The Washington times., 1913-05-25
INDIANS ABUSED, IS
CHARGE OF SENATOR
Oregon Man Declares Public
Funds Are Used Up in SaIa-
ries and Tribes Neglected.

Senator Lane of Oregon threw a
bomb into the Senate Indian Affairs Com
mittee yesterday by reading a lengthy
letter in which he charged grave abuses
in connection with the making up Of
the Indian appropriation bill.
He alleged the Indians were being
victimized in various ways. that appro-
priations supposed to be for their sup
port were eaten up in salaries for Off
cials, that expenditures were made
without any proper warrant and
charged that appropriations covering
hundreds of thousands of dollars go
masquerading about in the bill in mis-
leading titles"
Pointing out that the Indian bill car
ries between 100000 and 100000 and
covers the whole field Of operations of
the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Senator
Lane insisted the appropriations ought
to he worked out carefully in accord
ance with complete estimates and veri-
fied statements of the purposes and OBJ
jects Of such appropriations.
Bills Made Up Blindly.
In effect, Senator Lane charged that,
in the past, appropriation bills for the
Indians have been made up blindly and
in haphazard fashion. without the
committee having any adequate infor-
nation.
Senator Lanes letter today follows on
his action of some days ago at meet
ing of the Indian Committee in rising in
his place and threatening to resign from
the committee unless the bill was pre-
pared with more care and on the basis
of thoroughgoing estimates, accompan-
fa1 Ax. N a a q
sured at that time the information
would be forthcoming.
Senator Lane called attention to about
thirty special appropriations scattered
through the bill calling for sums from
5000 to $3.50, 900. and amounting in all to
100000 to be expended for support and
civilization OF tribes. No statements
were to be had, he said, giving an ex-
PLANTATION of the need for these appro-
priations.
Declares Indians Undeveloped.
He declared enough had been brought
out by cross-examination Of witnesses
to show that none of the appropriations
for support were used to any great ex-
tent for actual support" and that
what was done for Indian civilization
1T has been shown, however" he
said, that a large number of Indians
are at this time INDECENT. miserable and
diseased, and that their condition in
this respect is probably not improving.
1t has also been proven that most of
the money appropriated for their sup
port and civilization-in fact. nearly all
of it's being expended for salaries
Actual money for support" amount
ed, he said to 40 to so cents per capita
and that, IL it were not for the un-
fortunate condition of the Indians, the
appropriation might be classed as "a
sardonic joke"
Senator Lane set forth numerous ex-
amples Of abuses, in connection with
irrigation and other matters. He at
tackled the commission to make a roll
of the Chippewa Indians in the White
Earth Reservation. in Minnesota, and
declared the men to serve On the COM
mission were chosen in advance of the
law creating it, and that 1t was al
legged one Of the men selected for the
commission was formerly an attorney
for a lumber company which holds
the identical contracts which this ccm-
mission will be called upon to verify
and adjudicate."
The committee, following Senator
Lanes letter, went ahead to consider
the bill.