The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-08-14
Witnesses Before COMPRESSION
al Investigating Committee
Have Doubts Regarding the
Ability Of Nations Wards.
MANY INDIANS TELL
STORY ON THE STAND
All of Them Willing McMunay
Should Get 10 Per Cent of
the Proceeds if the Lands
Could Be Sold to Advantage
QUICK ACTION DESIRED

q ULPHJ Il, Okla. Aug. 1S-Wftnesses
/ y testified before the congressional
Indian land investigating commit
tee today that If the Indian lands fn
oklahoma were sold and the E3O.OOO.-
GOO proceeds were turned over to the
Indians in cash. the state within ten
years would be flooded with paupers.
Ii was asserted that many OF the
Indians who signed the MeMurray con-
tracts allowing ten per cent --Htt0r-
uey's Fee 10 j. n. MelIuFrag and his
associates, were irresponsible In finHn-
eial affairs. They would soon squamdeE
the cash, ff WIS declared, and within =
few years the country would be con
fr0nted with the problem Of how 10
take care of them.
Except for the appearance on the
stand OF Cecil A. Lyon, national Repub-
1can committeeman OF Texas, the Wit
nesses today were all Indians.
Mr.. Lyon told of his financial interest
IN the old tribal McMurray contracts
which provided for "a 10 per cent fee,
but which were dlsapprOTed Dy FTeEl-
dent Roosevelt in 1903. lie said he
had talked with President Roosevelt ia
regard 70 the contract
Asked If he had been invited by Nc
Murray 10 join Ia the deal because OF
his political influence and his aCquaint-
ance with the president, Mr.. Lyon said
he supposed ne was, but he also at
tributed the invitation 10 ais business
ability. II was his purpose ha said. az
soon as the contracts were approved by
the president, 10 induce the money Inc
terests OF New y Ork and London 10 buy
the property, which includes about $780,
900 acres OF coal and asphalt lands AS
soon as the president ClsapproVed o.
the contracts. said Mr. Lyon, his con-
nectiOn with McMurray ceased. and he
was not interested in the present con-
tracts.
Would soon spend 1t.
Although he had signed the present
contracts and was willing that McMur-
ray should receive 5000 600 as q Zee
Tor selling the land, and thereby rem
dering service which tha government
had promised 10 do without cost, j. il.
Myers CLlckasaW Indian by inter-
marriage declared that. in his opinion.
many indians would soon spend their
share of the money and become de-
pendents. OF the $4,000 Choctaws ana
the ZOO ChlckasaWs who would share
in the proceeds. many would collect
from $4,000 90 $4,000 each.
Instead of using this money 10 im-
prove the farms on which they live and
which they would sttl retain after
their surplus lands were disposed Of a
great many would soon be parted from
their cash. rs that not sO." asked
Representative c.. 3D. Miller
Yes, in ten years lot of them
wouldn't have anything" was the reply.
They would become paupers and with
the national government no longer 20
look TO, they would become "a charge
on the state. In dispensing of the lands,
Congress ought 10 consider LlaL prob
duillLf- Al tLr same time there sHouI4
be distinction I'm favor of those Eu-
dams who have become thoroughly civ
lllzed and are as able "a white men 10
take care Of their affairs"
Willing 40 Give Up.
Many ChickasaWs testified they were
willing 10 give McMurTsy as high as
% per cent attorneys fees if ir would
sell the land within a year.
do you mean 90 say you would be
willing 10 pay McMurray from So OO0.-
600 To $4,000 600 for doing something
which the government has promised 10
do for nothing" asked Senator Gore
of BENJAMIN DOurlan a Chickasaw.
"Kes, we would, to get quick set
Element"
In the two years since these con-
tracts have been signed, have you
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