The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-24
MINNESOTA
MINNESOTA 49,: ~ :.
PROOF IS. PRODUCED.
Enemies Of the Morris Law Try to
Influence the Cass Lake =
,> :" Indians. = :::::...*>s. IT,: =.
Tribesman Turn a Deaf Ear. at a
Council-Fraud Charged in Pre-: :.
pairing Petitions. s=.~ =.
Special to The Journal,

Special to The Journal.
Cass Lake, Mimi, Oct. 24.-Proof of
the statements that a concerted effort
was being made by the enemies of the
Morris law to have that measure
amended to such an extent that 1T
would be eventually repealed, has been
secured the past week, at least two
emissaries of interested persons hav-
ing been among the Indians, melting
them against the provisions of the
law, especially that section for the cut
ting of the pine timber wherein it is
required that the debris shall be re-
moved and destroyed.
The emissaries of those opposed to
the sale and cutting of the timber this
winter held a council with the Cass
Lake Indians, three miles out of town,
at which they told the reds that the
carrying out of the rules for the cut
ting of the timber would mean a. loss
of at least SO a thousand to the In
diens; that the law was a steal, and
would make pauper of every Indian
on the reservation. These and like
statements were used in an endeavor
to convince them that the law should
be repealed. - -
Would Not Sigh =.
One of the visitors produced petit
by 500 Indians, to the president; for
the amending Of the Morris law SO
that no provision will be made for
the disposal of the debris after cutting,
and which, If allowed, will undoubted-
ly result In the repeal of the entire
measure. One of the circulators of
the petition is an; Indian and resides
at Ball Club, and intended to go to
Washington next week to lay it be-
fore the secretary of the Interior. The
Cass Lake Indians, thru their chief,
Ka-ze-osh, positively refused to have
anything to do with the petition or the
circulators, and told them SO in plain,
| unvarnished Chippewa. :.
| The Indians had previously written
to Chief Falmouth and he had adj
vised them to have nothing to do with
the petition; that he had become fully
| Informed as to the provisions Of the
Morris law and that he considered it
| a good measure. The advice of: the
! old chief was needed and the ennis
saries went their way. "
Names Said to Be Forged.
In connection with the securing of
the alleged signatures of the Indians
to these petitions, the charge is made
that names by the wholesale are be-
ing signed by the emissaries who are
circulating them, the Indians having
never read the document, much less
subscribed their names thereto. The
scheme is said to be identical with the
method in vogue at the time the petit
ton was secured opposing the passage
of the Morris bill. Then a lot of f1c-
t1tious Indian names were written or
a paper and a mark, supposed tc
represent the Indians tx" was at.
tached thereto, the person handling
the paper writing both the names and
the ks" :
| However, a few Of the Indians or
the White Earth reservation have
signed the petition, but it can be posi-.
lively stated that the Cass Lake In.
dams are stanch supporters Of the
Morris act and want to see it's pro.
| visions carried out. y ""-@}
Representatives of various lumber
companies from all parts of the coun.
try are looking over the timber anc
will bid on it. The cruisers of the
Diamond Match company Of Ea,
Claire, Wis, are also in this section.