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Last Words: INDIAN SOVEREIGNTIES UNDER ATTACK
Native American rights are once again under attack in Congress. The attacks center on attempts to limit the powers of self-government of Indian nations, which include the ability to tax non-Indian businesses operating within Indian jurisdictions, powers to regulate businesses in those areas, and other rights that arise out of treaties, agreements and inherent rights of self-government. Probably the most emotional issue involves the powers of Indian tribes to levy taxes. It is an especially difficult issue because of the history of Indian lands.
During the 19th century, Congress sought to divest Indian nations of vast amounts of land, mostly in the West. This was done was by urging that Indians should become individual landowners like other Americans. Heads of households on Indian reservations were "allocated" some arbitrary amount of land, often one square mile. Land left over after these allocations was declared surplus and sold to non-Indians. In some cases these allotments were severed from the reservation status and the individual Indian was allowed to sell land to non-Indians. The result was that in some areas non-Indians bought land in Indian country in what is known as a "checkerboard" area. Beginning in 1868, and extending until at least 1934, Indians lost 90 million acres, about two-thirds of their land, to allotment and checkerboarding.
Between 1778 and 1871, Congress ratified 371 Indian treaties. Today there are 554 recognized Indian nations occupying 314 Indian reservations in the United States. The Indian population on these lands is estimated at 1.4 million people, less than one percent of the United States...