Evening star., 1901-02-16

country poor, although many Of them are
almost without visible means of support
when they enter upon a legislative career.
How do they achieve this? Ask the in
gs nious, insinuating and highly prevalent
lobbyist No session could or would care
TO do business without him. He, the in
Ierests which he represents. through him,
furnish the sinews of legislation. No man
gees to the Indian capital unless he has
some axe to grind. No corporation, COM
pany. firm or individual attempts to get
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
u be found anywhere in this country.
How the Councils Are Chosen.
The Indian council in each Of the five
tribes meets once year, usually in the
fall and winter. There are two houses
lower house of forty members and en-
upper house or senate of twenty-eight
members. Councilmen are elected by vote
OF the Indian citizens for a term of two
years, and the chief or presiding officer of
each council is also chosen by the electors
Of the tribe. The constitutions Of the
tribes differ somewhat. For instance that
or the Creeks Is based on the constitution
OF the state of Mississippi while the Cher
okee constitution follows closely that OF
Arkansas. These constitutions were origi-
tally drawn up by Indian lawyers when
the councils first took charge of Indian
anairs, about fifty years ago. Each coun-
Gil remains in session as long as there Is
any business to transact The longest ses-
SionS 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 dis
tributed freely Money is scattered liber-
ally. right and left Sometimes votes come
high and the bidding Is lively. 1t Is by
no means unknown for two rival lobbyists
~ f1.r hAef IT.
open streets. On the other hand. the legis-
lative market slumps occasionally, and
votes may be had as low as $40 Never
below that figure. however. An Indian
member who sold his vote lower than that
would be an object of derision if not of
Actual wrath to his fellows.
Rotation In once.
No man ever serves more than twice on
the council bench, because 1t Is understood
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 money from lobbyists;
consequently the work of buying votes Is
carried on at the councils openly. Indians
are not subject TO arrest for bribe-taking
and that is perhaps one reason why they
are SO bold. There is law, however,
which annuls all bills passed by fraud, II
fraud can be proven. AS President Nc
dian councils before they go into fun force
and effect. he is the one who decides wheth-
sr measures were passed by fraud or not.
Just at this time the Indian department
has an inspector at Tahlequah, the capital
of the Cherokees. looking into a special
privilege bill, which 1t is claimed was lob
bied through. The bill provides for the col
lection Of sJ,O0.OO0 from the United States.
which is d.ie the Cherokees. Any one who
could write a 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 outside party. So they adver-
tised for attorneys to collect the money.
This was a call for the highest bidder. Two
wealthy bankers both of the Indian coun-
try. sent agents TO TahleQuah and agreed
90 pay 100000 IL bill was passed paying
them 10 per cent, $500 900, for collecting
the money from the United States. Each
4awmaker was promised anywhere from N,-
pOO to 5000 to vote for the measure, conse-
quently 1t went through without dissent
Ing voice. Then 1t developed that some of
fhe redskins who voted for the measure had
pot been paid. They sent word to the bank
prs that they must have the money The
Pankers told them that they could not get
NJ as the bill was now q law and that was
Rl( they wanted
But the bankers did not reckon wisely.
Ehese dtsgruntled lawmakers sent a quiet