We, the undersigned, hereby certify that the foregoing agreement was fully explained by us in open council to the Indians of the Red Lake Reservation, Minn.; that it was fully understood by them before signing, and that the agreement was duly executed and signed by said Indians.

RED LAKE AGENCY, MINN., March 12, 1902.

Jos. C. Roy,
C. W. MORRISON,
PETER GRAVES,
Interpreters.

We, the undersigned, do hereby certify that we witnessed the signatures of James McLaughlin, United States Indian inspector, and the 220 Indians of the Red Lake Reservation, Minn., to the foregoing agreement.

RED LAKE AGENCY, MINN., March 12, 1902.

DANIEL SULLIVAN,

Overseer in Charge of Subagency.

FRANK H. KRATKA,

Mayor of Thief River Falls, Minn.

B. L. FAIRBANKS, White Earth Agency, Minn.

I certify that the total number of male adult Indians over 18 years of age belonging on the Red Lake Reservation, Minn., is 334, of whom 220 have signed the foregoing agreement.

G. L. SCOTT, Major, Tenth Cavalry, Acting Indian Agent.

LEECH LAKE AGENCY, MINN., March 17, 1902.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, GENERAL LAND OFFICE,
Washington, D. C., April 3, 1902.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt, by reference from you, for report in triplicate and return of papers, of a letter from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, dated March 28, 1902, accompanied by a transcript of the proceedings in council held by James McLaughlin, United States Indian inspector, with the Indians of the Red Lake Indian Reservation, Minn., from March 4 to 10, 1902, inclusive; the agreement with the Red Lake and Pembina bands of Chippewa Indians belonging on the Red Lake Reservation, dated March 10, 1902; the report of James McLaughlin, Indian inspector, dated March 18, 1902, and the draft of a proposed bill, entitled "A bill to ratify and confirm an agreement with the Red Lake and Pembina bands of Indians of the Red Lake Reservation, Minnesota, and making appropriations to carry the same into effect."

Under the agreement referred to the Indians named cede to the United States all of their right, title, and interest in and to all that part of the Red Lake Indian Reservation lying west of the range line between ranges 38 and 39 west, of the fifth principal meridian, the tract ceded approximating in area 256,152 acres.

The Indian inspector reports in part as follows:

"The tract included in the cession, taken as a whole, is excellent agricultural land. There are some marshes within the tract, the most of which, however, afford good grass, and with drainage, which is quite feasible, most of those lands could be brought under cultivation, and all of the land that would not be brought under cultivation by cutting the numerous beaver dams in said marshy tracts would be thus sufficiently drained to become good meadows, which would yield large crops of hay annually, and the native grass on these marsh lands is of excellent quality. "There is no pine timber on this ceded portion, but there are a good many scattering, small-sized trees, chiefly poplar and oak, throughout the tract, each section of the land containing more or less of this character of timber, and sufficient on almost every quarter section to provide the homesteader with necessary fuel.

"The consideration allowed the Indians for the cession is a fraction over $3.90 per acre, which I regard as a fair and reasonable price. It is true that some of the choicest portions could be sold at a much higher price, ranging from $5 to $15 per acre, and some select tracts adjacent to Thief River Falls would doubtless bring from $20 to $25 per acre; but taking the entire cession as a whole, with its numerous marshes and undrained tracts, I regard the consideration, also manner of payment, as fair and just both to the Indians and to the United States."

The Commissioner of Indian Affairs suggests that a section be added to the bill providing for the disposition of the lands ceded. No reservations are provided for in the agreement.

The general character of the lands now under consideration is similar to the lands in the ceded portion of the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota, and, in my judgment, the lands in the ceded portions of the two reservations should be disposed of in the same manner.

Following my report of March 3, 1901, as to the disposition of the ceded lands in the Rosebud Reservation, I have to state that, in view of the provisions of the "free homestead" act of May 17, 1900 (31 Stat. L., 179), and of the act of March 3, 1901 (31 Stat. L., 1093), providing for the disposal of lands recently opened to settlement and entry in Oklahoma, and considering the price to be paid by the Government to the Indians for the lands acquired, I respectfully recommend that there be added to said bill the following section:

"SEC. 3. That the lands ceded to the United States under said agreement shall be disposed of under the general provisions of the homestead and town-site laws of the United States, and shall be opened to settlement and entry by proclamation of the President, which proclamation shall prescribe the manner in which these lands may be settled upon, occupied, and entered by persons entitled to make entry thereof, and no one person shall be permitted to settle upon, occupy, or enter any of said lands, except as prescribed in such proclamation, until after the expiration of sixty days from the time when the same are opened to settlement and entry: Provided, That the rights of honorably discharged Union soldiers and sailors of the late civil and the Spanish wars, as defined and described in section 2305 of the Revised Statutes, as amended by the act of March 1, 1901, shall not be abridged: And provided further, That the price of said lands shall be $3.90 per acre, but settlers under the homestead law who shall reside upon and cultivate the land entered in good faith for the period required by existing law shall be entitled to a patent for the lands so entered upon the payment to the local land officers of the usual and customary fee and commissions, and no other or further charge of any kind whatsoever shall be required from such settler to entitle him to a patent for the land covered by his entry, except that homestead settlers who commute their entries under section 2301, Revised Statutes, shall pay for the land entered the price fixed herein."

Very respectfully,

BINGER HERMANN,
Commissioner.

The SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.

A BILL To ratify and confirm an agreement with the Red Lake and Pembina bands of Indians of the Red Lake Reservation, Minnesota, and making appropriation to carry the same into effect. Whereas James McLaughlin, United States Indian inspector, did, on the 10th day of March, anno Domini 1902, make and conclude an agreement with the adult male Indians of the Red Lake Reservation, in the State of Minnesota, which said agreement is in words and figures as follows:

"This agreement, made and entered into this tenth day of March, nineteen hundred and two, by and between James McLaughlin, United States Indian inspector, on the part of the United States, and the Red Lake and Pembina bands of Chippewa

Indians, belonging on the Red Lake Reservation, in the State of Minnesota, witnesseth:

"ARTICLE I. The said Indians belonging on the Red Lake Indian Reservation, Minnesota, for the consideration hereinafter named, do hereby cede, surrender, grant, and convey to the United States all their claim, right, title, and interest in and to all that part of the Red Lake Indian Reservation situate within the boundaries of Red Lake County, Minnesota, as said county is at present defined and organized, the tract hereby ceded being more particularly described as embracing all that part of the said Red Lake Indian Reservation lying west of the range line between ranges thirty-eight (38) and thirty-nine (39) west of the fifth (5th) principal meridian, the tract of land hereby ceded approximating two hundred and fifty-six thousand one hundred and fifty-two (256,152) acres, and also hereby agree that all of said Indians now residing on the tract hereby ceded shall remove to the diminished reservation within six months after the ratification of this agreement, and shall be paid not exceeding five thousand (5,000) dollars in cash by the Indians of said Red Lake Reservation out of the first payment received by them from the proceeds of this cession, said five thousand (5,000) dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to be paid equitably to those thus removing, in proportion to the value of their respective improvements, which payment, by said Red Lake Indians, shall be in full for all improvements which they will abandon, and also for the removal within the diminished reservation of their dead from where they are now buried on the tract hereby ceded.

"ARTICLE II. In consideration of the land ceded, relinquished, and conveyed by Article I of this agreement, the United States stipulates and agrees to pay to said Indians, in the manner hereinafter provided, the sum of one million (1,000,000) dollars.

"ARTICLE III. It is understood that of the amount to be paid to said Indians, as stipulated by Article II of this agreement, the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand (250,000) dollars shall be paid in cash, per capita, share and share alike, to each man, woman, and child belonging on said Red Lake Indian Reservation within ninety (90) days after the ratification of this agreement, and the remainder of the said sum of one million dollars, viz, seven hundred and fifty thousand (750,000) dollars shall be paid in cash, per capita, in fifteen (15) annual installments of fifty thousand (50,000) dollars each, the first of which fifteen annual installments to be paid in the month of October of the year following that in which payment of the said two hundred and fifty thousand (250,000) dollars is made, as provided in this agreement, and in the month of October of each year thereafter of the succeeding fourteen years, covering the period of said fifteen annual installments.

"ARTICLE IV. It is further agreed that the said Indians belonging on the said Red Lake Indian Reservation, Minnesota, shall possess their diminished reservation. independent of all other bands of the Chippewa tribe of Indians, and shall be entitled to allotments thereon of one hundred and sixty (160) acres each, of either agricultural or pine land, the different classes of land to be apportioned as equitably as possible among the allottees.

ARTICLE V. It is understood that nothing in this agreement shall be construed to deprive the said Indians belonging on the Red Lake Indian Reservation, Minnesota, of any benefits to which they are entitled under existing treaties or agreements not inconsistent with the provisions of this agreement.

"ARTICLE VI. This agreement shall take effect and be in force when signed by United States Indian Inspector James McLaughlin and by a majority of the male adult Indians, parties hereto, and when accepted and ratified by the Congress of the United States.

"In witness whereof the said James McLaughlin, United States Indian inspector, on the part of the United States, and the male adult Indians belonging on the Red Lake Indian Reservation, Minnesota, have hereunto set their hands and seals at Red Lake Indian Agency, Minnesota, this tenth day of March, A. D. nineteen hundred and two.