The Tomahawk., 1919-10-30

-8S'tn, Becker ION0kY, MN
the promises made by, the United
States in the agreement of 1889.
Over in Itasca county the United
States Government, in utter disre.
gard of the agreement of 1889,
created a forest reserve which ia.
cludes within it's borders more than
500, 900 acres of land, only 200, 900
acres of which we're classified as
pine land. Within the limits of
this reservation are about $4,000
acres of land allotted to the Indians.
The allotments within this forest
reserve are valueless. They might
as we'll be in the wilds of Africa.
The Indians are without public
school facilities, as no public school
can be established within the re
serve. Their allotments are mac
cessible. They cannot be farmed.
The Indians allotted within this
reserve are compelled to make
their living principally by fishing
and hunting. They are not and
cannot advance under their sur.
roundings. The funds of the tribe
in disregard of the agreement are
being used annually for their su p
port and civilization in this wilder
ness. Thus the United States by
disregarding the agreement of 1889
has impoverished these people and
is using the trust funds of the
Chippewa Indians to make up for
their impoverishmept. About 75.-
600 acres of rich agricultural land
are included within the limit Of
this forest reserve. This land is
now and has for thirty years laid
idle and uuproductive, causing a
loss TO the tndians, the people Of
Minnesota and the Nation. "
In disregard Of the Act of 1889
which provided for the classics
ftioa Of the ceded lands into two
classes-'' ''pine lands'' and ''agri-
cultural lands''-the United States
officers in making the surveys and
APPS classified about 100000
acres as swamp and overaowed
-land''. Much of this lanc efrone-
ously classified as swamp and
overflowed" is covered with heavy
stands of timber; much of it is
water front land and therefore
valuable, and practically all of II
when drained is among the richest
agricultural land of the State Of
Minnesota. After the surveys were
made the State of Minnesota ap-
piled for this 1, 100000 acres un-
der the National Swamp and Over
flow Donation Act of 1860. The
government officers mistakenly
patented about 100000 acres of
this land to the State of Minnesota.
In 1915 the mistake was brought
to the attention of the Department
of the Interior by the Indians, and
the Department ceased issuing pat
ents. The remaining 700, 900 acres
have been applied for. The State
will not surrender title to the lands
patented to it and no'one under the
circumstances would buy the land
from the State and pay the full
value, knowing that the title was
in dispute Thus l, 400, 900 acres Of
rich virgin land is now and has
for thirty years laid idle and un-
productive to toe loss of tie In
dams, che people OF the State of
Minnesota and the Nation.
In addition to these vast areas
the United States authorities are,
in violation of the agreements Of
1889, holding 80, ,567 acres in the
Fond du LAC Reservation; pa, ,191
acres in the Grand Portage Reser-
vation; los, ,047 acres in the Leech
Lake Reservation, and 62, ,513 acres
10 tie Nett Lake Reservation. In
addition to this they are holding q
large area within the White Earth
Reservation. Il --