West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1904-06-02
washington LETTER.
CHEATING THE INDIANS OUT OF
THEIR LANDS.
Some of the ways in whlehIt is Done

~ ~. NAY 81 ipD4
Several Congressman Of both parties
have fingered behind their col
leagues for the purpose of reviewing
the scandal in the Postoffice De
partment and other irregularities
which were developed during the
session. 1t is now understood that
the next executive officer to be haul
cd over the Goals by Committee Of
Congress is Secretary Hitchcock
of the Interior Department. Loud
complaints are made of corruption
IN the Indian Bureau and peculiar
methods in the Geological Survey.
Hitchcock is not believed To be
personally dishonest, but it is al
legged that he has permitted his
agents, especially those who are his
personal favorites, to violate the
law to their own emolument. II
the Anadarko Indian agency IN
Oklahoma were investigatigated 1t
is believed that it would show how
certain pets of the Department
thrive with the acquiescence of its
head. One of these men is known
to have drawn three salaries stimuli
taneously. In investigating the
Anadarko agency the public would
like to know how much land was
turned into town lots and sold as
such which had been taken from
the Indians under pretense that it
was needed for agency purposes.
A case of peculiar cruelty and
hardship is that of the Klamath In
dams in Oregon. The administra-
ton wanted a large part of the
Klamath reservation for its favor
ites,-a million and a half of acres,
constituting the most valuable pine
forest in America. 1t was virgin
tract never having echoed to the
sound of the axe. BY the usual
Misrepresentation and fraud these In
dians were induced to sign away
their rich estate. Not only were
there hundreds of thousands of
acres of the most magnificent forest
on this continent,
continuous woods
Whese rolls the Oregon and hears no sound
Save his own dashings"
gigantic columns of redwood, and
superb oak, but there were vast
tracts of rich arabic land capable
of growing wheat enough for the
whole State. This wood and those
acres were inaccessible to avarice,
but the covetous white man knew
that the opening of roads would
bring vast wealth to the owner.
The mammoth trees on some single
acres are worth 81, 900 So the
crafty Speculation got some drunk
and wheedled and coerced them in.
to agreeing TO sell their land for
what a committee should apprize it
at. In the contract was the pro-
vision that the value Of burned
tracts or injured trees should be
deducted. Then the hendish viii
lians who sought to obtain the land
sent men in there with axe and
torch and manned and burned in
dividual trees here and there, -
enough to justify a scoundrelly
committee in appraising the land at
SO cents an acre. The Indians were
helpless, and had to submit, though
the purchasers could have sold the
whole tract the next day for s., 600,
900. Very well; a sum was put in
an appropriation bill in Congress
to pay the Indians SO cents an acre
for the reservation. Now the Sc
quel; the money was not paid.
When their patience was exhausted
by waiting the klamath Indians
sent delegation to Washington
consisting of their "best men" who
were confounded on arriving at be-
ing told that they had already been
paid for the land in certain round.
about ways ways, and that nothing
more was due them. This Dele
CATION of Indians has nov gone
home, after having made their
plaintive appeals to the Secretary
Of the Interior during the winter.
One Of Secretary Hnchcock's
favorites sent westward his check
for $1,000 to pay his expenses
while travelling there amounting 10
1000 He accompanied il with the
remark Never mind the change:
you gave me a good time while /
was out there" All friends Of the
Indians will'be glad to know that
Senator Quay's bill to protect their
rights to property was passed and
became law during the winter, IN
face Of the vigorous opposition Of
Secretary Hitchcock. The Secre-
iary wished to retain authority to
cancel an allotment, which would
have permitted interruptions men