Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-04-08
Offers Opposition
to Hastings Bill
Continued from Page One.)
legend: department Of the Interior.
Office of Indian Affairs
People Get Busy.

legend: Department of the Interior.
Office of Indian Affairs"
People Get Busy.
Attention has heretofore been
called by several newspapers through
out the United States to the alleged
abuse Of the frLLking privilege eX-
tended to the In6ian office and as
the free use of the mails is being re-
sorted to by the II dian office in its
underhanded attempt to defeat the
Hastings bill. it is up to the people OF
eastern Oklahoma To get busy ana 40
bit of letter writing to the mem Ders
of the senate and house Indian com
mittces, even If postage must he paid
Tor at the regular rate.
ChOatc's Letter.
Mr.. Choate's letter to Chairman
Stephens in part reads as follows:
Just now, when questions OF great
national moment arc demanding uni
versal attention. there Is danger that
matters seriously affecting our do
mestic affairs may be neglected or
entirely overlooked.
1.-THE welfare Of cur Indians Is
solemn national obligation, which in
the majority of cases is imposed on
the federal govern ment by treaty. In
the aLsencc of treaty obligation. how
ever. the duty of the natter to Its
wards is just as great.
"Specific reservations nave proper
" been set apart for Indian tribes. but
for almost a century there has been
a tendency To recognize and give re-
Sponsiblity to the individual. The
Dawes seVeralty act adopted In 1881
was the elimination of this theory
IL provides for an allotment of lands
to individual Indians: breaking up
tribal relations ANA disinteSration OF
communal ownership.
TOO Much Expected.
THE difficulty is that too much
has been expected OF the Indian. TO
some people ii Is hard to understand
why YOU can't take an untutored. ig-
norant full-blood Indian and make
an educated citizen out of him in a
fortnight. Extremists have insisted
that the process is too slow: that
these wards should he released from
government supervision and suffer
the results of their own improvidence
regardless Of their qualifications FOR
self protection and regardless OF the
consequences to their property rlghts.
Great caution Is necessary in adopting
new methods. rho indian problem
has been the subject of too many
theories which have proven disas-
trOuS in practce. me latest theoiH
that of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
oped under the Dawes severalty act
really seems most plausible. 1t may
prove a solution of the Indian prob
lem If properly administered and not
interfered with by new and incon-
sistent legislation"
After brief reference to alleged
probate frauds in Oklahoma, Mr..
Choate continuing, says:
Legislation is now pending in con-
gress which If adopted may over
turn the present Indian policy and
subject the Indian to the worst pos
sible forms of spoiation. not only
from outsiders, but from urscrupu-
lous persons within the tribal mem
bership. The bill OH. r. 10S) intro
duced by Congressman Hastings
would confer on the superintendent of
the Five civilized Tribes the authority
now vested In the commissioners of
Indian affairs and the secretary of the
interior respecting the lands and in
dividual moneys Of the enrolled men,
bers Of the Five Civilized Tribes In
Oklahoma.
"Cnder existing law tho superin-
tendent OF these tribes In nominated
by the president and confirmed by
the senate: the appointment bcina
political. The Hastings bill proposes
| to turn over this vast estate, and nat.
uraliy every pressure. local and other
wise. would be brought 10 bear on