The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-04-17
MILLIONS
In TRUST
EVERY OSAGE INDIAN
IS w ORTIZ
$4,000.
UNCLE SAM AS TRUSTEE
Tribe Wants Its Land and
Money Divided.


Washington. April i7.-It is estimated
that every man. woman ana child in the
osage ndian nation. IN Oklahoma. is
worth today al least $4,000 The devei-
opmcnt of The oil and mineral resources.
fowcvcr may add to this sum 10 years
10 COME The nation has almost $4,000. {
600 on deposit with Uiicie sam AS truss
toe and 100000 acres ~ land. All or
which = to be distributed pro rata
among the 1900 members of the nation.
Il Che 0sage bill. reported By the house
commiltec yesterday. Is enacted.
Representative Curtis Of the commit
tee prepared sttaemcnt to accompany
the COMMITTEES report reviewing the e.
foris Of the Osagos to secure distri-
button of shelr tribal fumes and land. and
commenting upon the bin which has been
recommended The statement Is as fol-
lows:
For several years the Osage tribe Of
Indians OF Oklahoma has been consid-
ering the question Of asking the govern
ment to divide It's lands and moneys
among the members OF the tribe In an
contests for the election OF officers Ia
Ibis tribe ths question has been an issue.
For the past two years these Indians
have virtually agreed that their lands
and moneys should be 5.Nided. but they
have been unablo 70 agf 3 s9on a plan
of division untl this year The bin
which your committee herewith reports
was submitted to tha Osages ~ the
last general election held by them. and IL
was adopted hy an factions Of the tribe.
II was brought TO Washington By dele
rates representing those factions. sub
mitted to the secretary Of the Interior
for MS consideration. ana the committee
has given the measure very careful con-
sideration and recommends Its passage
with the amendments suggested by the
department. an- also with some amend
ments which the committee thought
should be agreed upon"
object Of the BILL
The object Of the bin Is 10 provide
measures for making rolls " me tribe
and for equally dividing the lands among
the members who are entitled TO en-
rollment giving each his fair share IN
acres as nearly as possible The bill pro-
hibits The sale or disposition Of the lands
for twenty-five years, except a section
added which would authorize any mem-
Der who felt himself aualihed to trans
act his own business, TO file application
with the secretary, and II the secretary
upon investigation concludes that such
member is qpalihed, then he Is author
lied to Issue certificate which VIII en-
able the applicant TO sell his surplus
lands. which become at once subject 10
taxation
The bill, as presented by the Indians.
asked for the reservation OF the oil gas,
coal ana other mineral lands to the tribe
IN common for twenty-five years. They
also asked that the leases made 10 James
5. Glenn aud George l.. Craig be rati-
fed and that The Foster leases be ex-
tended 50 as 10 maze them an run foi.
a period OF twenty five years. The de-
partment recommended against this part
Of the coal section. and your committee
has adopted the recommendations OF the
department The BIN as reported re-
serves the mineral lands Tor the use Of
the trioe for the period Of twenss -nvc
years and authorizes mineral leases by
the tribal council to be approved By the
secretart OF the Interior under such rules
and regulations as ne may prescribe
The bin makes ample provision for the
maintenance Of schools and the trihal
government II also seis aside lands
for school purposs and donates lands Ia
schools already 10 exlaience. There ore
about 1900 Indians of whom about sn,
arc hais-breeds. on are So designated ana