The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1915-02-11

tact an organized legal IOrCe lmpeO
ing any progress the true friends Q
the Indian might make, and serv
the political interests of those re
sponsible for their appointments.
Approximately SIS 600, 900 in casl
of tribal funds is now ready for pc
capita distribution among abou
80, 900 Creeks, Chickasaws. Chero
KEGS and Seminoles. Approximate
ly $50, 100000 more will be read,
to distribute in the near future
among 10000 ChoctaWs and Chicka
saws. There are. still nearly 25,O0C
separate ledger accounts open re-
lating to the unfinished sale ano
transfer OF title to more than 2 ,OOO,'
900 acres OF tribal lands. Does il
require argument to show that the
unfinished business of the Five Civil
lized Tribes is so immense that only
ineffciency in administration and
loss to the Indians can result from
reducing the employees at this time?
Is it necessary to point out that the
political administration or Indian
affairs, which has been given full
sway in Oklahoma, will make life
pleasant highway for the grafters?
Is it an accident that the Depart
ment of Charities, the only branch
of Government having any legal
authority to protect these helpless
minors in the courts of Oklahoma,
should be destroyed on the eve of
the distribution of these vast natural
resources and tribal funds the larger
part of which goes to the minor
members of the tribes?
That | may not be accused of
dealing in glittering generahties, let
me give you the story in greater de-
tail:
In 1908 these schemers marched
On Washington, and in that year
the Oklahoma delegation demanded
that Congress withdraw its guard
ianship and protection over the In
dams of Oklahoma. This supervision
and control had always been vested
in the Federal government, but un-
der the plan of State rights it was
represented by the Oklahoma dele
CATION in Congress that the proper
authority to supervise and admins
ter these estates was the courts of
Oklaho ma; that these courts could
be trusted to afford Indian minors all
the protection they needed. There
was big fight, but the Oklahoma
delegates stood firm. and in the end
had its way.
In 1904 and in 1907, under acts
of Congress. restrictions came off the
surplus lands of all members of the
Creek tribe except full bloods, and
within sixty days from that time not
one adult in ten owned an acre of
this land or had dollar in money
to show for it. The tax books bear
out this statement. Notwithstanding
these disasters of 1904 and 1907
Congress in 1908, upon the insis-
tence of the Oklahoma delegation
removed restrictions from the home
steads of all members of the Five
Tribes of less than half blood, and
now all these citizens of this class
would be without place to lay their
heads were it not for the little re-
manning patrimony belonging to their
children.
1t is unnecessary to ask what will
happen to the remaining and less
full blood Indians when
restrictions are removed from their
lands, and this is what the Okla
homa delegation, spurred On by
grafters-the most powerful and &C.
tive part of their constituencies
demanding.
Also, under this last act of Con-
gress in 1908 the estates of all minor
Indians became subject to the con-
troll and authority of the County
Courts of Oklahoma. The results in
this case show that the State au.
thorities, instead of keeping faith
with the Federal government, have
grossly violated the trust reposed in
them.
At one time there were 10000
land suits instituted by the govern
ment for the recovery of Indian
lands obtained by fraud. A large
majority of these suits are still
pending. A few days ago the Off
Gals now in charge of these suits on
behalf of the government secured |
recommendation from the five In
dian chiefs representing the Five
Tribes for the dismissal from the
docket of about 5000 of these suits.
1t would seem that the government
in this matter is relying for judicial
guidance upon the legal wisdom of
those five Indian chiefs.