Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-29
STORY SURPRISES JONES
Cannot See Why Indians Should Pay So
Much for Guardianship Papen
DEPARTMENT ONLY PROTECTING ITsELI
Speaks Highly of Omaha Indians and
Looks Forward TO Time when
Tribe VIII De self
Sustaining.
CFrom a star Correspondent }

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2S-(Special Teie-
gram )-Commissione Jones Of the Wash
ington ONCE was considerably exercised
today over an article which appeared In
The Bee of Sun6ay having relation to
tribal rights ~ the Omaha Indians in
Thurston county. Nebraska The article in
question seriously reflected upon the action
Of the lnterior department. demanding
bonds from guardians Of minor children,
guaranteeing proper distribution of the
money which the last congress voted to
every member Of the Omaha tribe Of In
dams. The commissioner, in speaking OF
the article, which appeared upon the desk
of Secretary Hitchcock today, said:
There must be some misconception OF
the Indian office so far as It affects the
distribution Of the 500, 900 voted at the last
session OF congress from tribal funds Of
the Omaha Indians for distribution among
them. The department has always insisted
upon proper protection in distribution OF
moneys voted by congress from trust funds.
This is peculiar business proposition. The
department desires to protect itself against
any loss or any mispayment. In case OF
minor children It asks local courts to name
guardian. for the very good and suflcient
reason that In many cases miners are ire
sponsIble as we'll as parents. The depart
ment does not have anything to do with
the selection OF the guardian. That rests
entirely with the county court, or as we
call II in Wisconsin, probate court. Under
the bill appropriating 100000 out OF the
trust funds Of the Omaha Indians each per-
son on the Omaha roll will get in the
neighborhood of 500, that is to say, every
man, woman and child who are properly
accredited as an Omaha Indian, will get
approximately that amount. In order,
! therefore, to protect the government 1t has
been the policy of the department to insist
upon bonds to protect minors who are in
measure irresponsible. To pursue any other
course would bring the department into oil
sorts OF legal difficulties and the secretary
has determined to surround his ONCE with
absolute safeguards.
80 far as the charge made that II costs
from SIS to $50 in each case to secure
| guardianship of minors for the purpose OF
this distribution, l cannot conceive OF such
condition Of affairs. Surely the county
courts Of the district in which the Omaha
reservation lies do not charge the amount
| asserted. There must be some mistake. OF
course the courts must be satisfied as to the
| reliability of the guardian appointed and
may insist upon bonds to be given for the
| proper performance of the trust, but can
not believe that the court charges would
be anything like what is asserted"
spenlkn Well of omnhas-
Speaking Of the general character OF the
| Omaha Indians, Mr. Jones said he looked
forward to the time when these Indians
| would be wholly self-governing and self
supporting He said that they had made
vast strides in the last ten years and saw
no reason why they should not be doing
| business for themselves in very few
| years.
'The department is now considering Pc
! tition from the OmahAs to abandon the
reservation school and permit them to
run their own schools Just like the white
people, and may say" said the commits
( soner, "that this petition has been looked
upon with favor. / expect that next year
the government will pull out of running
/ the schools on the Omaha agency and per-
init the Indians on that reservation to
conduct their own schools. OF course
should they desire the use OF the pres
! ent reservation school buildings the gov
/ ernment could do nothing less than give
] It to them, for nothing could be realized
on them after their abandonment. Per
sonally have great hopes for the Omaha
Indians"
Secretary Hitchcock has not had an op-
portunity to read the report submitted to
him by Colonel Mosby on the illegal oc-
! cupancy of public land by cattlemen in
western Nebraska and elsewhere. 1t is ex-
/ planned that the absence of two assistant
secretaries OF the Interior department
4 places a great amount OF extra work upon
! Secretary Hitchcock and he really has not
had time to take up the matter. II is ex-
pected. however, that the secretary will
! take up the report and pass upon it within
the next week. as cattlemen are pressing
for an Interpretation Of Mosby's action.
Matters In Postal Department.
Benjamin Wattsnburg has been appointed
postmaster at Wyoming, otoe county, Neb.,
| vice William Kropp. resigned
The postmaster general has accepted the
proposition Of Abbie ]. shurtlifi to lease a
room for the postofice at Pierre. S. D., in
! the shurtlin building on the west side OF
Pierre street. between Dakota and Missouri
avenue; also accepted the proposition Of
Mary l. Ray to lease a room now occupied
by the postof1ce at Tecumseh, Neb
The comptroller OF the currency has au-
thorized the First National bank Of Mill
bank. S. D.. TO begin business with a capital
Of $4,000.
Ellen B. Sexton Of Boston, Mass. has
been appointed assistant matron Of the
Cheyenne River Indian school. South Da-
kota.
James Baker has been appointed watehs
man fireman in place of John c. TrontOn,
resigned. in the South Omaha public build
ing.
The postmaster at Aberdeen. s. D., will
be allowed one additional letter carrier on
November l and the postmaster at MuAea-
tine, Ia, one additional carrier on Deeem-
Der l. Lew E. Ellieott has been appointed
substitute letter carrier at Mason City
Charles f. Young and James E. Cahill al
Davenport, "a.
These Iowa rural free delivery routes will
be established December /: Breda, Carroll
county, one route area covered, twenty
I'VE square miles; population served, 37s
Cumberland, Cass county, two routes; area
forty-nine square miles; population, 1000
Dixie, Grundy county. one additional; area
twenty-six square miles; population, 1872
Eddyville, Wapello county. one additional
area. sixteen square miles; population. 5l5
Eiboron. Tams county, two routes; area
nifty square miles; population, 965. Floris
Davis county. one route; area. twenty one
square miles; population, $40. Guernsey
Poweshiek county, one route; area. twenty
three square miles; population. 4O3. Hol
land, Grundy county, one route; area