The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-09-09
ON INDIAN CONTRACTS QUOTES
CONGRESSIONAL RECORDS ON
NATURE OF AMENDMENTS.
IS NOT PARTISAN ACTION
Members Of Both Houses Opposed and
Denounced the Amendment Offered
by the oklahonan-Amons Them
Prominent Republicans.

Vernon, Sept. 5.-Congressman
John II. Stephens has given out the
following statement
Last weeks paper contained state
ment from Congressman MCGUIRE in
regard TO the McMurray Indian con
tract, in which he says that:
"Mr. Stephens only raised a ques
ton on the amendment | (McGuirel
handed to Mr.. Tawney. My amend
ment provided that individual con
tract must have the approval of the
president and secretary OF the inter.
ior."
Unfortunately for Mr.. Mcclure, this
statement of his amendment is not
correct in two respects. The Congress
sional Record shows that June %,
1910, he handed his amendment to an
amendment No. 146, to Mr.. Tawney
and it is as follows, viz:
And all cont! acts heretofore
made by the individual members
OF said nations affecting the tri-
bal property shall be approved by
the secretary of the interior and
the president at such rate of COM
pensation as they may determine.
In the first place, it is clear from
this quotation that Mr. Mcclure has
misconceived the effect of his amend
ment. This amendment clearly applies
to all contracts heretofore made; this
word heretofore" would relate back
and thus cover the individual con
tracts McMurray had already made
with the Choctaw and Chckasaw In
dians, and if approved as provided for
~ the Mcclure amendment would
have netted him several millions OF
dollars on the 10 per cent basis.
In the second place, Mr. Mcclure in
his statement says that his amendment
handed Mr. Tawney provided that in
divdual contracts must have the ap-
proval of the President and secretary
OF the interior
This is not true, but this language
was used and is found in his amend
ment and is as follows: And all con
tracts heretofore made by the indi-
vdaul members of said nations affect
ing the tribal property shall be ap-
proved by the secretary of the interior
and the president at such rate of com
pensation as they may determine"
This is the exact language of the
amendment and Ne is mistaken when
he says his amendment was worded
otherwise.
This snglase is plainly mandatory
and would leave the president no dis
erection to approve or reject the Nc
Murray contracts but wSpld have
forced him to approve them all.
Mr. Mcclure says truthfully that I
am unwilling to leave the approval of
these contracts to the president and
secretary of the interior. | do not be-
lieve these outrageous contracts
should be subject to any approval at
all.
This McMurray-McGuire amendment
was offered while the appropriation
bill was in conference as a substitute
for the Gore senate amendment No.
lac, and which is as follows:
Provided that all contracts af-
fecting the tribal money and prop
erty of the said tribes or nations
(Choctaws and Chickasaws) shall
be null and void until the same
are approved by congress.
This amendment was put in the bin
)y Senator Gore when it passed the
senate and was disagreed TO in con
erence of the two houses on the bill |
md the substitute mentioned above
vas offered therefor. this substitute
5 as follows:
Provided that all contracts here
after made by said nations or eth
er of them shall be null and void
until approved by the secretary of
the interior and the president. and
all contracts heretofore made by
CONTINUED ON PAGE EIGHT