The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-11-23
NEW PROBATE
RULES ARE
ENFORCED
DECIDED IMPROVEMENT IN CON
QUOTING INDIAN AFFAIRS -
SELLS DECLARES THEY MUST
CONTINUE TO IMPROVE.

| rules ana regulations promulgated by
the Indian bureau and the county
Judges and county attorneys OF that
state, which the supreme court OF
! Oklahoma has promulgated as we'll
| cato Sells, commissioner Of Indian
affairs. viii stand for modification
Of the congressional act Of 1908. which
conferred exclusive probate jurisdIc-
! ton upon the state Of Oklahoma.
| The situation Is 80 much better than
! II was twelve months ago, and made
80 through operation Of county
officials and the Indian bureaus rep
rcscntatiycR, enforcing the new pro
bate rules which are regarded as the
most RtrIngcnt in the United States,
that every hope Is entertained the
Oklahoma situation viii soon be FREQ
from objection.
Miss Barnard's Charges.
The recent charges made by Miss
Kate Barnard, retiring commissioner
of charities and corrections of the
state of Oklahoma, against the OK
lahoma congressional delegation and
tho Indian bureau for promoting re-
cent legislation affecting the Indian,
have received considerable public
notice. Members Of the Oklahoma
delegation declined to engage in con
troyorsy with her, and on the probate
matters the Indian bureau declines
to recognize an issue exists. Steps
have already been taken by the bu-
reau already with marked success
TO afford proper safeguards To the
property of not only the adult IN
dian, but the minors, of whom there
are about 10000 in the state. the
wrong that existed as pointed out
bv Miss Barnard. resulted from a
system under former administrations.
As soon as the present officials as
sumcd charge, machinery was placed
in motion to correct it.
Complaint is being offered to the
amendment to the last Indian appro-
priation bill consolidating the Office
of commissioner to the Five civil
li2cd Tribes and the office of super
ntcudcnt of the Union Agency both
at Muskogcc. removing from civil
service. and erecting one office that
is political
The new official is to receive
salary of $1,000 year, is to be ap-
pointed by the president and con
Hrmcd by the senate. The combina-
ton saves $500 n year salary, The
appointment will be made upon the
recommendation of Secretary Lane,
aud he will be guided somewhat by
the opinion Of the Indian bureau
Following transfer of the probate
jurisdiction from the federal courts
to the Oklahoma state courts, com
plants began coming into the de
partmcut here Of lack of attention
TO Indian cases. with hundreds of
them pending in the Oklahoma county
courts, no county attorneys office
was able to give them proper con-
sidcratiou and attend to the couuty's
business Spurious claims were put
through court hy dishonest guard
ians. the court frequently being de
cchcd. hut some times some courts
acQuicsccd
Investigation Conducted
The situation led to an inyostiga-
ton by Fred Parkinson, state cN-
aminor and Inspector. upon the order
OF Governor Lee Crucc. and brought
more pcrtiucutly to light the unus-
ual and unnecessary cost Of admin
israung Indian probate cases 1t
also resulted in an attempt to adopt
LEGISLATION two years ago in cnlorc-
ing new probate rules. \ special re
port was made 20 the Oklahoma
house or representatives by Judge
IE l.. HW " McAlestor. formerly
one Of the national ChoCtaw aitor-
news and then a member Of the loeis.
! laturc. Ilc presented bill omoody-
irc the ideas ot the Oklahoma dele
cation in congress. members of the
/ legislature from the eastern portion
of the state. Governor Crucc and
momhcrs " the Oklahoma supreme
court The bill was defeated
The federal probate attorneys
were not appointed until early this
YEAR. after Cato Sells became In
dian commissioner The work out
lined for them was asvccd upon at
number of conferences held with
officials of the department. the In
dian governors, federal attorneys and
federal officials in oklahoma There
are twenty one of them for whom
ccrcr,ss appropriated S>iHNa. and