The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-06-26
WILL SAF FECUARD
LAND Of INDIANS
Stir Created by Senator Cores
Charges Leads to Some New
Legislation.
INVESTIGATION ORDERED
CONCERNING LAND SALES
Oklahoma Senator Says Ques-
ton of Probing Bribery At
tempt Up to Senate.
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
WASHINGTON. June 25.-The senate
today adopted resolution introduced
by Mr.. Gore, directing an inVesti"atlon
into the sale Of asphalt and coal lands.
The inquiry is to be conducted by the
senate committee on Indian affairs ana
is to determine whether there ls ANY
necessity for the employment of speclal
counsel or agents in connection WIN
lands belonging to the Choctaw ana
Chickasaw tribes, and, If the employment
of such counsel is necessary, Whether
a fee of 10 per cent is reasonable.
Senator Cores charges IN connectlon
with Indian affairs in Oklahoma are
not confined to those made against u
F. McMurray, an Oklahoma lawyer
When the senator made his appearance
in the senate today he said, IN private
conversation, that another attorney had
been making efforts to have about ~
900 negroes enrolled, which, ne saldI
would net tho promoter S25,O0o,ooo or
$50 100000 if permitted to be pertecIed.
Need of Investigation.
uOh,' said the senator, Hthere are
several dcns of wolves In that state,
I hesitate to go into the matter as III
ought to be done, but some one ough'
to do it,
He had not decided whether he would
bring the new charge to the attention
of the senate.
While the senator was discussing the
matter, the conferees of the two houses
were engaged in discussing the Okla
homa senator s amendment to the gen
era, deficiency bill. Soon after, ScEa
tor Hale stated the conferees had a'-
ceded to Mr., Cores demand to insert
provision requiring that all contracts
should be approved by congress. >,
tWe have made it even stronger than
Mr.. Gore reduested,' said Mr.. Hale.
siand have put in requirement that
all contracts with the Indians, elthe'
past, present or future. shall be IN,
operative until approved by congress.
The provision agreed upon by the con
ferees read as follows:
"Thau no contract or contracts mere
tofore or hereafter made atrecting the
tribal money and property of the sald
Indian tribes shall be approved until
further action by congress.
Senator Gore said the provision was
entirely satisfactory to him.
Whether there would be an investiga
tion by congress of the allegations yes
terday made by Senator Gore that an
effort had been made to brlbe HIM IN
connection with the claims OF u. +
| McMurray for attorneys fees under
contracts McMurray has with ,the
Choctaw and ChlckaSaw ndtlonS Is
question much discussed In botE
branches of congress today.
Rests With the Senate.
Senator Gore was asked whether h:
intended to follow up his allegations
with formal charges against the mem
bers of the senate and house, whom ne
suspects of having direct interest in the
McMurray contracts.
The Oklahoma senator replied that he
had presented the facts to the senate
and that the responsibility for any pro
ceedings rested upon the senate.
On the other hand. congress leader!
seem to think that Mr.. Gore shouic
file formal charges, or bring resolu
ton demanding an investigation. II
was pointed out that the Oklahoma sen
ator had alleged present member OF
the senate and n present member of th'
house were interested in the McMurral
claims. but that he had not made pub
lie the names OF these men,, He IN
volved also a. former senator from Ne
braska and a former senator from Kan
sas as lobbyists for McMurray. The
names of the men referred TO by Mr.
Gore were we'll known to his colleagues
but there is no suggestion that these
men had performed services that would
necessitate an investigation.
The general deficiency bill, including
the amended provision designed TO safe
guard the Indians against excessive con
tracts, was agreed to by both houses.