The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-25

the claims of attorney McAIurray for fees due
for alleged services to the Choctaw and
Chickasaw Indians, and in further intimating
that members of both the House and Senate were
interested in opening the way for the collection
of immense sums from these wards of the Ma
ton. according 10 the contracts, is stated to
condition that for several years could not be
touched without giving forth a stencil.
Without going into detail the situation sim
ply is that these tribes of Indians are due I'M
mcnse sums from The Government for lands be-
longing to them. which the government appro-
priatcd in a way analogous to that by which any
sovereignty condemns private properly. 10 col
lect this money and distribute it among those
entitled required scarcely more than the services
of a careful clerk McMurray and other West
ern attorneys. however utilized the situation to
make legal questions, and to bring suits, where
no real cause for such proceedings existed. They
we're to be compensated, i'll proportion to the
''recoyerv" obtained, in accordance with con-
tracts made with the Indians. This compensa-
ton. according to the contracts, Is stated to
range for from 81, 900, 900 to SIG 100000.
The saving clause however, has been that, with
out Government appropriation. there could be no
recovery and in the interest of justice to
the Indians Senator Gore has insisted upon a
provision stopping the payment of lawyers tees
until they shall have been passed upon by Con
gress. 1t was only when this provision was
endangered that he made the charges of attempt
cd bribery Of himself, coupled with the sensa-
tional intimation that other members of Con
grcss have welded to the influences which he
claims that he spurned.
Unless we are much mistaken. a searching in
vestigation Of the Gore charges will result in a
safutarv disclosure OF widespread corruption.
The blind Senator has shown himself TO be the
best thing in his State He has been clean, able,
and evidently sincere. He is not the man to
make n wanton charge and the fact that he
makes one so essentially sensational in this in
stance is evidence in itself that he has good
ground for bringing the charges. Evidence out
side OF anything he may say is that this whole
matter Of dealing with the Nations wards has
been open from the beginning to suspicion of
faint. In fact, no less person than ex-Sen-
ator Butler, of North Carolina, became involved
in an Indictment for criminal libel and damage
suits to boot, brought by State Republican Chair
man Adams on account of charges preferred by
Butler that Adams while Judge of a Western
court of claims had profted by monies paid
him by these same interested parties in con
sideration of decisions rendered. The facts that
Butler was doubtless aggrieved to see an oppor
tunitv vanish before his eyes and without his
participation. and that Adams won in court q
technical victory, only to lose his advantage on
appeal, does not, through the mere fact of the
character of the participants in that squabble, al
all tend to clarity the situation.
/ In the midst Of much smoke, Senator Gore has
been able, though blind, to point the direction
of the flames. 1t is TO be hoped that there vii
be a thorough and unsparing search for the facts
whatever may result, aud without respect 10 tho
persons who may he burnt.