Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-10-12
INTERESTING conference
REPORT OF THE COUNCIL ASKS
FOR ROYALTIES OF ONE
THIRD ON OIL AND GAS.
roo HIGH SAYS SECRETARY
Could Not Lease on Those Terms
Must Protect Indians, but Have
Interests of All in view.

PAWHUSKA, oct l1-(Special)
Surrounded by * of che eight
IN. .efs composing the counsel for the
Usage nation, Assistant Secretary OF
the Interior John Quincy Adams, in
the council chamber Of the Indian
agents office here, the capital of the
Usage nation, heard the Indians side
Of the question of opening the west
rrn half of the nation, composed Of
some 100000 acres, for oil and gas
leasing Besides the secretary and
the members Of the council, the only
persons present We're the superintend-
cnt of the reservation, Hugh Splitter,
and two newspaper men.
The conference was very interest
ing, and in some respects very sgnl-
tIcant 1t is apparent from the att-
tude of Mr.. Adams that the producers
are going to have a hard time per-
srading him that 1t is for the best in
forest Of all concerned that the land
D.. held in reserve for the time being
say They Need Money.
The Usage Indians, to man, are
heartily in favor of leasing the land,
and leasing it at once.
we need the money now" said
one of the councimen, and 1t would
do us more good now that ten years
from now This seemed to be the
prevailing sentiment.
Mr. Adams, accompanied by his
private secretary, arrived in Paw
huska in an automobile from Nelag-
cuy at 2 o'clock in the afternoon He
WAS Immediately escorted to the
agency where the chiefs, dressed in
their tribal costumes, had been gath
ering all day to meet the big chief"
from Washington
OsagcS Make Report.
Little time was lost in launching
at once into the matter that is on
the lips Of every person in Pawhuska
the leasing of the Usage lands. A
report Of a special committee appoint
cI about four months ago by the
Usage council to go into the matter
o., leasing the lands, was presented to
the secretary This committee made
IFS report only a few days ago, and
tri- time, and had not yet been pre-
snfad to the council, although it
win hc tomorrow when the council
viii meet in special session.
This report unequiyocally favored
'ho leasing Of the 100000 acres, but
uudor conditions entirely different
from the so-called Foster lease under
which the east half Of the Usage
nation was leased several years ago,
ard about which there has been much
dissatisfaction expressed by the In
dians
What Report Recommended.
The report recommended that the
land be leased I'm small sections, and
t.at no blanket lease be allowed, It
commended that the tribe be paid
royalty Of one-thrid Of all oil and
gas taken out; that all oil and gas
found be consumed in the Usage ma
ton In order to protect industries In
that section Of the country; and that
a'l companies leasing land maintain
offices IN Pawhuska.
II also recommended that leases
should have the consent of the allotee
before entering on any land. The bal
aucc of the recommendations f,l-
lowed closely those in similar leases
with Governor Ar Brown and Mr.
Adams leading the talk warm dis
,u-sion Of the various terms of the
report was taken up.
Royalties Important Subject.
The matter of royalties was prob
lee 81 fY,rr unt I'D hf.
rotary told the council that there
vauld have to he a decided reduction
from the one-third asked by that
tribe He ntimated that the govern
mcnt could possibly secure a royalty
ur one-slxth, and in some cases pos
Silly more. but that a royalty of one
third was out Of the question.
Of would like TO see YOU get royalty
Of two-thirds." said Mr. Adams "as
the government is anxious to look af-
ter the best interest of the Indian.
hu, II would be impossible to lease
tha land to anyne on these condi-
ti,ne.'
would Cut out Consent.
Tho secretary recommended that
the clause to the effect that the leesee
must procure the consent OF the al
lottep after he has leased the land
from the tribe before he can drill, be
stricken out as that would also i'm
pose a condition that would make It
practically impossible to lease the
land. He said that that was equiv
alent to making the leasee pay for
the lease twice. as under that condi-