The Saint Paul globe., 1904-04-20
DESIRES TO GET
FACTS AS TO BIXBY
Text of Lind's Resolution for
Which House Committee
Approves Substitute.

has authorized a favorable report on a
substitute for the Lind resolution of
inquiry as to the result of the investi-
cation into Indian territory matters.
The substitute requests the secretary
OF the interior to inform the house
what action, if any, had been taken
upon the recommendation of Charles ].
Bonaparte and Charles r. Woodruff.
submitted to congress by the president.
Following is the full text of Mr.. Lind's
resolution as originally introduced:
Whereas. the president OF the United
States, by his special message of March
Z. 1904, transmitted to congress the
charges of S. M. Brosius, agent of the
indian Rights association, relative to the
abuses and Irregularities in the public
service in the Indian territory together
with the report of Charles ]. Bonaparte
and Clinton Rogers Woodruff, special in
spectors appointed under his direction to
investigate said charges:
whereas. said charges. among others,
contain the following specifications
The articles of agreement and incor-
porauon of the Tribal Development COM
pany of Tishomingo, Indian territory,
show that it was organized March 25 1903,
600 actually paid in.
"P. S. Mosely, governor of the Chicka-
saw Nation, is also a stockholder. The
general nature of the business of the
Tribal Development company is to pur-
chase, own, sell, cucumber, lease sub
lease and exchange real estate, act as
so forth.
The Muscogee Title & Trust company
was organized Feb. "a 1903, and is
authorized to transact a general banking
business, and in addition may buy. sell
and lease lands, and buy and sell stocks
and bonds of other corporations, and so
Iorth. Tams BiXby, chairman of the
Dawes commission, is a stockholder and
a vice president of the concern. j. George
Wright. Indian inspector in charge OF
indian territory, is one of the directors
The Canadian Valley Trust company,
Of MuscOgee, 1. T.. was organized Feb.
%, 1903, and is authorized by its charter
to buy. sell, lease and mortgage real es-
tate and conduct a general banking
business. Tams Bixby is a stockholder
and president of this trust company.
The International Bank & Trust COM
pany organized Feb. 4, with its main
office at Vinita, l. T., has the same gen
eraI powers to buy, sell and mortgage
real estate and personal property
Thomas B. Needles. member of the
Dawes commission, is vice president
and director of this company.
&c. R. Breckenridge, a member of the
Dawes commission, is also credited as be-
ing interesteds as a stOckholder, either
directly or indirectly, in the Eufaula
Trust company, Eufaula, /. T.
''Tams BiXby is understood to have
been owner of real estate in various sec
tions of the Indian territory-Fort Glib
H., sulphur
Springs. among others
There are rumors af1oat to the effect
that federal officers in the Indian territory
are financially interested in other transac-
tlons that would seem to preclude them
from retaining their positions under the
Indian department
With the information in the possession
OF the various officers Of the government
employed in the Indian territory, it is
clear that they possess great advantage
over others in pressing business with
a into ne.f nffI fIanr
through a trust company or otherwise.
The prestige they have with the Indian
a. and NOT others by reason of their official re-
latlons is very important.
Whereas, said special inspectors, upon
investigation, found and reported, in re
spect of said charges. as shown by the
All the statements of fact contained in
the foregoing extracts from Mr.. BroSius'
report appear to be true, and the 'rumors'
to which he refers are shown by the testi-
mony taken before us to be well founded
with respect to certain other federal Of
f1cerS besides those named by him.
"BIxby'S Notorious Interest"
whereas, said inspectors, further COM
menting upon the activity of the Cana
dian Valley Trust company. of which
mission, is vice president, report that said
corporation dealt in lands to which the
Indian title had not been extinguIshed"
and is holder of leases as collateral for
loans, and also find:
This corporation occupies offices for
merly rented by the commission and com
municating with the offices now occupied
by the latter body. The communication,
which was by spiral staircase, has now
been cut off. We find that Commissioner
Bixby's notorious interest in the Canadian
valley Trust company, the fact that as
stated by Mr.. Brosius, two former en-
ployes of the commission are now the
principal officers of this corporation, and
Its occupancy of offices recently forming
part of those of the commission, un-
doubtedly tend to identity, in some sort.
Nnrffh hn ic,cia,
to give the former a quasi official status.
which 1t Is not entitled, and which may
possibly afford 1t an illegitimate advan-
tage in dealing with ignorant or other
wise incompetent persons"
Whereas, the said inspectors further find
and report I'm our Judgment, Commission
ton impairs his usefulness as a public Of
fcial, and, If he is to retain his present
position, it should, in our Judgment, be
terminated without delay
His investments in what are known as
'possessory rights in town-site lands
seem to US yet more Objectionable
And also find and report that
Mr.. A. L. Aylesworth, the chief clerk
OF the commission, and Mr. H. V. V.
Smith, its disbursing agent, are identified
in public opinion with supposed specula-
tiOnS in real estate in the territory es-
pecially in connection with town sites, to
an extent out of proportion to their ap-
parent means, and which has led to con-
lectures that they were acting, in some
measure at least, as agents for other
person or persons and 1t has been sug-
gested that Mr. Bixby may have been in
tereSted in their investments"
Whereas; sthe. said inspectors in sum-
marizing their Investigations of the Bro
Sius report say thereof that:
1T in no wise eXaggerateS, however Con
the contrary, 1t rather understates) the
Objectionable features of the administra-
tiOn of public affairs in the territory and
its specific allegations respecting federal
officials are substantially true.
And further clearly intimate that action
on the part of the department is required
''in the cases of Commissioners Bixby
Breckenridge and Needles. and of Mr.
Aylesworth and Mr.. H. V. V. Smith,
And in conclusion say and recommend:
"Third-The conditions existing at
present in the Indian territory are ex-
ceedingly unfortunate. They involve i'm
minent danger of ruin to the genuine In
dian population and profound discredit to
the United States excite reasona bic dis
content on the part of all classes of the
population, and demand prompt and dras-
tic remedies on the part of congress.
"Fourth-the commission to the Five
Civilized Tribes can be abolished with ad-
vantage, the remaining work of allotment
intrusted to the Indian inspector and that
of enrolment committed to the citizen
ship court
And whereas. congress has failed to take
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