The Tomahawk., 1919-04-24

Of legal age. No person born since
May, 1900, has been allotted. The
legal age of women in Minnesota IL
18 years. Therefore, only few al
lottees who are males remain minors.
The children born since May, 1900,
have only an interest in the interest
payments and the fund when distrib-
uted, and by section Z of the act of
January II, 1889, 1t is provided that
the interest payments shall be made
in cash to their parents or guardians.
The Department, under. the law, has
no discretion in making the interest
payments except to make them to the
parent or guardian. In 1916 Congress
authorized the division of one-fourth
of the then existing principal fund.
This resulted in payments to the men,
bers of the tribe of about $3.50 per
head. These are the only funds or
property of the minor children the
Department has any control over, and
the greater portion of this payment
has already been made to the minor
children or to their parents or ex.
pended for their benefit. Therefore,
there is no necessity for the main
tenance of Service for the supervi-
sion and protection Of any property
of minors as they have substantially
none. -,
Somewhere between Is and 40 per
cent of the Chippewa Indians have
removed from the Indian country and
are now engaged in business in every
section Of this nation. These people
certainly are competent to handle
their property. .,...-.~..... .s
on the White Earth Reservation the
restrictions upon the al1otments of
many of the Indians have been re-
moved and the Indian declared COM
petent. At least 80 per cent of the
entire tribe are admittedly competent
to handle their affairs. -- '..
Notwithstanding such is the condf.
ton existing among the Chippewa In
dams of Minnesota the Department
has for 30 years and Is now maintain
ing a service among them at an annual
cost, exclusive of the schools, Of some
where between 3250,000 and 100000.
This enormous service is now and has
been for years maintained upon the
theory. that it was for the benefit Of
all of, the 1889 members of the tribe,
whereas, as a matter of fact, less than
20 per cent of the membership of the
tribe need any supervision or protec.
ton at the hands of the Department.
The Remedy. $500
There should be, as soon as prac-
tically, complete roll made classify
ing the Chippewa Indians into "com-
petents"' and "incompetents," and
legislation to effectuate this should
be obtained from Congress. e.. g.. .
The funds of the tribe should be
individualized and the money due the
competents should be paid to them
and they should be released forever
from governmental supervision. The
shares of the "incompetents" should
be paid to them in ten annual pay.
ments, unless at any time the Indian
should be found to be competent. in
which event the entire amount duo
him or her should be paid. This policy
has been followed with reference to
the funds of the Kansas Of Kaw In.
dams of Oklahoma, was authorized by
the act of July 1, 1902 (32 Stat, 636),
and has been found to work admir-
ably. This same plan has been tried
and has proven satisfactory with ref
erence to other Indian tribes. Under
it the Indians receive their funds. de-
rive maximum benefits therefrOm at
a minimum cost for administration.
The elaborate service now being
maintained among the Chippewas
should be reduced or abolished, and
a limited service sufficient to look
after the allotments made to those
Indians found to be incompetent
should be substituted. This could be
maintained at an expenve not exceed
ing $4,000 per annum and the cost
Of this service should By borne by the
United States as there Is no authority
of law to use the trust funds there
for.
WHEREFORE; it is respectfully re-
quested that the matters hereinbefore
set out receive the prompt and careful
attention of the departmental officers.
A special session of Congress will be
convened probably within the next
sixty days and q part Of the matters
hereinbefore set out should be taken
up at that session with the idea Of
obtaining appropriate legislative re-
lief. z r. 49,. III 49,.
Respectfully submitted,
General Council of the Chippewa
r Indians of Minnesota,
BY its Attorney: -
49, WEBSTER. BALL1NGER. (
April s, 1919. i f.
Submarines Are Old idea.