The Tomahawk., 1919-04-24

~, - The JUMAtjAWk,
agency. And the superintendent upon
whom such duties devolve shall give
bond as other Indian agents. 10
abolished the position of agent at
White Earth and Leech Lake and the
Office of sub-agent at Red Lake and
devolved the duties of those Offices on
the Superintendent of the Indian train;
ing schools established at said places.
Thereafter no specific appropriations
were made for the support of the
agencies, which had been abolished
and made part of the school system,
the appropriations therefor being car.
ried in each appropriation bill under
the heading "for support of Indian
day and industrial schools" for which
large lump sum appropriations were
annually made. Commencing with the
act of August 10, 1890 t26 Stat, 1896,
35D, and continuing to and including
the act of April 4, 1910 (36 Stat, 269
at 276), every Indian Appropriation
Bill contained an appropriation to de.
fray the expense of administering the
act of January IA, 1889, each act in
express language limiting the expen.
diture Of the money to specific pur-
poses incident to the administration
of the act of January IA, 1889, thus
indicating conclusively that Congress
did not understand that the proviso
to section Of the act of 1889 author
lied the use of any of the funds de-
rived therefrom for general agency
purposes. PIN. = &c. :, Z I p r - -
Notwithstanding these express linn.
itations and the further fact that Con-
gress had made express appropria-
tons out of the public funds for the
maintenance of the agencies, the In.
dian Bureau diverted and used part
Of the trust funds appropriated to
defray the administrative expenses
under the act of January IA, 1889. and
used them for general agency pur:
poses for which appropriations had
been made out of the public funds.
Prior to 1910 the appropriations
made for defraying the expense. of
the work under the act of January IA,
1889, we're out of the public Treasury,
each appropriation being made REIN.
bursable out of the trust fund. A part
of this money was used in defraying
the expenses of the agencies main
tanned among the Chippewas, three of
which have been maintained for many
years at great expense without any
authority of law. In 1910 the United
States was reimbursed in full for all
moneys carried in the preceding ap-
preparation bills. 49,.
In the fall of 1910 the Indian Bureau
conceived the idea of making the In.
dams, who had large trust funds
standing to their credit, pay the ex-
penses of maintaining the government
tai agencies. The great majority of
the Indian funds were held under the
exclusive and plenary control of Con.
gress. Overlooking the nature Of the
trust which attached to the funds of
the Chippewas, the Indian Bureau
submitted an estimate to Congress
which was included in the Act of
March 3, 1911 (36 Stat, 1858 at 1869
as follows: "'.'
"That the Secretary of the Interior
is hereby authorized to withdraw
from the Treasury of the United
States, at his discretion, the sum of
$165,OO0, or so much thereof as may
be necessary, of the principal sum on
deposit to the credit of the Chippewa
Indians of the State of Minnesota,
arising under section Z Of the act of
January IA, 1889, entitled An act for
the relief and civilization Of the Chip:
pewa Indians in the State of Mime
sota,' and to use the same for the pur-
pose of promoting civilization and
I self-support among the said Indians
In manner and for purposes provided
for in said act"
The following year a similar esti.
mate was submitted by the Indian
Bureau and Assistant Commissioner
Merritt appeared before the Committee
III. Com. on Ind. Affairs, 19OS-13, Vol.
81, PIP. 1879 and stated:
'Mr. Merritt. No, sir, when the In
dian tribes have large amounts to
their credit the policy is to require
the Indians to pay the cost of admin
| lStrat1O0.
"Mr. Ferris. $1S5,O0O is not required
annually to administer the affairs of
the Chippewas, is It? '
"Mr. Merritt Yes, sir, that includes
all the Chippewa 1ndians-6 superin.
tendencies and including about 1900
Indians" 80 49,. H..
How the Department, even with the
approval OF Congress, could establish
a policy in 1910 that would change
the trust created under the agree.
ments entered into with the Chippewa
Indians ,21 years heretofore Is din
cult to understand, except upon the
theory that the Indian Bureau officials
overlooked entirely the terms and con
ditions under which the funds Of the
Chippewa Indians were being held
and proceeded upon the theory that
they could be used and disposed OF
for any purpose Congress might