The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1911-12-18
CARTER ARRAIGNS
TRIBAL DELEGATES
Ardmore Man Says The Chiefs Are
Acting in the Best of
Faith.

Washington, d. c., Dec. 17.--Claim-
ing that the tribal officials of the Choc-
taws and Chickasaws who are in Wash
ington fighting the bill providing for
the sale of the surface of the Choctaw
and Chickasaw segregated coal and as
phalt lands, do not represent the
wishes of Indians they claim to, Rep
resentatiye Carter, of Oklahoma Sat
urday created sensation in the hear
ing being conducted by the house In
dian affairs committee.
Representative Carter went after the
opponents of the measure rough shod
and called spade a spade, and from
the broad inferenees drawn from his
remarks, members of the committee
were led to believe the officials fought
tre disposal of the Indian lands in or
der to perpetuate their jobs.
Mr.. Carter pointed out the deplorable
conditions caused by the present un-
salable condition of the surface of the
segregated minfral land He declared
that the vast mineral rights should
not be sold now ON account of the bad
condition of the market and that If
they were the Choctaw and Chickasaw
tribes would make claim against the
federal government for the difference
in the value and tbApurchase price
The Oklahoma congressman declared
II after four years experience in con
gress trying to get the sale of the sur
face and the mineral rights, he with
the majority of the Indians, had con
cluded that this would be impossible
and wanted the sale Of the surface i'm
mediately.
Scores Tribe OfficaIis.
He then paid his compliments to the
tribal officials as follows
Even since this committee has met
for the consideration of this bill, it
has had before It these tribal chiefs,
delegates and attorneys, vigorously
protesting against this bill
with all due Difference to these so
called tribal officials, / must object to
their statement that they represent
any Indians in Oklahoma. Let us
analyze the source of their power and
we will see that 1t does not come from
the people. Every one of them is a
direct creation OF the interior depart
ment The chiefsef the Choctaws. was
appointed by the president upon the
Recommendation of the secretary of
the interior and not a single Choctaw
citizen has any more to say about his
Iascendancy to the chieftaincy than a
Hottentot in Africa has to say who
shall be the czar OF Russia.
McMurray is Present.
The tribal delegates and attorneys
were appointed by the chief. who. bear
in mind, was appointed by the secre-
tary of the interior All, but says the
chief, true, | appointed these men but
their salaries had to be provided by our
tribal council AS the tribal council
stands there is not a single member
elected for the term he now serves.
so the committee has objections to
this bill by Indians representing who?
Nobody on Gods green earth but them
selves, and the interior department
Yet the interior department has itself
approved Of this bill which they are
now fighting.
Il see IL. McMurray is present. /
want to refer to some contracts which
he had several years ago These con-
tracts gave him a percentage Of the
price which these lands brought.
simply want to call attention to the
fact that all these persons who fovored
the McMurray contracts, have contin-
ually opposed many bills, which have
been introduced and pushed for pas
sage providing for the sale of the coal
and minerals, both"