The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-15
MERELY SEEKS TO
PROTECT INDIANS
La Toilette Says He Does Not Ac.
cuse Senators Of Coal Land
+ Graft Plot.
ByW. w. Jermane,

..-. By w. w. Jern1dno.
Washington, Feb. 15.-While Senator
La Toilette is credited with having dis
the bill for the disposal Of coal lands in
credit to himself on that score. He is,
indeed, very mild in his statements con-
corning the proposed legislation in the
form in which it is now pending be-
fore the senate committee on Indian
affairs. He said today:
II regret that my name should have
coverer Of anything in the bill which
would work injury to the Indians, or
rather prevent them from getting their
just dues. It is true that [ do not like
the proposed legislation in its present
form. This must not be understood,
however,, as intimating that anything
| which would work injury to the In.
dams was put in there knowingly by
any senator.
| "The principal objection have to
| the proposed law, is to that provision
empowering the appointment Of com
mission to appraise the lands. Expe-
rience with appraisals of Indian lands
and Indian timber, notably in Mime
sofa, has demonstrated that the Indian
sell dom gets what his property is worth.
l should favor some other way of dis
| posing OF tneSe coal ldnQS. Et.1EF
Corporations Safeguards.
"Another. reason for nay opposition
appraisal is that according to my in
formation the corporate influences dom
mating Indian Territory would take
good care that they did not get the
worst of it in any deal looking to the
disposal Of the lands and minerals.
One corporation in particular Is said
to be in complete control Of the coal
land leases now in force, and certainly
it's representative on the commission
would look out for the interests Of that
railroad.
81 am sitting in the committee on
Indian affairs as beginner, and other
members appear to have more informa-
ton on this subject than myself. I am
simply giving my view Of the case,
and say again that I am not making
any charges against anyone in connec'
ton with this legislation.
Those who are in position to know
say that the agitation about the coal
land amendment is due to attorneys
representing some of the Indians, WHO
have been advising the Indians and
want to gain control of the lands, OF
who want to be in a. position to die
tate the prices at which the lands are
to be sold. Some years ago they sub
, mitted proposition to the interior de-
partment to have the lands disposed
of by a commission composed Of one
, member each of the Choctaw and Chick
asaw bands, on whose reservations the
member. This proposition was rejected
because it did not give the secretary
/ Of the interior or anyone in authority
here any power in the matter of select
/ ing these lands, and because it would
leave the commission subject to bat
/ influences among those who would want
, to get land for little or nothing.
' The secretary Of the interior and In
: dian Commissioner sLeu:pp indorse thu
, been said, as it gives the secretary alb
solute power in fdisposing, Of the lands
l leaving with him the decision whethe
the prices offered are reasonable.
{, Senator Clapp's View =.
a Officials Of the interior department
say that If an amendment offered by tn
9 sub committee goes thru, it will protec
I the Indians fully. This amendment wa
! Cumber. The subcommittee puts tn
u sale of coal lands in the hands Of tn
! secretary of the interior. Senate
Clapp said today:
y "All this cutlery is being made b
. parties who want to get control of cos
3 lands in the territory, and who won
+ be able to do it under the provisions O
s the bill as it has been presented to tn
a full committee. The whole matter j
in a tentative stage and will be take
upby the full committee and disposed o
the Indians and not to the speculator
who are trying to get these lands. Til
question before the committee is whetl
er the commission to appraise the land
shall be appointed by the president, q
one member by the secretary, one b
the present lessees, and the other b
them or a judge or court"