The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-06-30
10 DEFEND POOR 10
Against the Alleged ExtOrtion
of Post 7 raiders.
MOVEMENT is RUMORED
How the Untutored Savage is
Said to be Worked.

Guthrie, o. T., June 2s.-An intimatior
coming fron Washington that the COM
missioner of Indian affairs is contem-
plating a crusade against the licensed
post traders in the Indian reservations OF
Oklahoma has created considerable OF a
stir at the Indian agencies where the
| trading posts are located. 1t is alleged
| that the post traders systematically keep
| the Indins in their debt by an Ingenious
system of bookkeeping and enormous
over-charges, knowledge Of which became
apparent to Indian Commissioner Jones
when he made a personal inspection of
conditions at the agencies two years ago.
| During the last session Of congress the
commissioner testified before committee
| of investigation that in many instances
the traders were receiving as high as 200
per cent profit. and in many cases as
high as 400 per cent profit on articles fur
nished the Indians. hTe subsequent re-
port of the committee severely criticised
the conditions existing and recommended
the enactment of law limiting the prof
its of the traders. No action was taken
by congress, however. Since the failure Of
congress to act 1t is said that Commits
s.oner Jones will take it upon himself to
put stop to the present conditions and
as result Of his investigations it is said
that unless satisfactory guarantees are
given for the reformation of their business
methods many Of the present post traders
will be denied renewal Of their license.
The business of the present sysaem has
reached such a degree that in many cases
the indebtedness Of individual tribes of
Indians to post traders has reached the
enormous sumo half a million dollars.
This Indebtedness has accrued by the sys-
TEN of credit now in vogue. Under this
system an Indian is able to make pur-
chases far in excess of his annuity fund,
thus piling up an Indebtedness which
must ultimately, If liquidated at all, be
paid out of the tribal monies which the
government holds in trust for the Indians.
It Is estimated that 1t will require at least
a million and a half dollars to iiquidate
the indebtedness of the Indians to the
post traders in Oklahoma Territory alone.
The following Is list of post traders,
whose licenses may be placed in jeopardy.
I<iowa. Comanche and Apache Nation
F. L. Fred, Anadarko; Martha S. Miller,
Anadarko; Uzziah II. Stewart, Anadar-
ko; Samuel Strauss, near Fort Sill; NJ.
Harris and +. L. James, Quannah Par
ker's; Emmett Cox, Fort Sill John Craggs,
Anadarko; c. A. Cleveland & Co., Ana
darko; Rice & Quintette, Fort Sill; Joe S.
Paschel, Fort S.l; Boake & Abernathy.
Anadarko; Robert D. Wood, Rainy Noun
tain.
Ponca Nation-James D. Duncan. Otoe
Reserve, and Stewart & Beatty, Red
Rock.
Usage Nation-Robert z. Bird & Co..
Fucker, Agency; Jennie f. and James
Bigheart, Agency; William II. Hickerson,
Agency; S. S. Adams, Agency; w. w.
Pawhuska; A. B. Patterson, Hominy; ].
b. Maher, Pawhuska; ]. 2. Roderstrom.
Pawhuska; Robert NJ. Hunt, Agency; A.
b. Gibson, Agency; John n. Florer & Co.,
Gray Horse; Hugh Dyer, Agency; VIM
Kelly, Agency; Percy }. Monk, Pawhuska
Smith * Wood, Hominy Post; Alfred \.
Bruce, Pawhuska; Price & Price, Homlny;
Louis A. Wismeyer, Grey Horse; VIM. T.
Leahy and Paul S. Harris, Pawhuska;
George ]. Dunn, Pawhuska; Oliver Hiatt
and VI. 3. Donovan, Pawhuska; Samuel
c. Lane and Sam c. Morris, Pawhuska;
James c. Bird. Pawhuska: Johnson e.
Mclaughlin, Agency; Felix T. Govreau,
Agency.
Raw Agency-James J. Vesy, Kaw
Agency.