The San Francisco call., 1904-03-08
SAYS OFFICERS
ARE DISTRUSTED
Report of Bonaparte and
Woodruff Show Deplorable
Affairs in Indian Territory
PEOPLE ARE SUSPICIOUS
Commission Recommends a
Change of Form in the Ad-
ministratiOn of the Laws

WASHINGTON, March THE Pres
ident to-day transmitted to Congress
a report of Charles j. Bonaparte and
Clinton Rogers Woodruff in the mat
ter of irregularities in Indian Terri
tory.
The report is accompanied by let
ter from Secretary Hitchcock to the
President concurring as to the refer
ences to the Federal officials and asking
for a conference with the President re-
garding them at the earliest practical
moment, and saying he will later con-
slider the proposed sweeping changes in
the organization and administrative
methods which require much new legis-
lation and possibly the negotiation of
supplemental agreements with the In
dians Secretary Hitchcock adds that
the baseless impression reported to
have obtained in the Indian Territory
as to the practice and procedure in
the department relative to appeals is
not surprising in view of the "atmos-
phere of suspicion and calumny which
pervades the Territory" He says, how
ever:
1T is to my mind questionable
whether it were not better to bear the
Ills we have than to submit vast in
terests, involving the homes and prop
erty rights of so many thousands of
poor and ignorant people who are de-
pendent upon and entitled to the spe-
cial protection of the Government, to
the sole and final arbitrament of local
official"
He says 1t is confidently expected
that the Dawes commission will finish
it's work not later than a year from
next July, in view of which the Gov
ernment should hesitate to enter on
perimental character.
LANDS ARE MANIPULATED.
| The report says that the Brosius
charges that the trust companies are
manipulating Indian lands were made
in good faith and continues:
Conditions prevailing in the Indian
| Territory at the present time are alto
gether abnormal Multitudes of cor
porations have sprung UP there as de-
|
and methods of large proportion OF
! these corporations are such as to make
| it obviously improper for Federal off,
! GERS in the territory and especially fol
( members of the commission to hold
their stock.
There are undoubtedly other corpora
tions engaged in legitimate business
| but a censorious and uncharitable pub
| lie opinion, IN the territory and else
where does not discriminate accurately
/ between the two classes, and when 1t is
known that member of the commits
! sion has placed large sums of money
| in the stock of various trust companies
| and corporations of like character he
! becomes, however unjustly in fact
! identified in the public mind with the
/ principles and practices of the disrepu-
table and unscrupulous spectators who
| have there brought discredit on all en-
| terprises."
| Speaking of the present situation in
the Territory, the report says that the
real Indians who have remained In
| dians, constituting scarcely one-twen-
tieth of the whole number of the inhab-
| itants, are rapidly decreasing in num-
bers. not dying from disease or vice
but because the future holds out nc
prospect for them. The report notes
the profound discomfort existing among
the white people of the Territory and
the very general want of confidence In
public officials.
ruANCEC ARE pROPOSEn