The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1912-08-08
AGREE TO
ABOLISH
AGENCIES
Carter and Stephens WiH
Long Fight in Con-
ference


Washington, d. q. Aug S-Not only
viii the expenditures in the admins
tration Of the five CIVILIZED tribes be
restricted to appropriations in the
4 general Indian appropriation bill soon
to be passed hby congress, but proyis-
ion has just been made whereby all
the Indian agents III Oklahoma shall
be Topped from the federal pay rolls,
These two big points were Won by
Rep Carter Of Oklahoma and Rep.
/ stephens OF Texas, two Of the house
conferees on the measure who, with
Rep Burke Of South Dakota, Senators
Clapp. Chamberlain and Gamble, adj
iusted the differences in the Bill as it
passed the house and as it passed the
senate
The Indian appropriation bill as It
passed the house was considered the
most reasonable and the best from
the Indians standpoint that has been
passed IN many years, because Of the
savings It effected. For the five tribes
the house measure carried sl5O0OO,
but the senate, before it got through
with the measure, had increased the
amount for the general conduct of the
five tribes about 100000. The house
conferees standing pat for economy
finally got this amount greatly reduc-
ed. Tie senate provision Of 100000
for conduct Of the schools in those
sections Of the state which might Be
affected by the supreme court tax de-
cision was considered a Just one aud
no attack was made upon it BY the
house conferees.
One Of the important actions decid-
ed upon was that which restricts the
secretary Of interior in the use Of
tribal funds, he being required to hold
his expenditures solely to the salaries
OF 1.-THE tribal officers and attorneys,
tribal payments and schools. When
ever other moneys are spent It win
have to be through specific legislation
by congress and the department can
not continue to spend the Indians
money with free hand as in the past
years and which, incidentally, it has
not neglected to do.
The fight OF the conference was over
the Indian agents. Republicans pre-
sented many petitions from many sec
tions OF the United States, as the IN
direct result Of the erroneous impress
sions Commissioners Valentine created,
protesting the removal Of the agents.
Rep. Carter showed that nothing could
be gained by their retention as their
supervision lay over restricted lands
and these lands could not be sold any
way whether there were Indian agents
or not, titles ia transference being
void because OF the simple fact that
the lands were restricted. lie showed
that the agents had been used to help
the Republicans keep up their politi-
cal machine in Oklahoma. OF course
this argument did not SET well with
the Republican conferees, but it was
so plain that the Indian agents we're
not especially needed that they hardly
dared act other than they did.
Notwithstanding the fact that con.
ferees decided to do away with the
agents it is expected that Commission
er Valentine who has almost moved
heaven and earth to save the agents
scalp, will devise means whereby they
can be retained. The conferees agree
mcnts are practically sure OF adoption
by both the house and the senate.
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