The Odanah star. [volume] (Odanah, Ashland Co., Wis.) 1912-1916, 1913-11-28

PROPOSED TO GIVE TO ALL INDIANS
Of Tribes interested In These Fund
An Interest.

-. d, . -
The segregation or allctting of Indian
tribual funds has become the dominant or
leading question among all the tribes of In
dians which have funds inS the treasury Of
the United States to their credit.
In order to prevent the continued waste
full expenditure of these funds. by too fire.
quently payirg them to persons holding
sinecure positions, the Indians throughout
the country have their eyes directed to-
wards congress appealingly and are hoping
that it will take some de6nate action at its
next session to prevent this waste, and in
line with the recommendations cf Secretary
Lane to divide tribal property.
In anticipation Of some action being taken
by congress to- divide tribual funds, the
Indian Rights association has been instru-
mental in securing the introduction of the
following bills:
BILL.
Regulating the expenditure of Indian funds
for support of sectarian schools or reli-
!, ;. gious institutions. - u.
Be IT ENACTED, by the Senate and house.
of representatives Of the United States Of
America in congress assembled: 7 hat
hereafter no trust, treaty ortother funds Be.
longing tb or paval5le To any Indians shall
be available or expended for the support or
maintenance of any sectarian school or ieli-
gious institution without being specifically
appropriated therefor by Congress: Pro-
vided, That in cases where fixed princi-
pal sum is guaranteed to be paid to any In
dian tribe by the United States such princI-
pal sum and incaease thereof shall be segre-
grated and the pro rata shares placed to the
credit of members Of .he tribes entitled
thereto, and such pro rata shares may be
thereafter paid to such shareholders or ex-
pended for their support and education upon
their written application therefor, in the
discretion of the Secretary of the Interior.
Il will readily be seen, by the members
of the tribes who have studied the subject,
that the bill is entirely inadequate to carry
out plan of such large proportions and
which involves million of dollars, but we
doubt the society intended it only as a pro-
position knowing that something laiger
would grow out of it.
Property and funds which involve several
hundred millions of dollars require the COM
bined efforts of all the tribal astorneys of
the several tribes throughout the country
and the intelligent and educated members
of all the Tribes to work out in the form of
a bill which will properly distribute tribal
property and everything possible should be
done to guard against any schemes being
worked into it which might afterwards be
used against the interests of the Indians, 81
Two years. ago Senator Clapp advised
the Chippewa Indian delegations that were
in Washington, and which called OIL him
for this purpose that the Chippewas should
incorporate, and in this way take measures
to prevent the useless and extravggant ex-
penditure of their tribal funds, and more re-
Gently when asked regarding his views he
stated in substance that the Secretary of
the interior should be authorized to issue to
each Indian certificate, inalieDable except
with the secretary's consent, showing the
amount of the tribal funds of his tribe to
which he is entitled, and thus place upon
him an ownership in which he would be-
come personally interested. ] his plan is
entitled to much thought and consideration
not only By tie Chippewas of this north