WALTHILL TIMES

Much reservation land was by law and policy divided amongst the Indians. The theory of this “Allotment System” was that if Indians owned land individually rather than communally, they had an asset which could be mortgaged, sold, rented and otherwise used as whites do their land assets. However, so many Indians had been cheated and swindled out of their land that Congress passed stringent laws regulating the manner and procedures for sale of Indians’ land. Many whites and some Indians complained that it was getting too cumbersome.

Much reservation land was by law and policy divided amongst the Indians. The theory of this “Allotment System” was that if Indians owned land individually rather than communally, they had an asset which could be mortgaged, sold, rented and otherwise used as whites do their land assets. However, so many Indians had been cheated and swindled out of their land that Congress passed stringent laws regulating the manner and procedures for sale of Indians’ land. Many whites and some Indians complained that it was getting too cumbersome.