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

The Department Is asked
to lend its aid in correcting the mis-
takes of the past. TO enact the legis-
lation asked atathe last session would
be a great injustice to the Chippewa
Indians of Minnesota. -
(f) A Part of the Lands Coded I'm.
der The Agreement of 1889 Placed in
Another Forest Reserve in Violation
of the Terms of the Trust.
The act of June q, 1902 (32 Stat,
4O2.3), amended the act of January
IA, 1889. with reference to the cruis-
ing, scaling, cutting and disposition
of the timber and was In the interests
of the Indians. The act, however,
contained the following provisions:
provided further, That in cutting
the timber on two hundred thousand
acres of the pine lands. to be selected
as soon as practicable by the Forester
of the Department of Agriculture, with
the approval of the Secretary of the
Interior, on the following reservations,
to-wit, Chippewas of the Mississippi,
Leech Lake. Cass Lake, and Winnie
which said lands so selected
shall be known and hereinafter de-
scribed as forestry lands the pur.
chaser shall be required to leave
standing five per centum of the pine
timber thereon for the purpose Of re-
forestation, as hereinafter provided,
said five per centum to be selected
and reserved in such manner and I'M
der such rules and regulations as may
be prescribed by the Forester Of the
Department of Agriculture and ap-
proved by the Secretary Of the In
terror: Provided further, That there
shall be reserved from sale or settle.
ment the timber and land on the
islands in Cass Lake and in Leech
Lake, and not less than one hundred
and. sixty acres at the extremity of
Sugar Point, ON Leech Lake, and the
peninsula known as Pine Point, on
which the new Eeech Lake Agency Is
now located, which peninsula approxi-
mates seven thousand acres. and in ad-
dition thereto ten sections in area on
said reservations last aforesaid, to be
selected by the Forester Of the Depart
ment of Agriculture, with the ap.
prevail Of the Secretary of the Interior,
in lots not less than three hundred
and twenty acres each in contiguous
areas, and nothing herein contained
shall interfere with the allotments to
the Indians heretofore and hereafter
made. The islands in Cass and Leech
Lakes and the land reserved at Sugar
Point and Pine Point Peninsula shall
remain as Indian land under the con-
troll of the Department Of the Interior.
provided, That on the forestry
lands aforesaid, as soon as the mer-
charitable pine timber now thereon
shall have been removed from any
tract, subdivision, or lot, as herein
provided, such tract, subdivision, or
lot shall, without further Act, resolu-
ton, or proclamation, forthwith. be-
come and be part of forest reserve,
the same as though set apart by proc
lamation of the President in accord
ance with the Act of Congress APP
proved March third, eighteen hundred
and ninety.One, and subsequent laws
amending and experimenting the same,
and shall be managed and protected
in accordance with their provisions
and the rules and regulations made
and to be made in furtherance there
Of: And. provided further, That on
said forestry lands aforesaid said pine
timber shall be cut clean, except. as
to five per centum as hereinbefore
provided, and removed under the
supervision and direction Of the For
ester of the Department of Agricul-
ture, in accordance with rules and
regulations to be prescribed by him
and approved BY the Secretary Of the
Interior, and the said Forester shall
have power at all times to patrol and
protect said lands and forests, and to
enforce all rules and regulations made
by him, as aforesaid
These provisions were in violation
of the terms under which the Indians
coded the land to the United States
in 1889. Instead of the land and tim
Der thereon being sold and the pro-
ceeds placed in the Treasury of the
United States in the interest bearing
fund, this act prevented the sale of
the land as we'll as per cent of the
timber. The five per cent of the tim
Der reserved was soon destroyed by
wind and other causes resulting in
a complete loss to the Indians. The
failure to dispose of the land as the
agreements of 1889 provided they
should be has deprived the Indians of
the interest on the money which would
have amounted to more than the prin.
cipal. II the United States desired
to create q forest reserve out of this
property 1t should have ascertained
the value of the timber and the land,
paid the Indians therefor, placing the
same in the trust fund where 1t would
have borne S per cent interest, and
not attempted, as was done, to create
a forest reserve for the benefit of the
United States at the expense Of the
Indians and in violation of the agree
ment under which the United States
obained the legal title.