The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-09
LEASES IN THE |. l..
They Are the Commonest Form of
"Graft" and Are Very
Ns Profitable.
How the Poor Indian Is Hornswog-
gled Into Giving UP His
=. a Lands.
Correspondence of The Journal.

Correspondence OF The Journal
Muscogee, I. T., Oct 9.--When the
real investigation begins here, much
will be heard Of leases The next
best thing to bnying q piece of land
Is to let lease on it, and that is what
has been done with the Indian lands.
Until the Creek lands were recently
put on the market for SALE 1t was the
only way the outsider could get a
graft on the Indians possessions.
Some lease have been lawful; most of
them have not.
Between 80 and 90 per cent Of the
lands owned by the Greeks are COW
cred by leases. Probably as large a
per cent will be found to be leased in
the other reservations. The law gives
the Greeks the largest latitude in the
matter of making leases. This nation
may lease for five years for, agricul-
tural purposes. without the approval
of the secretary of the interior. The
land, including their forty home
steads. Most Of this land is being,
used by outsiders, who pay the IN
dams nominal compensation, and
work 1T to their own great profit
Thousands of dollars have been made
by the use of these leases.
Members of the Dawes commission
are strenuous In denying that they are
interested, directly or indirectly, in
leases. They say their trust COM
panies have no dealings in them. The
attitude of the commission on this
subject, with no other evidence, is
enough to cast grave suspicion on all
leases. ".'-~...
+ Generally lease is a preliminary
step toward getting possession of land
which the Indian has no right to sell.
In spite of the legal prohibition many
leases contain stipulation for the sale
of the land to the lessee at the ex-
piration of the lease. This sale could
not be enforced in law, but the in
tending purchaser is willing to take
his chances in practically enforcing
1T against the Indian. In some in
stances the stipulation is backed up
by bond which is placed in escrow.
A familiar practice is to- get some
hold on the Indian which can be used
to bulldoZe and coerce him into SELL
ing the land, when the time comes
when he shall have the legal right to
convey title. For example, the lessee
puts some improvements on the land
and persuades the Indian to pay him
for them by giving his note for a
thousand dollars, more or less know
ing that when the lease expires and
the note natures the Indian will have
no money to meet the note, and in
fear of Jail will sign anything that is
put before him. -,
Compensation for Indian leases is
VIGOROUSLY inedaquate. The y negro
breeds and fractional breeds, who go
to make up a majority of the tribe,
are indolent, ignorant and &shiftless.
To get ready money they will-lease
lands for rs cents or SO cents an acre.
The lease is supposedly for five years
and legal. In a few months Mr.. In
sdian-negro has spent the ready money
and is back for more. For So he
will make a new lease extending from
date-and thus the five-year provision
of the law Is evaded. i On a subse-
quent occasion another renewal is
bought for a song, and perhaps for
another bonus the sale stipulation Is
included And so the case progresses.
The lessee is content to retain pos
session Of the land, and 5some hold on
the Indian, looking to the completion
of his title later. I5nder such ar
srangements expensive improvemen ts
are often put on the land, the lessee
taking his chances with a court of
equity to save his rights.
This Is the sort of thing which goes
by the general name of. grating
down here. By some it is defended
as legitimate business enterprise, but
when officials become involved in such
deals-officials whose sole duty it is
to protect the rights of the Indian, the
governments ward-it comes neal
meriting the other term. p ,f*
1t is stated that such practices have
gone on with the connivance Of Off
cials; whether the charge is true will
best be determined by Mr.. Bonaparte
when he arrives. The coming of the
presidents special investigator is, by
the way, awaited anxiously, if no
nervously, by some of the officials.