Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-03-07

to be when he grows up, ne WILL III
Ease he feels communicative. express
an ambition to become some gay Il
member Of his council DO not now
ever. infer from this that il is me
honor of the place which nres MS
Youthful heart. His views are FAR more
nractical. What he looks forward to
is the financial consideration, for we'll
no knows that in no other capacity.
with an equal absence of effort on his
mart. can he make as much money as
by getting elected to the council.
There is always money in it.
Five councils rule the affairs of In
dian Territory, the Cherokee. Chicka-
saw. Choctaw, Creek and Seminole
councils. All of them are money max
ers. The salary of a councilman is
only - day. Yet few of the members
qilit the service of their conn
Try poor. although many of them are
almost without visible means of sup
port when they enter upon a legiSla
tive career. How do they achieve this
Ask the ingenious. insinuating and
highly prevalent lobbyist. No session
could or would care to do business
without him. He or the interests
which he represents. through him.
furnish the sinews of legislation. No
man goes to the Indian capital unless
he has some axe to grind. No cor
poratiOn. company, firm or individual
attempts to get a bill passed without
the expenditure of considerable sums
Of money in 'jollying up" the red
skinned legislators. In plain speech.
the Indian council meetings are the
scene Of the most general and open
bribery to be found anywhere in this
country.
The Indian council in each of the
five tribes meets once n year. usually
ir the fall and winter. There are TWO
houses-a lower house of forty men,
bera and an upper house. or senate. of
twonty-eig members. Councilnen
are elected by vote of the Indian citi-
zeps for q term of two years. and the
chief or presiding officer of each com
ell is also chosen by the electors of the
tribe The constitutions of the tribes
differ somewhat. For instance, that of
the Greeks is based on the constitution
Of the state of Mississippi. while the
Cherokee constitution follows closely
that of Arkansas. These constitutions
We're originally drawn up by Indian
lawyers, when the councils first took
charge of Indian affairs about fifty
years ago. Each council remains in
session as long as there is any business
10 transact. The longest sessions do
not last more than two months.
Lobbyists with pockets full of money
flock to the capital when the council is
convened. and many of them are there
throughout the session. Firewater is
distributed freely. Money is scattered
literally right and left. Sometimes
votes come high and the bidding is
lively. IT is by no means unknown for
two rival lobbyists to bid for "A nasi-
tating councilman in the open street.
On the other hand, the legislative mar
ket slumps occasionally. and votes may
be had as low as $40. Never below
that figure. however. An Indian mem
Der who sold his vote lower than that
would be an object of derision, if not
of actual wrath. to his fellows
No man ever serves more than twice
on the council bench. because it is I'M
derstood that as many as possible shall
have a chance at the pie counter
There is no sentiment among the mass
OF the Indians against the acceptance
by their lawmakers of large sums of
The work of buying votes is carried on
AT the councils openly. Indians are not
subject TO arrest for bribetaking, and
that is perhaps one reason why they
are so bold. There is a law. however.
which annuls all bills passed by fraud.
If fraud can be proved AS President
Mckinley now passes on all acts of the
Indian councils before they go into
nd of J. ;e, ba
decides whether measures We're passed
by fraud or not.
Just al this time the Indian depart
ment has an inspector at Tahleouah
the capital of the Cherokees. looking
into a special privilege bill. which. il
is claimed. was lobbied through The
bill provides for the collection of
&5,O0O,000 from the United States. which
is due the Cherokees. Any one who
could write 4 bill for Congress could
get the money appropriated, but the
Indians were impressed with the fact
that they must be paid to turn that
collection account over to some out
eide party. So they advertised for
attorneys to collect the money. This
was a call for the highest bidder. Two
wealthy bankers. both of the Indian
country, sent agents to Tahle0uah, and
agreed to pay $100,0 900 if a bill was
passed paying them 10 per cent. or
5000 for collecting the money from
the United States. Each lawmaker
was promised anywhere from 81 900 to
5000 to vote for the measure consc-
quenuy 1t went through without a
dissenting voice. Then it developed
that some of the redskins who voted
for the measure had not been paid.
They sent word to the bankers that
they must have the money. The
bankers told them that they could not
get it, as the bill was now q law, and
that was all they wanted.
But the bankers did not reckon
wisely. These disgruntled lawmakers
sent quiet tip to the United States
inspector, and told him the facts. The
inspector is now making an investi-
cation. and says he will have to annul
the bill. So the bankers will be out of
pocket the price of considerable
number of legislators.
Some of the laws of these Indians
are unique. For instance. if two or
more per sons meet together in the
Creek nation and talk over the matter
of overthrowing the Creek laws. each
of these persons is liable TO a fine of