Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-23
TAFT THEIR FRIEND
Is Anxious to Help Indians in
All Possible Ways.
OPPOSES REOPENING ROLLS
Porto Rico May Soon Be Given a
New Constitution.

Characterizing the reopening Of Indian
citizenship rolls as another Pandora q
box performance, President Taft has
written a letter to Richard G.. Adams OF
this city. the representative of the Della
ware Indians placing himself squarely
on record against any such proceeding.
The House committee on Indian affairs
has been for some weeks considering the
reopening OF the rolls Of the five civilized
tribes in Oklahoma. Letters indicating
alarm were sent here by leading Indians
and on their request Representative Crea-
ger and Mr.. Adams called on the Presi-
dent, who assured them Of his personal
interest in the Indians. President Taft g
letter, dated yesterday, follows:
Your letter deals with the question OF
claims of Indians against the government
or course, l am In favor Of facilitating
the hearing OF those claims as much as
possible and I am opposed to the reopen
ing Of the Indian citizenship roll. 1t seems
TO me 1t would be like opening a Pan
dora's box. Exceptional cases that pre-
sent greater equities might be considered
by special legislation.
I'm conclusion. 1 can only say that nc
one Is more anxious than I am to close
out these Indian disputes and put the In
dams on the basis Of other citizens, in &c
far as 1T is possible to do so without ex'
posing those who are uneducated and un
able to look after, their own interests te
the fraudulent manipulation of unprin
cipled persons"
For Porto Rican Citizenship.
Representatives Olmsted and Crum-
packer of the House committee on in.
sular affairs were in conference with
the President today as to the Porto
Rican bill reported from their commit.
tee comforting a constitution and citi'
zenship upon the people Of the island
The bill, il it becomes law, will take
the place Of the Foraker act, which was
the organic law Of the island. The
President is deeply concerned as to CIV
| ing the island laws that will be popular h;;,
with some changes, enacted:
1t is the purpose OF Chairman Ohm
ste1 to recall the bill. and give it add
reported and passed by the House. The
Senate is waiting upon the House bill.
and II legislation does not crowd toe
badly in the last days OF the session the
Porto Rican bill may get through.
Foster ". Brown. a republican lawyer
| Of Chattanooga, is to be made attorney
general Of Porto Rico.
Secretary Nagel introduced to President
| Taft Official scientific representatives Of
Great Britain. France and Germany. who
/ are InSSllu8 nero VIII W. NJ oeAoS
| ton, head Of the bureau Of standards, tt
determine upon an International unit o.
electricity that will be used by scientists
| all over the world.
| Several conferences have been held priol
| to this, but the one which began today /!
expected to definitely settle the question
| To the scientific world the meeting Is o.
vast Importance The foreign represents
tives are Prof. r. E. Smith of the ma
tional physical laboratory of Great Brit
ain, Prof. William Yeager OF the same
institution In Germany and Prof. Ii
| Porte Of France
Andrew Russell. treasurer of Illinois
was introduced to the President today b!
Representative Mckinley. B. b. O'Neal
| republican state chairman of Idaho, VA
at the White House with Representative
| Hamer.