New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-08-15
MILKING "POOR To-

The testimony given daily before the
committee Of Congress now in Oklahoma
investigating the McMurray contracts
shows plainly that the members of the
Five Civilized Tribes have been victim
lied right and left by promoters and
agents working on their ignorance and
credulity. The Indian Territory has
been q rich field for grasping attorneys.
who have persuaded the red men that
they can expedite legislation at Wash
ington or prod the government into 90
ing what it ought to do without any cost
whatever to it's Indian charges. The ma
tionaf capital is full of lawyers who
have served the Indians at eXorbitant
rates-often when no service at all was
necessary. The trouble is that the Five
Civilized Tribes have grown rich from
the rapid increase in value of their
tribal holdings. They have more money
than they know what to do with. But
II has been tied up in funds and trusts
and the capital has been carefully
guarded by the federal government. The
average Indian, like the average white
man. is not satisfied to live on his in
come. passing the capital along with ac-
cretions TO the next generation. 1t is
human nature to want to have the full
and immediate use of ones resources,
and the Indian easily falls prey to
LAWYERS who tell him that they can re-
lease his capital at a discount ranging
| from one-ifth up.
Because the Indians are so exceedingly
fhai,. hn1Hino'C have hpan
| doubling in value every ten or twenty
years, they have not felt the drain OF
these excessive fees and commissions
| But they have probably paid out much
more for legal services of questionable
value than many big business corpora
| lions have for advice which has made
or saved hundreds Of millions. 1t is time
that the too open-handed Indians should
| he protected against what amounts to
extortion.
| It was brought out by several of the
native witnesses in Oklahoma that
though they were represented by sal
aried counsel. appointed in accordance
! with laws passed by Congress. they con-
si,Iered such counsel TO he ornamental
rather than useful, and did not depend
Oh them to do the work which the law
required them to do They, therefore.
hired other lawyers on the percentage
plan to do the same work more ex-
peditiously. OF course. the govern
ment's policy of leasing tribal lands, es-
pecially oil and coal lands. and letting
them increase in value initiated against
| the desire of the Indians to realize
| quickly on their possessions. But the
power of outside attorneys to help them
has been grossly misrepresented to them,
and they have willingly paid for some
| thing which was really of trifing value.
| The Indian lands cannot be held in
definitely in trust. for the tribal system
will soon disappear, and each individual
Indian Will have to stand on his own
feet But until the holdings are dis
posed of Congress should carefully
scrutiniZe all transactions with lawyers
on the percentage basis and protect the
Indians from spoliation. Most of Poor
Los" troubles used to come from want
and Indulgence. Now that he is opulent,
| he suffers from the attentions of those
who want to retranslate him from the
| capitaIistic state to the carefree and
pocket empty condition to which he was
| born.