The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1909-01-13

u
the Oklahoma Congressional delega
ton on the other over the maintenance
Of the office OF the commissions. tc
the Five Civilized Tribes for anotncl
year at ar expense Of approximately
Si50000. II this appropriation Is
ilade Il will be in the Indian appropIl
alton bill. Commissioner j. George
Wright is appearing before the com.
mittee on Indian affairs almost daily
Low. and so is Commissioner Leupn
VI Wright was summoned TO Wash
ipston before the hold IS. AS men
toned In these dispatchel. and he has
been on the job here practically ever
since at the direction Of the secretary
OF interior. On his information and
testimony the department hopes to
make It's case. And Mr.. Wright Is
making a strong case
Personally il is very doubtful II Mr..
Wright cares whether an appropria.
ton is made or not. He went 10 the
Indian Territory under protest. He
has several times indicated to the sec.
reiary Of interior that he would like
to be relieved from the work in Okla.
homa. And furthermore. if his office
Is abolished II Is understood that he
can have another place in the service
just as good and one that Is more con
genial to him. And further then that
he does not have to have the office.
does not need II and could retire now
with a record Of twenty-five years
government service to his credit And
he could get along yvry well, too. with
out the salary.
The Indian officials are making
their case on the grounds that the un-
finished business Of the commissions
ers office is of such importance as
to Justify It's maintenance another
year at least II was in 1904 that the
first bill passed congress declaring
that this work should be closed with.
in year A similar bill has passed
nearly every year since. Here are
some Of The more important items
which the Indian officials classify as
being under way and important to
close under the present regime The
enrolment and allotment of the Chero-
kee new borns, who were decided to
be entitled under the Muskrat deci
sion. There are over 5000 of them.
They have so far only tentative allot-
ments. The coal and asphalt lands
are yet TO be disposed of, as is the
surplus and timber reserve lands.
All of the tribal buildings, such as
council houses and school buildings,
are yet to be sold. In the matter of
the Indians stricken from the rolls and
restored under the Allison and Colds
by decision there are lots of aIlot-
ments taken by other Indians on lands
to which these Indians are entitled.
These have got to be Strengthened
put. Then there Is the equalization
Of allotments in the nations not yet
begun.
The Indian office officials argue that
.hese matters and hundreds of others
yet unfinished, could not properly be
.urned over to the Indian agent be-
,ause he now has more than he can
10 with justice to himself. They be-
ieye that the present policy should
lot be disturbed until the work is
in details.
The one best guess as to the real de.
ermination of the OkIahomans in con.
'ress to wipe out this office is the
act that the government utilized that
ffiee and scores of its clerks in gath.
ring data for the prosecution of thou
ands OF land title suits. II Is true /
hat the regular work In the commits
toner's office at Muskogee was prac-
lcally stopped for several months and
be time devoted TO gathering informa-
ion on which the writs were founded.
the government continues to use
he commissioners office for such spe
ial work IS this, It might be contin-
ed indefinitely for years and the com
lissioner's work not finished,
The congressional delegation be-
ewes also that this office continued.
leans the dragging along OF work that
light as well be brought to close
ow. They admit there is lots of
-ork yet to be done. but they see
0 reason why II should not be divided
p between the Indian agent at Mus
ogee, the department Of interior at
Washington, and the state courts.
They believe that to close the com
lissioner's office would bring to a II
naIitv A lot of eovarnuant raa 4a..a