Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-07
KNOCKS OUT INDIAN AGENTS
House Committee Adopts Commissioner
Jones' Recommendations
MATHEwSON ANoou THOSE DROPPED
-Four Agencies in south Dakota, one
in Nebraska ana one in iowa TO he
Placed in Charge of school
superintendent.
CFrom a star correspondent

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6.-Cspecial Tele-
gram.)-Along the line of Commissioner
Jones' report TO the secretary Of the inte-
rior the house committee on Indian affairs
today decided to report the bill to the
house containing fourteen omissions in
number of Indian agents as compared with
the appropriation bill that passed last ses-
sion. II is Commissioner Jones intention
wherever possible to knock out Indian
agents and place the agencies in charge Of
bonded school superintendents. The COM
missioner contends in his report that the
advance made by certain tribes Of Indians
warrants their being placed under school
supervision rather than under political SUI
pervision. He recommends that farmers
and matrons are more advantageous than
political agents and wherever tribes of In
dams have shown a. disposition to better
their condition he believes in giving them
all the aid possible.
In consequence Of this report the house
committee today decided to strike out four
teen agents at Indian agencies, the most
important Of which is the Omaha and
Winnebago agency. The following agents
are eliminated from South Dakota: Sis
seton, Crow Creek, Lower Brule and Yank-
ton, while the Sac and Fox agent in Iowa
is also discontinued.
Senator Gamble VIII Oppose.
Senator Gamble, speaking today Of the
action Of the house committee on Indian
affairs, said that the abandonment of
agents at Indian agencies would work evil
instead Of good to the tribes Of Indians in
terested. For one l am opposed to the
proposition and will fight It in the senate.
l cannot conceive of a superintendent of
schools trained along educational lines and
interested in education primarily being
fitted to conduct the plain practical busl-
ness Of an agent. 1t is we'll known that an
educator lacks business qualifications and
while a man may make a good superintend-
ent Of schools, he may fail as an agent.
The movement to reduce the number OF
Indian agents has been uppermost for some
time and many attempts have been made
along similar lines. When the house COM
mittee last year struck out the agents at
the Sac and Fox agency in Iowa Senator
Allison had the agent restored. Other
agents were discontinued by the house
committee and as promptly restored by the
senate. I want to say now that the South
Dakota agents discontinued in the house
bill which will be reported on Monday will
be put back II the senatorial delegation
from South Dakota can bring 1t about"
Just what action Senator Willard will
take on the determination Of the house
Indian affairs committee to discontinue
the agent at the Omaha and Winnebago
agency is not known. 1t will be interest,"
ing, however, to watch developments, as
the senator is known to be friendly to
the present agent, G. P. Mathewson.
Annuities for Santees.
senator Gamble was at the Indian office
today for the purpose of urging a prompt
report on the bill for the restoration OF
annuities for the santee indians. The SEN
ator asked for a corrected report on the
amount of money due these Indians that
was declared forfeited by the, prior report
in which 1t was stated that these Indians
had been overpaid, apart from the amount
Of annuities due them. The senator stated
that he looked for a revised computation
in a very short time, which he expected
would show a large amount due to the
Santees Of Nebraska, South Dakota and
Minnesota. He also called at the Interior
department to urge that an adjustment
be made and proper credit given the Sioux
Indians in his state for the amount due
them for land sold under the treaty Of 1889.
Senator Dietrich today recommended John
F. Allen for postmaster at Haigler, Dundy
county, Neb.
Creates New National Park.
Representative Martin of the South Da-
kota delegation. under call Of committees,
today succeeded in passing Senator Gam
ble's bill setting apart about 10, 900 acres of
land in the state Of South Dakota as a pub
lie park to be known as Wind Cave National
park, being lands surrounding that we'll
known natural formation. The bill provides
that the park thus created shall be under
the exclusive control OF the secretary OF
the interior until the requirements Of the
bill are carried out. Captain Seth Bullock
Of the Black Hills forest reserve will have
direct supervision over the new park.
The commissioner general OF the land
once today received a petition signed by a
number Of citizens OF Vim River valley,
Wyoming, protesting against the incorpora-
tion Of certain lands in their sevGion in the
Teton forest reserve. The lands which they
desire to have left out of the reservation
limits are said to be grazing and not tim
Der land. Commissioner Hermann will SEND
a special agent to look the situation over.
Gives Power to Federal Courts.
A bill introduced by Representative Mar
tin, comforting Jurisdiction on the federal
courts for ohenses committed on Indiar
reservations in South Dakota, passed the
house today. II appears that under the ex.
listing law federal courts cannot take cogni.
zance Of mlsdeeds committed on Iadian res.
ervations in South DakUta by other thar
full-blooded Indians. The federal courts
now have no means Of furnishing halfbreedl
and whites who have committed crimes Ii
the Indian reservations, and offenders o
this class manage to ESCAPE punishment
u The measure now goes To tha sanats ubar.