The Tomahawk., 1918-04-04


there we're not over 5000 of the
II, 900 members of the Chippewa
Tribe in Minnesota that could pos
sibly be classed as ''incompetents'';
that every one of these. people had
an income either from per capita
payments or their allotments; that
one fourth of the interest money,
now amounting to about $1,000
per annum was available for the
educa of about 900 Indian children
attending the Indian day and board
ing schools; that last year the In
dian Bureau spent Oh the Indian
school service now being maintain
ed ia Minnesota for the benefit of
about 5000 Indians nearly $780,
900, or over $1,000 per head for
every person who can properly be
cIassed as All incompent. 1t was
pointed out that for the support
and civilization of 500 Indians in
other states Congress annually ap
propriates about $1,000 and that
the time had come to call halt of
these profligate expenditures in
Minnesota. The Indian Bureau
officials then earnestly pleaded for
an appropriation this year of $780,
900 promising that if they were
given this amount from the trust
fund the service would be greatly
reduced during the next year, and
that immediate reforms would be
put into practice. Realizing that
the great system, built up by the
Indian Bureau in Minnesota. could
not be abruptly terminated with
out possibly causing serious incon-
venience to some of the Indians,
Senator Kellogg consented to con
tinue the appropriation this year,
reducinetit, however, from $780, \
600 to $l75, 600, with the distinct un-
derstanding that it was to be great
" reduced next year Or discontin-
ued entirely. When the Indian bill
came before the Senate for consid-
Grafton Senator Kellogg cut down
the appropriation $4,000 and in
serted a provision directing the
advancement of any case pending
in any United States Court involv-
ing validity of the expenditure of
any CT the trust funds of the Chip
pewa Indians and provision that
in the event the courts should hold
that the $l85, 900 appropriated, or
any part thereof was not being ex-
pended for the purposes for which
the fund was created, the amount
improperly expended should be
Immediately reimbursed to the In
dians, and an amount sufficient to
reimburse the fund is appropriated.
These provisions are not to the
liking of the Indian Bureau as they
will permit determination of the
validity of the expenditures here
tofore made from the trust funds
for the payment of the regular
employees of the Indian Bureau.
Senator Kellogg also introduced
bill. .couferring jurisdiction on the
Court of Claims to ascertain the
entire amount of trust funds here
tofore appropriated by Congress
and expended by the Indian Bu-
reau, the purposes for which they
we're appropriated and expended
and authorizing the Court to enter
judgment against the United States
for any amount expended in viola-
ton of the terms Of the agreement
of 1889. This bill will undoubtedly
become q law within the next year,
and may mean the recovery of =
very large sum of money for the
Chippewas.
The jolts the Indian Bureau re-
ceived from the Minnesota delega-
ton at the Capitol and from Sec
retary Hopkins caused a sudden
change. Orders have been issued
to Immediately pay to al! heads OF
families interest money belonging