Evening star., 1898-06-18

Andrew John.
9he big bodied and big-brained man that he
is against the barriers he finds before him.
matter of great interest to the New
York Indians is awaiting settlement in
Congress The subject under consideration
In the national legislature is an act which
passed the Senate March 10, 1895, and is
now pending in the House
1t provides for the regulation of the col
lection and disbursement of moneys arising
from leases made by the Seneca nation of
New York Indians and declares tnat all
moneys belonging TO the nation arising
from rents and leases of lands and oil
springs in the CattarauguS and Alleghany
reservations shall be paid to and recover
able by the nited States Indian agent for
the New York Indian agency for and in the
name of the Seneca nation.
Section of the pending act provides that
from the moneys so received the agent shall
annually pay over to the treasurer of the
Seneca nation S1,Ooo and distribute the bal
ance OF the moneys, after deduCting neces-
sary charges and expenses among the
heads of the families in the Seneca nation
under the same conditions that the annu-
ties now paid the Seneca nation are dis
tributed
The bill also provides that the treasurer
OF the nation snail annually make a written
report TO the New York Indian agent of all
disbursements made by him of all moneys
AcSSANSO Ol StS treasurer
The Seneca People Want 1t.
This bill represents the sentiment of the
people of the Seneca nation and is due to
their desire to secure some benefits from
the money due them. which they openly
claim is squandered by the officers of their
ration Special United States Indian
Agent G. B. Pray was assigned by Indian
Commissioner Jones to investigate the con-
ditiOns reported that of the sum of $l5O0
or $4,000 which IS or should be collected
annually from the leases of the lands and
oil privileges of the Seneca nation, scarcely
ten per cent had been expended for the
benefit of the Indians 1T is a fact that |
do not think they will dispute" says Mr.
Pray in his report, that the body of the
people have not received from its officers
single dollar of income from these leases
during the last four or five years
Some Very Plain Language.
Further on, after quoting copiously from
the official records of the council of the
tribe of April "A to June 5, 1897. he uses
these words:
The extracts from the record of the
council above given therefore show that
between April 24 and June D 1897 the coun-
Gil of the Seneca nation absolutely voted to
themselves and the executive officers
SS,lJO OF the peoples money, and there is
nothing on hle or of record to show either
services rendered. valuable or otherwise
and no pretense of voucher. / desire to
call attention to the fact that in every in
stance save two, where money was appro-
priated. II was to member of the council
even for board and taking the census.
also wish 10 state that the taking of
the census was paid for by the United
states, and refer you to the first quarterly
statement Of Agent Jewell for 1SgS In
deed. the principal business of these ses-
sions seems TO be to appropriate money TO
the council or the executive officers
After describing the impractical and arbi-
trary manner in which the officers of the
nation rule without justice or form of law
Agent Pray says:
My conclusion is that the affairs of this
nation are very loosely and irregularly
managed; that the officers use the power
OF the place for the purpose of perpetuating
themselves. and II is openly charged here
that the money of the nation is used for
the same purpose. l do not pretend to say
that this is true but certain il is that the
same lot of gentlemen have been in power
for many years, and it looks very much
like political ring, with the power of
perpetuatIon- think the great wrong was
done the people of this nation at the time
the nlnety-nne-year leases were cunsum-
mated The idea of 5iSO acres of the reser-
walton lands OF these people being given UP
to village purposes, laid out in lots. and oc-
cupied by at least six or seven thousand
people, and only an income of about $500 a
year from II, seems monstrous TO me-
Where Responsibility Lies.
In conclusion. Mr.. Pray says:
The respor sibility for the existing con-
among the Seneca nation of Indians is very
largely with and upon the president
treasurer, and clerk, who denominated
the executive officers. OF this trio, |
think the treasurer, Mr.. Hoag, is the
dominant character and the power that
organizes the political forces. He has been
president or treasurer most of the time for
five or six years. and think IL is plain that
ii is his management that has brought
about the conditions that exist here He has
kept his books neatly. and takes pride in
showing them and assuring everyone that
not dollar has been paid out except
upon the order of the council. / presume
this is so, but when you recur to the
figures and note that more than one-half
Of all the funds received have, by this
same council. been voted either to them
selves or to executive officers | am not
surprised that the Indian people complain
when some poor Indian takes up this
same report for the twelve months be
tween June. 1881. and June, 1892, and notes
that Sj,1iiii was paid for salaries. and
only S1,11I devoted To the poor people i
do not wonder that he groans at the
weight OF his burden When he notes that
s233i35 was paid for the board of this
council in the same year. and only $500
devoted TO the highways of all rcserva-
uons. l am not surprised that he calls for
relief.
THE proportion OF money used by the
executive officers and the council for them
selves is about the same all through the
years 1891. 1882. 1893. 1894. 1895. 1895 and
1897. and | did not find from examination
learn from many inquiries that anv of
tLis fund had ever been paid out TO or
divided among the people. Early in 1897
$500 was appropriated for this purpose
but within few days this action was re-
scinded. and the money was appropriat ted
to the officers. as you viii see by the QUO
tatiOns from the record which are incor-
porated herein
Singular AnfagonIsm.
The Senate. upon these unmistakable
proofs, promptly passed the bill, which
will give long deferred justice to the