The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-08-05

the Indians wanted these contracts
to have the approval Of congress, or
in other words, the president aud
the interior department placed the re
spousibuity OF the approval Of the con
tracts upon congress.
Senator Gore said nothing abou,
the proposition that had been made
to him for about six weeks ana
then used IT only when it scene
tha. he was forced to do so TO pre-
vent the approval OF the contracts.
The democratic representative in
congress from Oklahoma was opposed
to the approval of the contracts and
republican congressman Creager held
the same apoinion as the democrats.
The powerful influence that was
being brought TO bear upon congress
was about The result in the approval
of the contracts when the Gol
charge stampeded the law makers
and the contracts have not the stamp
of approval of the United States.
There is but one sane view 90 Do
taken of the question from the stand
point of "a congressman. The govern
ment has undertaken to do certain
things for the Indian and it woulG
really be silly for the congress to
allow an attorney a fee for doing
something that congress should take
hold of freely and do That is al"
standpoint from which a congressmal
should view the matter and it is the
view that congress took.
But the question with the Indian
is, will the congress carry out its
obligation, and the red man has a
right to be suspicious Of the United
States. Take for instance the case
OF the Ute Indians in Colorado. They
had the solemn promise of the Unit
ed States that when their lands were
SUN uH' HphtS SHOulu Nc gwen ~
them. The lands were sold and the
governments departments never kept
any record of the price the land
brought and not a penny was ever
placed to the credit of the Ute in
dians, and to this good day they
have never received penny for
their lands. This instance is only
one of "A hundred just like it, The
Indian has a right to ask if the GOV
ernment is good pay. The INDIAN dep
relation claims against the Unitet
States have only in few instances
| been paid. The Chickasaw and Choc
taw Indians are now trying to col
loct moneys that the government ha
owed them since 1865 and they arr
paying onG\alf of all their attorney
recover. From the standpoint of tn
Indian, he can we'll afford to Civ
! McMurray the contracts. 1t is be-
i ter for the Indian to give ten pc
cent now and get his money instea
OF waiting for another geneatio
or so and then pay fifty per cen
to get his money collected.
The merit of justness of the con
} tracts, however, have nothing to d
- with the investigation OF the briber
charges. When it is known tina
there was represented a fee o; thre
+ millions or more on the one sid
and when men like Senator Gore ah
Congressman Creager on the otG.
talk, there is but one conclusion f,
the people to reach. and that col
clusion is that Senator Thomas Pr.
or Gore is telling the truth Is h
understood it.
1t does seem that the McMurra
contracts should be binding withol
- the stamp of approval by tie Uni
ed SD'ls congress. The Indian oi.l
to have Lis money In tH, light {
past cveats he will not &c, it an
from the standpoint of The lnd,d
he IS doub'y justified in cnrtrl'ln
with some pers IN to collect MOI
ey ;Or him. Congress should De mo,
, careful about the obligations of IN
, United States. Down in oN'aGl.