Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-11

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.
ARDMORE, I. T.. July 2, 1905.
While none of the Five Tribes of Indian
territory has the wealth of the Osages,
whose reservation is in northern Oklahoma,
very few nations have so much property
per capita. The Osages are by far the
richest people In the world. They not only
have an immense reservation of agricul-
tural and mineral land which is creasing
IN value every day. but the United States
government holds trust funds amounting
to between Ave and six thousand dollars
per capita for them, and pays them per
cent interest seml-annually. They receive
other large revenues from leasing their coal
mines. their Oil lands and their grazing and
agricultural properties. Each Indian re-
ceives comfortable income without being
required to do any labor, and most of them
squander their money and waste it in dis
sipation. while It should be invested for
them or portion Of it at least expended
for educational purposes.
Distributing the Money.
The Five Tribes are not nearly so rich,
out they have great deal of money. and
unless Congress intervenes early in the
coming session these funds will be dis
tributed per capita among the members of
the several tribes when the tribal relations
are dissolved next March, and the money
will be dissipated rapidly. Few of the In
dlans Will receive any good from 1t. Some
OF them save their money, and buy cattle
and other property, few have bank ac-
counts and investments in stocks and
bonds, mortgages and city real estate;
there are banks owned and patronized ex-
clusively by Indians and negroes; but the
average of thrift is no greater than among
the negroes of the south, and not so great
as among the ordinary ignorant classes of
the north. Persons best qualified to ex-
press opinions tell me that not 20 per cent,
and some think that not more than Is per
cent, of the annuites and other cash dis
bursements to the Indians is saved or ex-
pended for any good purpose; that so per
cent, If not more, is dissipated or wasted
by extravaganza or in the qualification Of
WhimS.
The annual disbursement of cash from
various sources amounts to about 81, 100000
year among about $1,000 Indians. includ-
ing men, women and children, which is an
average of about $40 for every one. Last
year 100000 was distributed among the
Choctaws and Chickasaws alone, as the
proceeds of the sale of town sites. There
are about three hundred town sites in the
territory, in which lots are sold to the pub
lie under the direction of the Indian agent,
and the proceeds are distributed in cash
among the members of the tribes.
Leases of Land.
A large amount is received also from
leases of lands for grazing and agricultural
purposes Formerly these leases were
made by the Interior Department for the
benefit of the tribes at large; now, since
the lands have been divided up among the
families, the leases are made individually
subject to the approval of the government.
An owner is permitted to lease his allot-
ment of land for one year for grazing pur-
poses and five years for agricultural pur-
poses. The mineral and oil lands are leased
in the same way There are about $500 Oil
leases, for which the owners of the prop
erty receive a royalty of 10 per cent upon
all the oil produced. OF the coal lands
125 900 acres are leased for a royalty of
eight cents per ton, and 100000 tons were
produced last year. There are altogether
about 100000 acres of coal lands In the
territory which are to be sold for the ben
eft of the tribes. They have already been
offered by the Secretary of the Interior to
the highest bidded, but all of the bids were
rejected.