Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 August 1889 — MOREFREE LAND. [ARTICLE]

MOREFREE LAND.

Chicago, August 6.— A dispatch tmA standing Bock Agency, Dak,, sayk Tbs opening of the great Sioux was finally secured last evening. The ■easatiop of the day was the signing bjr Chief GalL Gall made no speech, at was expected, bfft with his faithful foL lowers around him and in the presence of those whom for yean he had influenced against giving up the lands, ho marched silently to the roll, toaebqfl the pan, and amid the applause of the friendly Indians and the disapproving grants of Sitting Bull’s band, it VM announced that Gall had signed. This settled it The Blacktoet and Upper and Lower Yanktonisns followed Gall and signed with s rapidity and eagerness that proved the wonderful influence oi this powerful Chief. AH day the Indians signed, and now the 11,000,000 acres of bind to which the whites have been looking longingly for years are theirs. The Commissioners are rejoiced over their success. Gall waa sought out by s correspondent. “I have given my said he; “my Indians have signed beesu—f 1 told them to, after learning that the Government could take our lands for nothing if it wanted to. The whites have mow got our lands, and I hope they will be satisfied and let ns live m peace in the future.” Sitting Bull, when asked what he believed toe effect of opening the reseription on the Indians would be,exclaimed: “Don’t talk to me about Indians. There are no Indians left except those in my band. Thev are all dead, and those still wearing the clothes of warriors are only squaws.” John Grass said he had been holding out for better terms, but when ho forma the Indians at the lower agency were signing he thought it best to do so. “We hope,” he added,“to rseeiveeueh help from the government and the white people as to help us to become like them; to become civilized. There is one big log in our camp though, and that ia Sitting Ball. He is utterly worthless to us and keeps us back more than he helps us, and if the whites think so much of him they had better come and get him. He neve; was a chief and Is always noisy and making trouble. Ha gathered around him a gang of bad men having no idea of civiHzation,*nd all he seems to want is notoriety. He has not only opposed civilisation, but always will be a nasty man to get along with.” “What is the general idea of the Indians regarding civilization—do they want It or not?”

“Yee, we want to be civilised and live like the white people. We want to earn our living and be as the whites; bntao lona as we have the disturber and his bao influence to ooutend with we ean not accomplish much.” Sitting Bull,although in the minority, has a sufficient number of followers to make a vast amount of trouble, and wfll require dose watching until they resign themselves to the new order of things. Hundreds of settlers have been, camped on the eastern banks of the Missouri during the last two months, awaiting the success of the Commission, and, although for several weeks they were despondent,they are now jubilant, and are receiving telegrams from Maids all over the country giving notice of probable reinforcements. It Is predicted that the rush to the reservation will be greater than the Oklahoma stampede, as the land is of much better quality snd the prospects for prosperity brighter. General Crook said the Commissioners hope to close their reports within a few weeks and place everything in readiness for the“ormal opening of the reservation. There is some fear that a premature rash of whites to the lands will cause much trouble between the Indians mid the settlers, as there will be for some time many points of dispute as to the boundary fines and survey. -T A dispatch from Chamberlain, South Dakota, Tuesday, says: Excitement to intense in this section to-day on account of the snooess of the Sioux Commission. His feelinge of our people may be toaNrined when it to stated that for fully eight yean they have labored unceasingly to accomplish this end. A celebration was held to-day which eclipses anything ever held in this city. Buildings are covered with flags, and the lound of cannon, music, fireworks end bells fills the air. Thiels a great day in the history of the development of the Northwest