THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 869 



guarantees of this great and beneficent nation. The soonerthis sentiment becomes uni- 

 versal the better for all concerned. 



SURPLUS LANDS IN INDIAN TERRITORY. 



The vast surplusage of land in the Indian Territory, much of it, too, not surpassed 

 anywhere for fertility and versatility of production, which can never be utilized by 

 the Indians now within its borders nor by their descendants (for it is not probable 

 that there will be any material increase in numbers of Indian population), must sooner 

 or later be disposed of by Congress some way or other. "Were all the Indians of the 

 United States to be uprooted and transplated to this Territory, all living Indians, in- 

 cluding those now resident there, could have 256f acres each. This is estimating the 

 whole Indian population of the United States, excluding Alaska, at 260,000. As the 

 Indian Territory has an area of 64,222 square miles, or about 520 acres for each person 

 now in the Territory, of course the problem presents itself for public consideration, 

 What disposition or division of the Indian Territory can be justly, fairly, acceptably, 

 and harmoniously made ? 



The Kiowas and Comanches, the Wichitas, and the Cheyennes and Arapahoes are the 

 only tribes in the Indian Territory located west of longitude 98°. The reservation 

 of the Cheyennes and Arapahoes is simply set aside by Executive order, and the Indians 

 occupying this tract do not hold it by the same tenure with which the Indians in other 

 parts of the Indian Territory possess their reserves. In my last report I suggested 

 that, as Oklahoma is surrounded on three sides by territory now occupied by Indians, 

 its settlement by white people, even were it lawful, would be attended with consid- 

 erable risk to the peace of both races. Also, that if it should be thought by Congress 

 desirable to open to white settlement any part of the Indian Territory, it would bo 

 safer and better for all concerned, and especially the Indians, that the Cheyennes, 

 Arapahoes, Kiowas, Comanches, and "Wichitas be removed east, either to Oklahoma 

 or to any other unoccupied land east of longitude 98°, and that all lands west of that 

 line be valued and sold at a fair price, and the proceeds reserved for the civilization 

 of the Indians. 



Below is given an interesting table, showing the whole number of acres in the In- 

 dian Territory east and the whole number west of longitude 98°, and the distribution 

 of population : 



Total number of acres in Indian Territory 41,102,546 



Number of acres in Indian Territory west of 98° 13, 740, 223 



Number of acres in Indian Territory east of 98° 27,362,323 



Number of acres of unoccupied lands, in Indian Territory east of 98° 3, 683, 60. r > 



Number of Indians ia Indian Territory west of 98° 7,616 



Number of Indians in Indian Territory east of 98° 68,183 



Total number of Indians now in Indian Territory 75,799 



Number of acres each Indian would have if unoccupied lands east of 98° were divided 



equally among Indians now living west of 98° 483 



Number of acres each Indian would have if all lands east of 98° were divided equally among 



all Indians now in Indian Territory , 359 



It is apparent that, as there are now only 7.616 Indians .west of longitude 98 degrees, 

 if these Indians were placed on the 3,684,305 acres of unoccupied lands east of that 

 meridian, each Indian would have 483 acres, an area of land far in excess of what he 

 would need. But we also see from this table that there are west of 98 degrees, includ- 

 ing Greer County, 13,740,229 acres, which would be sufficient to furnish homes of 100 

 acres each to 137,402 people ; and supposing each settler to have five in his family, it 

 would support a population of 687,010 souls. Add to this "No Man's Land," lying 

 immediately west and adjoining, containing 3,672,640 acres, and we see at once that 

 there is territory enough in those two areas to found a State equal in size to many 

 States of this Union. Another advantage of this arrangement would be that the In- 

 dians would be together in a more compact form, while the whites would be by them- 

 selves. 



