The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-10
SECRETARY HITCHCOCK IS TRYING
TO HAVE DAWES COMMITS
SION ABOLISHED
TAMs DOES ALL THE WORK
But the Other Two Commissioners
Do Not Agree With Him on
Methods of Doing
Business
ROOSEVELT SEEMS WILLING
GLOBE WASHINGTON BUREAU,
Post Building, Room 45.

Post Building, Room 40.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. elf Pres
ident Roosevelt approves plans recon-
mended by Secretary Hitchcock, of the in
terror department, the Dawes Indian COM
mission will soon be abolished. On many
points the president and secretary are
entirely in harmony The subject will be
treated in the annual message to con-
gress, and in the meantime Mr.. Hitch
Geek is making every effort to keep his
plans secret. The little which has leaked
out has resulted in a rumor that Tams
Bixby, secretary of the commission, is
about to resign. Both Secretary Hitch
cock and Commissioner Jones took occa-
sion today to deny this report in the
strongest terms. They said Mr.. BiXbys
work was entirely satisfactory, and they
would deplore any published statements
that changes in the commission were i'm
minent.
The fact of the matter is the president
has been convinced that the Dawes COM
mission has outlived its usefulness. The
chairman's duties are purely nominal.
and he seldom attends any sessions. The
vice chairman and secretary. Mr. Bixby,
is all there is to the commission, and
Secretary Hitchcock does not consider
him worth the price of three men.
Messrs. Breckenridge and Needles, the
other members, have not been in har-
mony with Bixby, and of late, it is re-
ported here, they have been trying to
bring about Bixby's removal
The work Of the commission has not
ben progressing to the satisfaction of the
department, and the purpose now in view
is to do away with dead wood and make
things move The president is anxious
to put an end to the policy of pauperiz-
ing the Indians. He also wants more
speedy action in allotting lands in sew
crafty and opening reserva tions. Hitch
cock would have put an end to Bixby's
tenure of Office last spring il President
Mckinley had not INTERVIEWED. Now he
will accomplish that result in his own in
imitable way. One ofthe methods pOssi-
BILE would be to omit the appropriation
from the next Indian bill. This has been
discussed The secretary promises ia
find some way to accomplish the work cut
! out for the commission If Roosevelt will
give him full swing, and the president is
inclined to do that
Representative Page Morris is interest
ing himself in this Indian business. He
called on the commissioner and the Sec
rotary this afternoon, and then had an
other talk with the president.
Mr.. BiXby's official term expired the
18th day of May last, but owing to the
policy adopted by President Mckinley OF
making few changes in federal offices
when the senate was not in session ana
the further fact that important work was
pending before the commission which it
was desired that Col. Bixby should cCn-
plete, no action was taken at that time
1t was currently reported about the
time of President McI<inley's assassira-
ton that change had been agreed upon
and that D. P. Dyer, of st. Louis, who
was member of the commission which
supervised the drawing for the lands I'm
the Kiowa Commando and Wichita
countries, in Oklahoma, had been agreed
upon as Mr.. Bixby's successor. If simply
a change of men is made, there is little
doubt that Secretary Hitchcock will rec
ommend the appointment of Mr.. Dyer
unless President Roosevelt has some
other man in view for the place.