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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1883)
December, 1883. THE WEST SHORE session to put Alaska under the - rwkvivii wi iw. Itspcoplc Lave rcpcaledly lemonstrated against our neglect to afford them the maintenance and pro- ...on cprcuiy guaranteed by the terms of the treaty whereof that territory was ceded to the United State.. For sixteen years they have plead ed in vain for that which they should have received without the asking. They have no law for the collection of debt, the support of ed.ir.ii, .v.. conveyance of property, the administration of states or the enforcement ol contracts. None, In. deed, for the punishment of criminals, except such as are offered against certain custom.. merce and navigation acts. The resources of Alaska, especially in fur, minerals and lumber, are considerable in extent, and canard. f I.. development, while its geographical situation is one 01 political and commercial imMrtance. Con. tiderntionsof honor and good faith demand the immediate establishment of civil government in that territory." The Improvement by the national government of our harbors and rivers Is a matter of the ut most Importance to the Pacific coast, and that congress shall make suitable appropriations for the continuance of work already begun but now suspended for lack of funds will be demanded by our representatives, and we hope not without suc cess. Another demand made by the people o the west is, that the immense Indian reservations be cut down to a reasonable area and as many as possible of them abolished. On this subject Sec retary Teller, in his report, recommends that the great reservations be thrown open to settlement and the Indians be allotted lands in severalty. He alsi calls the attention of congress to the fact that treaty stipulations with Indians have not been carried out by the government, because n.-cessary appropriations have not been made j that the ability of the natives to fully support them selves by the chose has ceased, because of the rapid disappearance of the buffalo and other game, and that unless provision Is made for their sup port and to fulfil treaty obligations serious trouble will ensue. H istory has repeatedly shown us that betaecn starvation and war the Indian has always chosen the latter, even when he knew that certain defeat and the possible extermination of his tribe would I the final result. From any possible contingency of this character Oregon and Wash ington are happily free. On this subject the repoitsaysof the Crows and Blackfeets "The Crow reservation is situated in the territory of Montana, and contains 7,364 square miles, or 4, 713.000 acres of land. A large part of this is unfit for cultivation, but Is the very best of grating land. These Indians should be located on the Dig Horn, with suitable reservation for agricul tural and pastoral purposes, and the balance sold. At least 3,000,000 acres might thus be disposed of, leaving the Indians sufficient agricultural lands to become self-supporting, if they desired to be come agriculturists, and a sufficient amount of grazing lands should they prefer to become slock Misers. The 1,713,000 acres that would be left would give nearly, if not quite, 600 acres of land to each Individual member of their tribe. The number of Crows has been estimated at 3,500; but it is quite certain the number Is much less, nd probably not over 1,500 or 3,00a A portion of the money realized for such sale should be at, nee invested in herd for the tribes, and cared or by the government until such time as the In- Han. .hull be Dfti-.1 .... . their stock themselves The proceed, properly d would make the Crow, sclf-supporlin In "The number of Indians on the Blackfcet res- "" " iD01" ".00c, Until recently they have been able to support Ihcmsclm largely by .- .. , uul lns utaappearance of the buffalo., is likely to cause treat luff-fin., .1. ... ne the coming winter and spring, If an additional -,TTin 11 not made for them. Inspector Howard report, f,0, Fort Belknap, on the ,7,h -vr, .003, mat lor the first lime in the history of the agency the buffalo has failed to visit that region. Heretofore ,.e buffalo meal and hide, secured by th, Indian, have been suffi- "cn., wun tne limited aid given by the govern nem, 10 give them fair support. If ,le n.IUn fail to secure buffaloes, as it , ow quite certain 7 -'. mere 1, great danger of starvation among them. They must certainly IUrve e they live off Ihe .lock In the vicinity of the agency, but not on the reservation, if it,. 1- dians are driven by hunger to kill the cattle on me ranges belonging to heiden who are rightfully in that section of the country, there will be great danger of a collLlon between Ihe herder, ami the Indians, and if such collision does not occur there will be a great loss of prowrty, for the Indians will doubtless destroy more than ther use. Thw Indians have a fine eraiinir country ami ,. goou agricultural lands that can be utilised by lr rigation. A suitable appropriation should be made for their Immediate wants, and provision made for stocking the ranee with cattle, and ih, will become sclf-suportlng from Ihe growth of such herds." The Secretary also advises the reneal of Di, pre-emption and timlwr-cullure laws so fraudu. lenlly abused by land speculators, ami calls the attention o( congress to the existence of lapsed railroad grants In the following language 1 " In my last report I called al lent Inn In ilw necessity for some IrL'lilallon In reference i lapsed grants. It Is difficult to make the eoplc understand that the executive department of the government can not declare a grant lorfeiled when the corporation tor whose benefit It wsi made has failed to comply with Ihe conditio!, thereof. Petitions are presented to the executive demand ing the forfeiture of grams for non-compliance wilh the conditions thereof. Individual claimants declare themselves out railed because Ihe commis sioner of Ihe general land office refuses to allow filings on the odd section, of land within the un forfeitcd railroad grants. The government la de rided as the government of the rich ami opposed to the Door, because Ihe executive department of the government does not do what Ihe courts have repeatedly declared could lie done only by the legislative branch of Ihe government, that Is, de clare a forfeiture of a grant. Complaint Is maile that grants made more than a quarter of 1 century ago are still ireaiel as valid, summing grams, ml the settler forbidden la eo thereon, althnuih nothing has been done toward the building of the road, which must be built before Ihe railroad company can receive the evidence of the title given to 11 liy ine government so many yean ago. II ine executive acpenmeni 01 ine gornnincni disregard Ihe law and Issue patent to such set- ., . L . . .1 ,L! I.. .1.. I...-..... ...I L. IICT, DC UMW UIUIW VJ urn WW!", m v much at the mercy of the corporation a If he had not received the government patent, Congress alone can relieve the settler by declaring the grant, forfeited. If th, gram, ,r, not forfeited when there ha. not been , ful cw,,,,, wllh the conditions of Ihe etant. It s.m. 1- .1 proper that ma vlslon j,ould be made by which Ihe settlers, who, through Ignorance, or because they believed todi giants had been or would be Forfeited, have mail MiiUmAHi na .....l '""" mil railroad lands, can secure a title, either through .... r..mi conany or from the government. . wrnesuy 10 be tleslre.1 that some mean, of djuslment of these grants, aa a whole, I pro. Idrd, or some method l ilnvlasftal atAL-k .1.-11 ..... ... . XSMS.,1 MftU, under cover of legl.i authority, not only remedy the evil suggested, but enable this deport menl to reach a finally as to ihe lilies to le con. veyed to these corporations al Ik. ...l!..t .. ,1. cable moment, and thu, relieve an anxious and excited public reeling, already sufficiently aroused upon the variout difficult and complicated ques tions connected wllh Ihe administration of this momentous and lmpoii.nl branch of public affaire, To this end I most urgently recommend Dial the prompt and serious attention nf vited to Ihe foregoing suggestions." This fully explain. Ihe Position .if ik. I-...I... detriment In regard lo a mailer almut which ...s.il t... w ummnaing iieopie have wrongfully blamed the secretary. That (litre are certain land grant, that should be declared forfeited because not the slightest effort ha. been made to earn Ihcm and no definite promise exist, thai such will I sna.lt in Ihe near future, is certain 1 U.i 11 1. n. certain that other giants which have become lecnnicaiiy lorirlle.l lccse ciicumslance have prevented 1 Completion of contemplated lln, within Ihe lime limited In the eranl. shiuM ,J lie loo hastily itvoked. Jlilla will no doubt be Introduced in great numhera affecting land giant, all through Ihe west. If congress will lake now 01 tins mailer wllh the proper spirit of lair, nesa, we have nodouM justice will be dune ami the spirit of Ihe law, making these eranla M.I. carried out. HOW TO CkKASK A WAOON VYIIKN. The Cttk Mititri' M-lptthtt enduftea the slatemenl lhat Urn people aie aware thai thry do wagons and carriage, more ii.Jury by greasing loo plenllfully than In other wars. A wtll.ttuila wheel will endure constant wear from ten lo twenty-five years, If care la take lo use Ihe right kind and proper amount nf grease but If Una mailer la not allrn.lc.l In, It will be ul ap in five or sis years, Lard should never be rued on a wagon, (of ll will penetrate the hub and work 11. way out around Ihe lemma of Ihe .ke, this, Idling ihe wheel Tallow It the best lubricator fur wooden axletows, an.) cast. oil U In kuht, . but many of the patent sale crease are alaj as- otllcnl, and have Ihe merit of being cheaper and more convenient lo handle. Jutf grease enough should be applied lo the spindle of 1 warn la give ll a slight coaling. This U better than mutt, Uh the serplaa ml on will work out al the nL ami be forced by Ihe shwd-Ur bands aad mi asher Into Ihe hub aroend the olsi.le of the boars. To oil an Iron aabrlree, rtrX wipe Ihe ipiadle clean, wrl Wrth strlrils of lurtmslia. aaJ then ainly lew dnipe of tuUn oil near the shoulder aisd end. One lasMpuaarul la senVitnl fur ihe whule.
