New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-11-01
LOl THE POOR 0SAGES
HASKELL. WON'T DOWN.
Addresses 4notker Long Letter to
the President.

Guthrie. Okla. oct 2s-The following letter sent
h. cc.e-no- Haskell 10 President Roosevelt. under
cate Of Guthrie October q, VAS made public here
today
The Hon. Theodore Roosevelt. President. Wash
Sir: in Sestembe- called your attention to com
plant al the renewal or the oil lease on oS1teo
acres Of Usage Indian tribal lands Aoo lshore1
on October < having further pressure for in
ana saSSnr ssoeTtained fha: from the osaees be
Ing our citizens IT was any duty beyond QUESTION ,
particular lsn6s. explanation as TO what sood
reason IL any. there might have been Tor the re
newRi OF the lease st conditions fixed by you, on
that date made the formal demand OF you an VIII
On October the Acting Secretary of the IN
.erfor, writing, as Re stated on account OF your
vc1 had nothing 10 do with the lease, eH-
cepl fixing the compensation that the land owners
were To- receive. I not satisfied with the an
swer. Secsuse that was the very thing we Oh
censaticn - the land owners, which was ne real
on October 70 i answered you. referring TO the
Interior Departments explanation and stating 10
a. That sou had refused TO give the Osages an
opportunity 10 produce evidence before you to
show the amount % compensation justly due to
snl That the oil fiesd CT which their lands were
where royalties ana bonuses 10 Land were
established by long practices and precedents
al that time entitled 20 least 10000 cash
bonus and onesixth royalty.
gi That the Indian Territory Illuminating oil Com
psay. subsidiary Of the Standard oil Company,
as the assignee OF the original Foster lease.
hy subletsas this same Usage property TO operat-
sug companies. receiving much more bonus
the lend on a one-eiEith basis
fel That against the original judgment of the
Department Of the Interior and upon the request
oi Messrs. Guffey. Barnsdale. Senator De1ew and
other wei known agents of the Standard on Com
psry. You bad granted an extension OF the lease
on this sSaooo acres o. land az the grossly made.
Pursuing duties 10 The Usage Indians. as
~ HnE- -rr-a= hat
that lease 20 the end that the Usage Indians might
have an opportunity 10 receive. by competitive bids
tee, lands which they could readily obtain equal
ers 10 fhe n5TtS east and south Of their lands
from your Secretary Of state:
&C. n. Haskell Governor % Oklahoma.
Sir: Your letter Of October z. Is9S TO the Pres-
Gent OF the United States. and signed by you as
81 % safa rh es fse1 aSs With 10 the
conduct Of correspondence between the President
The character Of this communication. which I
understand IN he mainly false and which ] per
eeive 30 be wholly insolent, Is such that | am
forced 10 regard it 4 device TO attract from the
President for the purpose of personal CONTROVERSY
receive personally Respect for the State of Okla
signing such ietter over your title Governor,
stance OF the communication precludes any further
''A'-'' ''''''s % - "ELIHU; ROOT"
regret that nav duty forces me; Mr.. President
to decline have this injustice 30 two thou
Eand ctizers o. state disposed OF by side step
our Secretary OF State saws am insoIent. Mr.
President, II honest adherence 10 my duties Is IN
science then let il he insolence. but that absurd
statement from your Secretary OF state will not be
accepted substitute for Sl5,esl0eo or s2oe"Vo
sue SO OsaEe Indians.
Nr President >-our Secretary Of State says my
for tie purpose Of personal controversy degree
Of notice which J could probably not receive per
Mr. President st IS fnmaterial to ne what con.
srotion your s4cretary 81 state oeSF es 10 puf
10 not seek prominence but I do sees justice IoT
iom9aae to benefit TO the extent of So 900 900
y20eaaOno honestly due TO the OsageS. simply be
Indeed Mr. President this expression from the
Secretary Of State IS ludcrous In view Of the iad
you some tro weeks ago deseended rom me IN.
digipty that your predecessors had eSablisled Tor
the high oflce President and sought 10 carry me
down with you 1" the ieEei OF Pe''S
politics -. a,-o.,.. from, the highest respect
IN +i9a lard 10 The lowest practices has never been
pausiled in the exteEt OF SIS fluctuations OF ms
80 site Secretary OF State might have advised
you a that time TO yolr OWL n, ,s LAW ofce in
Y ali Street. where he has guided the gre3test CT.
ra-etio1s OF ia lane with his advice. would doubt
les then have saved YOU from the Illumination
that YOUR reckless and unreliable pohucaI asso-
Sui aside with political discussions The CUES
ton IF whether the Usage Indians shan hase me
sa~anf land owners acting upon their own behalf
are able 10 OBTAIN. whether We shall permit 10Y
- make the STANDARD Oil Company present or
the greater part Of these oil values, IS business
7 represent the personal rights and Interests OF
she Oeages because they citizens o. Okiaholld
You are simply the chief guardian q these par
sfcs.lar lands Justice TO the Osages requires "
es..-I1a-io-, % che lease which You have mace
without their knowledge or consent anu VIII
--esnect 10 YOUR high office. the most gene"
,.o.-.--,cfio-, / cc.d put upon your act would oe
ts.t tj,at tease was made through ignorance OF
conditions or undue haste al the soncitSol 81 'lS
agencies above referred to- - - ~
- Il he considered settled finally you Wlll
either cancel that lease yourself Or tte stiloii'
~ IKE state Of Oklahoma VIII present ne
., CONGRESS- as soon il sssem bias. ana see u 1iat
80 I'm 10 deaf 10 a righteous demand foT Jus
.luH 'S.;,,.o-.1-, ,-o,rrs G Y. HASKELL
les- S'''NSi'-- Governor.