TWENTY
YEARS."
This treaty is still in force. and hav-
ing no time limit, it should make a
perfectly clear case for the Mission
Schools. The extending of treaty
is apt to give rise to discussion, but
the carrying out of treaty in force
should not meet with objection, as it
is the duty of the United States to
carry out its solemn obligations.
In this connection, Senator johnson
Of South Dakota made the following
statement before the Senate Indian
Committee:
by the treaty of the Government
with the Sioux in 1868 the Govern.
ment guaranteed school facilities for
the children of the Sioux, guaranteed
to build school houses for every 30
pupils and agreed to maintain these
schools for period of 20 years. The
Indians gave to the Government the
right to compel the attendance Of In
dian children at these Government
schools.
"In 1876 an agreement was made
with the Sioux whereby the rich Black
Hills country was coded to the Gov
eminent and in return therefor the
Government undertook to do certain
things for the Indians in addition to
those enumerated in the agreement Of
1868.
ION January 9, 1918, Representa-
tive Saunders of Virginia, as Chair
man of the Committee of the Whole
House on the state of the Union, ruled
that the agreement in the agreement
of 1876, which was ratified by Con-
gress in 1877, was an agreement with.
out limit, and that the Government
Is obligated to continue the schools
among the Sioux. In 1889 third
agreement was made with the Sioux
wherein they surrendered certain 9TH
er territory, embracing 100000 acres
of land to the Federal Government;
and in that agreement the Govern.
ment made another guaranty of
schools for 20 years.
while the agreement of 1889 has
expired, the fact remains that the
agreement of 1876 was without limit
and under it the Government is bound
to make an appropriation for day and