Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1914-01-16
BILLS FAyORrNe INDIANS.
w. II. hurry Issues Statement as 70
What He is Doing In Con-
gress.


The News has received the follow
ing:
Washington, d. G., Jan15.-To both
Indian and White people OF the Choc-
taw and Chickasaw Nations:
Just as all have right to expect
speedy settlement of tribal estates by
the sale OF tribal property, capitalizng
the funds and paying them out to IN
dividuals of the tribes, which would
result not only in the material inter-
est to the Indians themselves but
would prove great boon to the bust
ness interests of our State as well as
increase the taxable values, we find
ourselves confronted by the strongest
effort ever known to reopen the In
dian rolls, with the object of the en-
rollment of upward OF 5000 claimants,
30 per cent of whom live in other
States represented by the firm Of
Crews & Cantwell ST. Louis, Mo, and
Ballinger of Washington City. Those
in favor of reopening the rolls are op-
posed to final settlement or the pay
ing out of annuities Those opposed
to reopening the rolls are in favor of
paying out the money, knowing that
when the tribal estate is distributed
there will be nc further incentive for
''court-mader Indians. Two methods
are proposed in the case OF enroll
.ment, one to give tie new applicant
an equal right to the whole estate,
the other to give them of the monies
remaining an amount sufficient 10
balance the amount OF lands already
allotted, which would mean paying
to these newly enrolled all of the re-
naming funds. If the former plan
should prevail it would disturb land
titles TO degree never known before
in the history of our Indian land.
titles. If the latter. plan should pre-
vail nearly every cent of money on
hand now. aggregating $4,000 900, to-
gether with all Of the money for the
sale of the surface Of the coal lands
and other property, would be paid to
claimants who do not reside in Okla
homa, which, from a material stand
point, would be severe blow to our
State.
Therefore I have introduced two
bills, enc to buy homes to be paid for
by the United States Government for
the Mississippi Choctaws yet living in
Mississippi Many of those Indians
are favorable to this plan as 1t means
much to them but their attorneys and
that portion of the delegation in Con-
gress from Mississippi who are try
ing to enrol. them are opposed to
this plan because they are interested
in having these millions of money
paid out in the State of Missippi.
have introduced another bill for Il
ly upon IL passage and 800 pay
ment in the year 1915. If this bill
could pass it would mean tho pay
ment this spring in the Choctaw and
Chickasaw country Of sum aggre-
eating $5,500,000 This sum of money
thus distributed would produce a bus
mess boon to our State that would
have untold benefits. Therefore not
only the Indian but every white man
should be intensely interested in the
passage of this bill | therefore re
quest that petitions be gotten up,
some for the white people To sign,
and others for the Indians to sign, re-
citing that I'VE. the undersigned white
people," or eve, the undersigned
Chickasav4s and Choctaws," as the
case may be. Then recite the fact
that "the Indians have been compell-
ed to borrow money at the banks to
buy supplies for their families and
material for the Improvement of their
farms, upon which they pay heavy
rates of interest. producing serious
hardhsips in view OF failure OF one
or more OF the staple products during
the past season due to the drouth," or
some such language as will call the
attention of Congress to the exact
facts. These petitions should be sign
ed i'm duplicate, one copy to be pre-.
sented to the Indian committee and
the other to the House. They, will do
more towards paying out this money
than all the argument than can be ad-
duced by one or the entire delegation
in Congress | shall request that
these petitions be sent to me for the
sole reason that am devoting my en-
tire attention to this particular ques-
tion and will arrange them for pres
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