Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-02-17
JokERs FOUND IN INDIAN AP-
PRECIPITATION BILLS WOULD
GIVE THEM MiLLioNs.
ASK CONGRESS TO LEoALizE
ILLEGAL SALES OF LANDS
Effort Also TO Fitch S7,5co,oeo From
Government in Proposed Per Capita
Payment to Indians Of Oklahoma -
HIGH State Officials Involved in
Transactions.
TRANSACTIONS
Isnecial Correspondence.l

in the Indian appropriation Dill as II
has been amended in the senate lndiar
affairs committee are causing lot o.
talk about the senate end of the capt.
tol and are likely to be the subject OF
an animated debate when the OIL
comes up for pasSag
AS some senators view 1t. the com.
F., mittee has put features into the bill
that are calculated to validate the eN-
{ ploitation of the red man by his more
astute white brother. One amendment
nut into the measure by the senate
committee authorizes the secretary OF
the interior to validate certain deeds
made by Indians Of the Five Civilized
Tribes in Oklahoma before the removal
/ of restrictions and at a time when the
Indians had no right to sell their lands
Land Hungry Men Buy.
| Under the McCumber law Of some
wears ago, the Indians had no right to
mart with their lands The transfers
were invalid. But thousands OF white
| men, hungry for land, bought up ianos
! Of the tribes contrary to law, and no"
are coming in and trying 10 get 'ie
government to sanction their course
About 2S,60O suits involving uue ~
such lands are pending. Some or the
richest agricultural tracts in okianolha
are involved.
Senator Owen, Of Oklahoma, IS one
of those who are pushing the propose
| ton for the validating OF the oeeos.
Senator McCunber Is opposing II. ~
the hearings, Senator McCumper salo f.
I'VE made law to the elect tn"'
the Indians have no right to sell those
lands. Now. in defiance OF that law
these hungry people, mean these
land hungry people-WeHt on ana maze
contracts with the Indians, and did puy
the lands in defiance of law.
Buyers May Lose.
Senator LaFollette is likely to OPP
pose the plan for getting the lhegai
transfers validated. 1t Will meet WIN
other opposition. Senator McCumper
will continue to oppose It, 1t may De
knocked out on point OF order. one
! feature of the amendment provinces
! that in case of settlement OF con-
| troyersy over title in any case OF thls
| kind. the suit. If one has been begun
! by the interior department to Dust tne
white man who has unlaWfully pousnt
the land of an Indian, shall De ols-
missed without cost to the defenoaht.
AS there are $4,000 cases pending AND
the costs in each case amount TO al
least 500. a number Of senators see IN
this a scheme to saddle costs OF apout
s.. 500, 900 on the government IN short'
the white men who have contracted LOT
Indian land unlawfully are not only
seeking to get the government to sane
| ton their course in buying land IN
violation of law but they want the gov
i eminent to bear the costs OF suits
which the government started because
Of their illegal course.
Hiah State Officials Involved.
The amendment with reference to
valuation OF unlawful transfers is be-
| ing strongly supported from Oklahoma.
where many prominent white men are
personally interested. They include
| some high officials Of the state
| Another joker, as alleged, which 1t Is
declared would saddle on the govern
ment en- expense Of $500 600. is found
/ in a provision authorizing the secre-
tary of the interior to make per
| CAPITA payment of 500 each to the
I Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes. and S15
Ito the Cherokees. The Choctaw and
! Chickasaw- tribal fund amounts to 3d.
100000. There are $4,000 Indians OF
these tribes The proposed payment
would exhaust the fund. 1t is estimated
not less than 1900 persons are entitled
to be on the rolls of the tribes who are
not enrolled and it is pointed out that
IL the amendment goes thru a liability
! against the government will be created
for about $7,50o.00o. including the mead
rights at a bout $4,000 apiece Of 1900
persons
| Hard and continuous pressure Is be-
ing brought by Oklahomans in con-
gress to get this legislation mentionec
enacted. In this connection comes the
interesting story that Ohlahomane are
hoping Wilson will let them run the
Indian land question to suit themselves
They want the new administration K
let them solve their own problems
lust as the Rocky mountain states are
clamoring to be let do as they please
in power and conservation matters
Governor Wilson is expected to give
/ an emphatic no to both proposals, or
the theory that the Oklahomans want
to exploit the Indians right and lef
and that the Indians have to be re.
/ ligiously watched over as wards OF the
government and, as to natural re-
sources, that the people d the Rocky
mountain country, with some excep.
tions are hungry to loot them.