The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-04-16

I
raiHssonsrs bad frequently spent their
1 own money rather than ask congress
1 for more
Cato sells. com missioner Of Indian
affairs paid a high tribute 10 tha
( individual commissioners, but ne said
/ he thought the board had o0tilvsd
+ its usefulness Created whan the Tn
dlans were under the war department.
h@ said they performed the function
{ IT civilian balance wheel, bat we're
/ not needed in this capacity nDw. TN
/ der the present arrangement. he
/ hiu;ed5 there srs practically two In
dian bureaus working ut cross pur-
/ poses He cited the Flathsad irriga-
| tlon project rs an Instance, IN which
/ the bureau recommended a reduction
I in appropriation while the board rec
/ commended direct to congress a $500,
I 600 appropriation without consvlk.
ing him Mr. Abbott later said the
boards recommendation was Arst
/ presented to the secretary Of the in
/ terror.
support IL Called seed
My purpose ia Ia take counsel With
1 all who have advice 10 offer" said
The commissioner, whether It be
congress or the Indians or anyone
aciency OF maintaining such a board
unless there can be close CO. opera
ton without misdirected purpose or
Interior motive. II | am 10 be com
missioner Of Indian affairs and make
D success Of Il I need support.
/ DO not want any tndirsction on the
part ri any man credited with stand
ing for patriotic purpose. am
apprehensive ~ the vasue Of this
1oard with It's present official reia-
ttonship
Mr., Abbott sald the recommenda-
ton Of legislation by the hoard WAS
| entirely without precedent, In fact,
this year the board has taken an ad-
vance step tn cooperation with the
bureau by FIRST submitting It's recon-
/ mendations 70 the secretary Of the
/ Interior. If the board ls TO have
/ any value" he said. ~ must have in
dependence. and. II needs be. 70 ne
IN direct opposition to the bureau"
He defended his personal position by
saying he had never sought the posi-
ton he formerly held as assistant
! commissioner OF Indian affairs neg
the position he now holds. lie said
the commit missioner should have more
permanent tenure in order TO dea
more effectively with the profile
The chief value Of the board, no
ton work, hat in Office work. such as
planning a recodificatton iof COM
pick laws Present conditions are
due more to completely OF laws than
Ia inef7eieney In the bureau. he said.
Urges Business Basis.
Senator Fall, ~ New Mexico urged
the development of some system TO
put indian affairs on business ba-
sig.
Mrs. Laura Cornelius Kellogg. OF
Seymour. Wis. an Oneida Indian.
urged abolition Of the board, citing
the conditions Of tho tribes and fail
ure OF the board to make conditions
known Brigadier-General A. II.
Pratt, twho founded the Carlisle
school. also opposed tho board and
/ proposed Il paid commission OF three.
Mr.. Phillips gave two lines of ac-
tivity in which the board could be
. useful Keeping an investigating
committee constantly In the field:
8 acting as a buffer between the admin
istratien. the secretary Of the interior
- and the public
At the session the committee adopt
ed the Townsend amendment giving
Indians a voice In the disposition oi
their tribal funds. 1t requires that
. the Indians be Informed OF every con-
templated expenditure OF more than
$1,000 and veto in all such cases
except In the case ot irrigation pro-
: Iects
) Equalization Of alfotments to Greek
Indians ny per capita payment Of
$500 from the tribal funds now In thu
United States treasury and IN the ok
lahoma hanks is provided In an
amendment to the indian appropria-
: ton bill adopted by the COMMITTEES
> Thursday
Some Charges Are Made.
interior Hama ri M amt cPfffr4Qff4S xxpF@
2 made Thursday by Representative
James s Davenport and Representa-
a tive Charles n. Carter. OF oklahoma
e and Senator owen In connection witt
e the admission Of the so-called Reilly
r negroes" to the rolls By interior de-
o partment officials at 1890 T.. M
a March 4. 1909. after the congression-
" al committee and other authorities
T. twice mad decided their cases Ad
e Versely These Reilly negroes afons
IS were admitted. said Mr.. Davenport
10 because they had valuable oil lands
- while all the others, with equally
= good claims. had been excluded
Former Senator Butler, OF North
Carolina. the attorney Who carried
/, through the Reilly cases. denied any
n Improper actions hy either himself
L or officials of the department.
h. As a result the committee appoint
4 ed subcommittee consisting Of SEN
i at0rs owen lane and FaGe, to co
" aperate with the Indian commissions
4 Ell. Cato sells 20 prepare an amend
ment 70 the appropriation bill which
would provide adequate review ant
!. adjudication Of the stNty~two and nj
. ty- two claims cited
Commissioner Sells brought up the
: civil service question again by OF
gering a substitute 20 hls amendmen
of Tuesday, which removed Inspector
- and supervisors from the classified
- service. The substitute, which wa
adopted. provided for appointment q
sin additional inspectors at sg.boI
without reference 10 civil services
= leaving present positions untouched
i IL passed by party vote
"a
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