The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1919-04-24

who was not in being on or prior to
that date and at the time the allot-
ment was made has received an allot-
ment. The allotments made under the
agreement of 1889 consisted Of 80
acres. The above provision was de-
signed and intended to enable all men,
bers Of the Red Lake Band in being
or thereafter born to receive allot-
ments, and if the Indian improved and
cultivated more than 80 acres he was
to receive 160 acres of allotable land,
twice the amount he was entitled to
receive under the agreement Of 1889.
The Chippewa Indians Of Minnesota,
through their General Council insist
upon allotments being made, without
further delay, to the Indians residing
on the Red Lake Reservation in con-
formity with the agreement of 1889
and the disposition of the residue prop
erty not needed for allotment pur-
poses in conformity with the terms Of
that. agreement.
In, the administration of the logging
and numbering operations under the
act of May 10, 1916, the Department
has secured appropriations aggregat-
ing $3.50 within the last year. In
addition to this It has used the pro-
ceeds derived from the timber cut on
the lands outside of the forest re.
serye-the amount of which Is un-
known to the General Council and its
officers. The great bulk of this money
has been used in connection with the
operation of a little portable sawmill
run primarily for the purpose of. manu-
lumber for the construction
of houses in Indian villages on the
Red Lake Reservation for the exclu-
sive benefit of the members of the
Red Lake Band. This lumber Is and
has been furnished members Of the
Red Lake Band at the cost of prodvc-
ton, a privilege denied to all e.n,r
members of the Chippewa tri.e al
though the timber belongs TO all the
Chippewa Indians and tho lImbering
operations are being conducted with
their money. The construction OF
these houses in little Indian villages
has done much to discourage the men,
bers of the Red Lake Band from TAX
ing their allotments in severalty. By
the very policy of the Department
they have been encouraged to live in
villages, working only when they saw
fit and receiving annually per capita
payments in excess of 800, the money
paid to them being money diverted
from the trust funds belonging to all
the Chippewa Indians of Minnesota.
The Remedy.
The provision contained in the act
of May 10, 1916, (39 Stat, at PIP. 1877
81, relating to the Red Lake Reserva-
ton should be repealed. An account
ing should be had of the funds re.
ceived and expended under said pro-
vision in the Act of 1916 and an ap.
made by Congress out of
the public funds sufficient to enable
a payment to be made to all members
of the Chippewa tribe residing off
the, Red Lake Reservation equal to
the shares they were entitled to re-
ceive had the payments and expendi.
lures been made to or for the benefit
of each and every member of the
entire tribe together with interest
thereon to date of payment. Allot-
ments should be made without further
delay to all members of the Red Lake
Band, or in their name II deceased,
who were in being on July 21, 1900,
the date when the allotment rolls were
closed and to those members of the
Red Lake Band born since July FL,
1900, allotments of 80 acres should be
made and the land so allotted paid
for by the United States less the
shares therein fhe allottees would re-
ceive. All funds standing to the credit
of the Red Lake Band and accruing
from the disposal Of any property on
the Red Lake Reservation should be
in the Treasury of the
United States in the principal fund
to the credit of "all the Chip.
pewa Indians of Minnesota" and an
should be made suffl-
cient to reimburse the tribe for the
difference in the rate of interest, viz.,
s per cent as provided in the agree
ment of 1889, and 4 per cent as pro-
vided in the provision contained in
the act of May 10, 1916. AS the agree
ment of 1889 provided for the sale, as
soon as practicable, of the land and
timber thereon and the deposit of the
net proceeds in the Treasury to the
credit of all the Chippewas Of Mime
sofa which should bear interest at the
rate of s per cent per annum. and rs
the land was not sold nor the timber
cut but has been held for thirty years
in violation of the agreement the In.
dams are entitled to compensation
therefor. Had the timber been cut
and the land and timber sold as the
agreement of 1889 provided it should
the interest at per cent per annum
would have amounted toy more than
the principal. The Indians are en-
titled to at least an amount equal to
the total net proceeds derived from
the sale of the timber and land when
sold as compensation for the losses
they have sustained by the failure of
the United States to carry out this
part of the agreement Of 1889. .-