The evening times., 1898-03-23
SENECA NATION POLITICS.
Officers of the Tribe Get All of it'
Revenue.

Revenue
-Four hundred and fifty men and wo-
men Of the Seneca Nation of Indians. liv-
ing in the Cattaraugus and Allegany res
eryatons i'm this State. have petitioned
Congress to amend the act Of 1875 con-
cerning their national revenues. Among
the names of the male signers of the
petition are these: Cornelius Johnny
John. Albert Bluesky. Albert Shutdown.
Myron II. Silverheels First Andrew Jack
son. William Blueye. Sezphus Twogun,
Daniel Doxtator. Benjamin Halfwhite,
5Quare Jacob. Phillip Fatty, Abel Buck
tooth. Bennett Redeye, Hand Shango.
Some of the names of the ladies are
equally interesting: Minerva Turkey, Ju-
ia Crow. Emma Deer, Hattie Jonthon,
Nancy HalftOwn. Nancy Tallchief Mary
kenjockety. Mary Tommy, Rose Ii.
Stceprock, Exeey Buck. Louise Longfin-
scr, Lucuda Jimeson, Nancy Warrior.
sally Fun
The appeal to Congress by these esti-
/ mable descendants OF a noble tribe dis
closes certain matters in Seneca politics
not generally known. The nation holds
IN perpctuity under the treaty of 1874
about 53G acres OF land in western New
FORK all that is left to il of once eX-
tensiYe domain. Before 1873 its territory
had been gradually affected by the en-
croachments of civilization. The Erie
. Railroad crossed it, and other railroads.
Towns ike Salamanca and Carrollton
sprang up upon it, The value of improve
ments by white settlers amounts to mil
lions OF dollars. In 1892 the total rental
for lands leased by the Indians was only
about 5000; and from that time TO the
( present il has varied annually from S.
0a0 10 5000. The revenue of the nation
is derived from these land leases and from
certain oil privileges.
Now, the present question is not
! whether the Senecas have been defraud-
/ ed Of their treaty rights by the inevita-
bio encroachmnts OF civilization. or
whether they are justly entitled TO a
/ larger income from their leases than
. they now receive. The complaint of the
I petitioners is that even this small rev.
I enue is almost entirely swallowed up in
J the salaries and expenses of a ring of
/ Senecas who have obtained possession
/ of the Seneca government. This gov
/ ernment consists of an executive called
q president. a council Of sixteen, and a
! judicial department called the peace
J makerS' court with Jurisdiction in di-
( vorco cases and all personal or property
I controversies. The treasurer receives
I the revenue and the council appropria-
ates it. A special agent of the Interior
! Department who Investigated the mat
tec last year reported as follows:
After diligent inquiry | am satisfied
. that the funds of this nation are alb
. SOrbed to n large extent by the officers
Of tho nation"
And another special agent who has
within a few months looked more close
/ ly into the affairs Of the nation reports
NY conclusion is that the affairs OF
this nation are very loosely and frregu.
larly managed: that the officers use the
power OF the place for the purpose OF
perpetuatirC themselves. and it is open.
ly charged hero that the money of tht
nation is used for the same purpose.
do not pretend to say that this is true
. but certain il is that the same lot oi
. gentlemen have been in power for many
. years. and ii looks very much like po.
ltical rims. with the power Of perpetua.
ton"
The Acting Commissioner of Indiar
Affairs replies to a request from Sen
atoT QUAY for information:
y have tho honor TO state by way o
report that this office is and has for
Ions time been fully satisfied that tn,
moneys of the Seneca nation arisnl
from leases have been misappropriated
and that the people do not get the full
that something should be done to cor
rect this and other evils growing on
+ Of the somewhat anomalous condition
and status Of the Seneca nation of In
dianS and their lands"
1t is this condition which has impell
/ ed Cornelius Johnny John and Minerv;
Turkey and their AS fellow-petitioners
all Of them outside Of the Seneca ring
10 go to Congress and ask that the Law
be so amended that all rentals for leas
es shall be paid directly to the Indiar
agent instead Of to the treasurer Of tn,
nation; and that the Indian agent shal
4 pay over to the council for salaries and
/ expenses sum not exceeding 81 500
year. the remainder Of the revenue to b,
distributed among the members of the
nation.
In order to fight the proposed reform
2 delegation Of the Seneca oficeholder,
has come to Washington to protes
against tho bill, and the delegation con
sists OF Seneca Indians no less renowned
than F. T Emerson, W. c. Hoag Franz
Seneca, Frank Patterson and King Tall
chief.