The Tomahawk., 1921-02-03

Lake Indian the right to take 100
acres of land. By the agreement
of 1889 the Red Lake Indians were
only entitled to 80 acres. The
General Council proposes to give
those living today, including the
men, women, and children double
the amount of land the agreement
of 1889 gave to those in being at
that time. The General Council
also proposes that the Red Lake
Indians may take 80 acres of their
allotments out of the forest lands
and that the proceeds received
from the timber cut ON each 80
acres shall be paid to the allottee.
Strange as it may seem, Peter
Graves who is in Washington
claiming to represent the Red
Lake Indians, and his attorney,
Daniel B. Henderson, are object
ing to any member of the Red
Lake Band being permitted to take
his allotment now. Peter Graves
proposes to hold the Red Lake
Reservation intact for years to
come, to prevent any person from
taking an allotment and to prevent
any development. AS he pretends
TO be representing the Red Lake
Indians, and to te looking after
their future welfare aJ first 10 one
was able to understand the reasons
for such a position. After some
inquiry the reason has come to
light. Peter Graves is the repre-
sentative of a -self-constituted
council on the Red Lake Reserva-
ton. That council is made up as
follows: There are seven men
who claim to be hereditary chiefs.
Each Of these seven self styled
hereditary chiefs appoint five
persons as members of the council.
The council consists Of IS men
thus appointed by the seven chiefs
and the seven Chiefs themselves,
thus consisting of AZ members. If
any member of this self-styied
council does not obey the instruc
lions of the chief he is promptly
removed by the chief and another
man who will obey the chief ap-
pointed in his place. These chiefs
are opposed to anything being done
with the Red Lake Reservation.
They know that when the Indians
take their allotments, and the
property ceases to be held in
common, that they will automati
cally pass out Of Existence. They
want to preser!ye *tbei1r positions
and power and in order to do this
they must keep the reservation
intact. Like the seven old heredi-
tary chiefs, the 1"a'~'
resls---,.' .~..4o Bureau
---.s tuat if allotments are per-
mitted it will only be a very few
years until the Red Lake Reserva-
ton will pass out of existence and
with it the agency and the agency's
employees. Congress is now in
the act of passing law that will
dismember the Indian Bureau, and
the Bureau is fighting to hold on
to all the Offices and positions it
now has. These are the true
reasons why the General Council
lis having such a hard fight to pro-
tect the property rights OF the
members of the Red Lake Band.
If allotments are not provided for,
at this time and are made in the
future the members of the Red
Lake Band then living under the
agreement of 1889 will receive but
80 acres each. They will then be
compelled to take stump or swamp
land worth only a. fractional part
Of the value Of the allotment tne
General Council is now seeking to
confer upon them. The Red Lake
Indians should understand the
situation as should also the other
members of the Chippewa tribe.
Peter Graves and bis seven heredi-
-. >ll:-. 49, ':~xLo