[No 53 —Second Series— 2500.] 
 
 Indian Rights Association, 
 
 1305 Arch Street, 
 
 Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 January, 1900. 
 
 THE URGENT NEED OF NEW LEGISLATION TO 
 PROTECT THE TIMBER INTERESTS OF THE 
 CHIPPEWA INDIANS IN MINNESOTA. 
 
 During the winter of 1898 and 1899 d ee P interest was man¬ 
 ifested in the outcome of efforts to relieve the oppression and 
 wrong to which the Chippewa Indians of Minnesota had been 
 subjected since the passage of the act of January 14, 1889, 
 providing for the “ relief and civilization of the Chippewa 
 Indians of the State of Minnesota.” Contrary to the apparent 
 intention of the measure, it proved to be, under the manipulation 
 of politicians, an act for the robbery of the Chippewas. This 
 culminated during the autumn of 1898 in an attack made by 
 the Indians upon the soldiery who were preparing to enforce 
 compliance with the order of a Minnesota court to effect the 
 arrest of certain Indians who had been goaded to desperation 
 through oppression. 
 
 The friends of the Indians were rallied during the past 
 winter in support of legislation to remedy the evils of existing 
 law. It being the short session of Congress, a general act could 
 not be secured for want of time; but efforts put forth succeeded 
 in securing the enactment of the following statute, which was 
 incorporated in the Indian Appropriation act: 
 
 “ The Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized and 
 directed to cause an investigation by an Indian inspector and a 
 special Indian agent of the alleged cutting of green timber under 
 contracts for cutting ‘ dead and down,’ on the Chippewa ceded 
 and diminished reservations in the State of Minnesota, and also 
 whether the present plan of estimating and examining timber on 
 said lands and sale thereof is the best that can be devised for 
 protection of the interests of said Indians; and also in his dis- 
 
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 cretion to suspend the further estimating, appraising, examining, 
 and cutting of timber and the sale of the same, and also sus¬ 
 pend the sale of the lands in said reservation.” 
 
 The Secretary of the Interior, under the authority given 
 him, suspended the further cutting of “ dead and down ” tim¬ 
 ber, canceled all orders looking toward the sale of the lands 
 the timber upon which had been estimated, and discharged 
 many of the employees who had been engaged in “ estimating” 
 the timber for years, and otherwise reduced the expenses charge¬ 
 able to the Indians’ fund. 
 
 Two capable officers were designated to make the investi¬ 
 gation authorized by said act, and spent over three months in 
 their work. The first attention of these officers was given to 
 the cut of “dead and down ” timber, which system had proved 
 to be so conducive to fraud,—over $ 266,000 of tribal funds 
 having been expended in paying the salaries of these “estima¬ 
 tors,” as compiled two months before the work was suspended. 
 By prompt action before the cut was removed from the landings 
 it was discovered that a large per cent, of green timber had been 
 included under cover of “dead and down,” and the sum of 
 $55>7°° was collected in cash, and an estimated value of logs 
 not yet settled for of $ 2000 . These collections were in addi¬ 
 tion to the regular prices agreed to be paid for the timber, on a 
 very conservate estimate of its value. This effected a saving to 
 the Indians on a portion of one season’s cut of “ dead and 
 down ” timber. 
 
 The investigators found the system of selling the pine timber 
 upon “estimates ” altogether impracticable. It is highly suscep¬ 
 tible to fraud, and is not used by the successful timber men of 
 the pine belt. Likewise the “ dead and down ” timber law was 
 found to be used in defrauding the Indians and that they enjoyed 
 but slight benefit compared with the value of timber taken. 
 
 The action of the Secretary in suspending the sale of the 
 pine, and discharging useless employees formerly engaged in 
 the work, evidently has not pleased the politicians of Minnesota, 
 and we find Senator Nelson, of that State (the author of the 
 present law for the civilization of the Chippewas, of January 
 14, 1889), arrayed in opposition to his action. The Senator 
 
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 has introduced a bill in the body of which he is a member 
 providing for the repeal of the clause authorizing the Secretary 
 to suspend the further estimating and sale of the pine and the 
 “ dead and down” timber act. Another bill of the Senator’s 
 seeks to continue the Chippewa Commission that has already 
 cost the tribe over $225,000. 
 
 Several of the discharged employees have already hurried 
 to the National Capital, hoping, no doubt, through political 
 influence to secure a continuance of the positions. The power¬ 
 ful lumber firms and other interests of Minnesota are pressing 
 for the repeal of the authority given the Secretary of the Interior 
 under which he suspended the further estimating and sale of the 
 timber. 
 
 The Indian delegation that visited Washington the past 
 winter were content with what was secured in the way of legis¬ 
 lation, feeling that the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Hon. 
 W. A. Jones, who has always been friendly to their interests, 
 and the Secretary of the Interior would see to it that a careful 
 investigation was had under the law. 
 
 While the Chippewas have no immediate cause to complain 
 of the present management of their interests, it should be 
 remembered that the law under which such grievous wrongs 
 have been committed upon the tribe in the past is only suspended 
 by the Secretary of the Interior, and could at any time be made 
 operative by withdrawing the order of suspension, which may 
 be done under the succeeding administration of that office. 
 
 It is highly important that new legislation should be secured 
 to supplant the existing statute at as early a date as possible. 
 This should provide: 
 
 (, a ) For the abolition of the Chippewa Commission. 
 
 (J?) That all timber shall be measured after it has been cut 
 by what is known as the “ Bank Scale ” system. 
 
 (f) For the adoption of a combination plan for the dis¬ 
 posal of the logs similar to that carried on at La Pointe and 
 Menominee, Wisconsin. 
 
 ( d ) For the erection of saw mills wherever practicable for 
 the manufacture of lumber. These should be operated almost 
 entirely by the Indians. 
 
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 (e) For the adoption of the Menominee plan of cutting 
 and banking logs in isolated districts. 
 
 We solicit your interest in the cause at this juncture, hoping 
 that you will do all possible to arouse public attention to the 
 need of such legislation as herein outlined in the interests of the 
 Chippewas of Minnesota. Letters should be sent to Hon. 
 John M. Thurston, Chairman of the Committee on Indian 
 Affairs, United States Senate; Hon. James S. Sherman, Chair¬ 
 man of the Committee on Indian Affairs, House of Representa¬ 
 tives, in addition to the Senator and Representative from your 
 district in Congress. The press can render valuable aid by let¬ 
 ting the facts be known and by recommending the action sug¬ 
 gested. 
 
 HERBERT WELSH, 
 
 Corresponding Secretary. 
 
 S. M. BROSIUS, 
 
 Washington Agent. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
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