Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1903-09-03
VICTIMS OF GRAFTERS.
Government Fcrretlrg Out Frouds
Perpetrated on Endians-L Land saIet


Washington. Aug. 2S.-The deter
mnation Of Secretary Hitchcock to
send to Indian Territory a man not
connected with the department of
the interior to investigate conditions
there is understood to be for the pur-
pose of supplementing the work of
the secretary himself and of other
representatives of the department in
that territory. Since early last
spring the secretary has been giving
a large share of his personal atten'
ton to the situation in the territory
and number of the inspectors and
other officials of the department
have been engaged in the effort to
ferret out frauds and protect the in-
terests of the Indians.
The secretary made a tour of the
territory in May, largely for the
purpose of making inquiry regarding
reports that had come to him of eff
forts to deprive the Indians of their
rich landed inheritances, and the re-
suit of this personal investiga ton
was to confirm the report that there
was persistent effort to secure the
Indian lands at prices far below their
real value.
As a consequence of this inquiry he
made radical revision of the regula-
tions for the sale oil the allotted
lands, and the developments since
that change was made Indicate that
he has saved the Indians a large per-
centage over what would have been
paid them if the original regula tions
had stood.
The new rules require that all In
dian lands which are for sale shall be
advertised and appraised by Il COM
petent official. The secretary has
cancelled all sales made prior to the
time that the new regulations took
effect. There were 429 of these deeds,
calling for an aggregate payment of
1868, COO. All these deeds, with the
checks, have been returned to the
purchasers and the prices received on
inherited lands Indicate that under
the new regulations the prices paid
will exceed the old prices by from Is
to l2j per cent.
Persistent efforts to secure con-
troll of the lands through the lease
processes have been discovered. In
one case the secretary found during
IllN N'b.N III iIi'lIdn tIIllOEN ina u
clerks in the office of an Indian agent
had taken on themselves the respon-
sibiIity for denying hearing to their
national attorney, who represented
some $4,000 Indians. The secretary
Immediately denounced this tranSac-
ton as an abuse of official authority
and provided for the punishment of
the persons engaged in it.
\ faVOrite method for securing the
leases is to have the Indians ap-
preached by merchants. who by offer
ing their wares in exchange can Sc
cure the most favorable terms from
them. and the understanding is quite
general that when control of q piece
of land is once secured by means of
leasing il will be held by some means
until il can be purchased at the
lessee's own figures. The secretary
is giving his careful attention to this
problem and is already, even under
the present law, finding means to
protect the Indians against some of
the most fragrant abuses of the leas-
ing system.
The secretary realizes that while
there may be shortcomings on the
cials. there are on the other hand
many men not employed by the gov
ernment who have grievances
against these officials and are dis
posed to make all the trouble for
them they can. These men he dea-
ignatcs as "grafters." and the feel
ing in the department is that any
official who may oppose their designs
is certain to be made the subject of
the harshest censure by them. The
secretary announces his determina-
tion to protect officials who are doing
their duty against the scheme of all
such people.
Several officials who already have
been detected in questionable trans
actions have been dismissed. while
the designations of others have been
reoueStp1