The Washington times., 1906-06-12
PASS INDIAN BILL
AFTER HARD FIGHT
TiIIman and La Toilette
Lead Opposition.
SUGGESTIONS OF GRAFT
Charged That Measure Deprives 1000
Choctaws ard Chickasaws of Their
Rights, Worth $4,000 Each.

The conference report on the Indian
appropriation bill was adopted by the
Senate after one of the remarkable and
sensational debates of the session. Sen
ators Tillman and La Toilette led the
fight against il, which began on Satur-
day and occupied nearly all of yester-
day. They declared that the bill was
full of scandalous injustices and worse,
and made charges which suggest graft
right IN 10 the doors OF the private Of
fees OF the Dawes commission.
The conferees had written into their
report a provision which Senator La
Toilette on Saturday charged would shut
out over 1000 Choctaw and Chiekasaw
Indians from their valuable rights as
members of the tribesrights, worth
about 5000 each.
It was shown that these cases have
been in litigation for over a decade.
These Indians have carried on their
fight before courts, tribunals, and com
mission, and won at every point. The
Thompson test case was decided only
this spring, in their favor. Yet, de
legislation proposes now TO deprive
them OF the fruits OF their victory.
All for One Law Firm.
And all this, LaFoIlette indicated. in
the interest of a firm of lawyers, who
get a big percentage on all claims whose
rejection they secure-thS rm OF Mans
field. McMurray & Corn a, of MacAles-
ter, I. T.
Mr.. President" said Senator LaFol-
lette. II do not know that this firm OF
attorneys have been about the Capitol,
or that they appeared before the con-
ferees to secure the incorporation Of
= this amendment in the conference re-
port. cut though they may not have
been within a thousand miles of the
Capitol when this provision found its
way into the conference report. If 1t
is adopted 1 predict that they will
present a bill TO the Indians for a fat
attorneys fee of several hundred thou
sand dollars for having secured this
legislation. And when the Secretary
bars their way to the collection OF their
claim, n bill Will be presented to the
Senate overruling the Secretary and
providing for payment Of the fee"
Strikes Near Dawes Commission.
Mr.. President, I am not prepared 10
assert that there is any connection be-
tween the firm of attorneys who are
after enormous fees and any public Off
cial. But upon this very day I have re-
ceived information which 1 believe il 70
be my duty TO lay before the Senate in
connection with this proposed legislation.
in the month Of June. 1903, I am inform
ed. the present assistant TO the Commits
siOner to the Five Civilized Tribes. and
VINO at that time was chief clerk TO the
Dawes Commission. was given leave Of
absence for a month or so; that during
that month ne went into the offices OF
the firm of Mansfield, McMurray & Cor
nish and was employed there briefng
their cases for the exclusion OF Indians
from these rolls. Some of these cases,
am Informed, will be affected by this
amendment II it is adopted; and. sir. il is
asserted that he then came back to the
office Of the Dawes Commission and pro-
ceeded 10 the consideration of the very
cases which he had briefed up and pre-
pared for the commission, the findings
which determined whether these Indians
were entitled TO be entered upon the
rolls"
After some further discussion, the con-
ference report vas put TO a vote and
adopted All the Republicans except la
Toilette and SpConer voted for IL, and all
the Democrats except Teller opposed Il. :