Show HOW ARE MADE respectable CITIZENS YE WE have been requested to explain the rights of indians under tho law to acquire title titie to public lands it is thought by some people that indians have no rights tights which persons of the 1 I sperl superior or race aro are bound to respect but it la Is beginning begin bogin nib nin 1 5 to datin upon the enlightened mind that there Is considerable sid erable good in ule uie he red man which only needs opportunity and cultivation to make conspicuous there is no good indian but a dead indian 11 is no longer a favorite quotation it has been demonstrated that youth ful fui indians can be edregte educated d in the book learning of the age and th tha the arts of civilization can be taught with durw success ss to the red skins youage and old the policy of encouraging 1 ng the roving begging lazy in indian i ian lan 1 to cultivate the soil rals raise istock stock and acquire title to real estate is the most humane and sensible thin thing the government has done in regard to the descendants of the primal owners of the land and as soon as the indians can be brought into that condition that they will hold their lands in severalty instead of as common hunting rounds grounds for ni wandering an dering tribes and bands so soon will they take a step upwards from their savage state towards ar s a hiher haher higher and better mode of me As appeared in the communication of af stayner simmons of this city in a recent issue of the NEWS secretary teller a western man who kno knows w s something personally of indian life a and nd ways hasin has his rulings invariably sustained the tho red men in ilk their rights of 1 occupation of the public domain as against thieving swindling white men and ad professional land grabbers for this tilts he is highly to be commended it should be generally understood that indians may homestead land in the someway same way as white men but with these differences the act of congress of march 3 1875 extends the benefits of the homestead act of may slay 20 and the acts amendatory thereof to any ans indian born in the united states who is the head of a family or who has arrived at the age of twenty one years and who has abandoned or may hereafter abandon his tribal relations but the title to lands so acquired may not ne DO alienated for five years from the date of the patent an indian who is ig twenty one years of age may thus enter a quarter section ale of f land an under the homestead laws whether he be is the head of a famil family or botand not and if lie he is the mad head of a family he need not bo be twenty one years of age but he must show that he has abandoned his tribal relations this is done by his own affidavit and that of two disinter ested witnesses as may be seen from the following form to which he must subscribe at the land office of the district it I 1 of having filed my application no for an entry under the provisions r ov 1 of the act of cun gress of ma march r h 3 1875 do solemnly swear that I 1 am an indian formerly of the tribe that I 1 was born in the united states that I 1 have abandoned my my relations with that tribe and adopted the habits and pursuits of civilized life here state whether the appU applicant cant is twenty one years of age or the head of a family that I 1 desire said land for sor tor the purpose of actual settlement and cultivation ti and not directly or indirectly for the use or benefit of any other pe person on or persons whomsoever and that I 1 have not heretofore had the benefit of said act sworn and subscribed before me this tills lay day of 18 register egister li orne orRe or liec elver eiver two witnesses are also required to make atIl davit as follows and do solemnly swear that we are well acquainted with and kno know w that he is an indian formerly of the tribe that he was born in the united states that he has abandoned his relations with that tribe and adopted the habits and pursuits of civilized life chere here state that he is twenty one years q age dge or if not that he is the head of a family ay iy sworn to and subscribed before me this day of this is sufficient proof that the indian app applying yIng has complied with the law there is no particular formality with which we are acquainted that is necessary to the severing of the connection of an indian with his tribe except the foregoing the acquisition of title to land is recognized by the indian tribes and chiefs in this region as a virtual severance of tribal relations part of the indian obtaining it no tribal authority is afterwards attempted to be exercised over him an hed bed no longer acknowledges or submits to it an indian who thus severs his tribal relations and pays his taxes is reco recognized as a citizen and in this terri territory tory I 1 asa voter he is numbered with other inhabitants in the census of the population being born in the united states and not under allegiance to any tribe or chief he is a citizen and needs no naturalization or formality to establish his bis status other than that thit we have named unta untaxed ed indians and those who have not ic levered vered severed their tribal relations are not voting citizens altho aitho although although uh the enterprising republicans of adaso and some other places have voted them in shoals when necessary to defeat al Democratic majority special protection to indians who have acquired title to land is enjoined by law upon the agents and superintendents ten dents and neither other indians or white marauders are permitted to en croach upon them in their thein peaceable ceable ceabie possession of the soll thear hold hoid in vsev sev those indians in this part of the country who have been induced by ill mormon influence to forsake their vile habl habits ts become industrious and obtain tit title titie to land dand have generally proven roven themselves worthy of their new P position position as acknowledged ed citizens and owners of proper property luence and in our oar opinion this kind of in influence will be found ton tun most potent of any in turning the murderous loafing savages into useful and respectable members of modern society |