New-York tribune., 1922-12-03
Protests Halt
Pueblo Indian
Bill i'm Senate
Bursum Measure Recalled
After Passage on Plea
IL Would Exterminate
Ancient Southwest Tribe
Borah Leads Fight on Ii
Act. Held Misleading, May
Not Reach Vote Again,
Though Indorsed by Fall

yyon The rribuns's washiHofor BsrsaH
WASHINGTON. Dec. . 90 Senator
Bursum's bill 20 ascertain and settle
land claims Of persons other than lndi.
ms within the Pueblo Indian land
Grants and reservations in the state
Of New Mexico has struck rough trAv-
cling in the Senate. Although EFFORTS
we're made 20 rush II through in the
last regular session OF Congress-. these
effort, have failed and il has become,
uncertain nov whether It VIII be aeteo
on tails wintcr, 1T u..i.
The bill PASSED the Senate with iittle {
attention paid.to u. Senator bo1In
later was advised that 1t ava not 90
what I, was supposed 70 40, ana 90
not sufficiently, rs he belleyeo, say
guard the rights Of the ancient trloe
~ puebles. Ne therefore hskeu .ne'
n he recalled from the House ana tnla
was done and the bill sent BACK 70 lne
senate Public Lands Committee WhehSe ''''
/, was reported in the hrst place.
Senate Bursum was not P,escHI =.
tho recent extra session ana ne nus
askod that IL be held IN eoInH'sssy ",
IN he returns TO washington; eIrS -.
.be short or regular session. Des'""'"h
Deeembtf 4. 81. cerate Il
uas represented that It WAS insenoe1
90 provide machinery 10 ascertain snu
se.tle laid claims Of persons otner tn.n i.'.l
IndIans -Fho had taken up settlemeh"
vccrs ago In Pueblo territory
The Senate was given TO understahu
,hat .be bill was intended simply 10
onen the way 20 settlements OF suen
land con .roversies. but Senator borah'
.s,cr the bill passed the Senate pe-
came. convinced IL went further than
nrotcction Of the interests OF the IN
sisrs iustifed. IL provided that In ei-
Scct .he United States District Court
"a N.w Mexico would make hnhl set
.lcment as 10 title 70 these lanes' IN
s,ead Of merely opening a way whereby
II All rarties were willing settlement
could be effected. II also gave inc
state OF New Mexico and It's courts
large powers In certain cases.
Senator Bursum Is not accused OF
having sought 20 give a wrong impres-
lion OF the bill. II seems the bill was
rrepared BY representatives OF the In
terror Department, Of the settlers or
,ouatters and of the Indians. They
agreed on tho bill, but later che East
en Association on Indian Ahairs'
recognizing the great historic import.
nnce OF the Pueblos and their ancient
dwelling places, became convinced tnot
the bill would operate uniustly 70 de-
prive them Of lands and ultimately eS-
terminate them. This association. as
we'll as other influences friendly TO the
Indians, protested 20 Senators and
House members against the bill, and II
was in view Of these protests that Sen
ator Borah looked into them and got
the bill drawn back from the House to
the Senate.
II the views taken By friends Of the
Indians are correct, the Interior De-
pariment was lax IN protecting the
welfare Of the PuebloS. Secretary or
the Interior Fall indorsed the bill in
the following letter TO Senator Smoot,
chairman Of the Senate Public Lands
Committee:
IL have the honor to acknowledge
receipt Of your request Of July ~,
1922. for n report on Senate bill 3s55,
introduced by Senator Bursum, being
n bill to ascertain and settle land
claims Of persons not Indian within
Pueblo Indian land, land grants, and
reservations in the State OF New
Mexico.
Il have given the provisions Of the
proposed law my careful attention,
and the bill meets with my approval.
The attorney for the various claim
ants upon these lands and the as
sistant to the Attorney General Of
the United States in charge OF in
yestigAtion and report upon the same
subject in behalf of the Indians, were
called 70 Washington, and after a full
hearing before the commissioner, had
another hearing before myself and
The commissioner together, and all
parties have agreed upon this bill
Therefore, you may call II ar Admins
tration measure"
In behalf Of Senator Bursum Il is
said he merely acted az the instance
Of representatives Of the Interior De-
paTtment, the sQuatters and 30 per
cent Of the pueblos. He had nothing
20 do with the preparation Of the bill.
According 20 officials OF Peabody
Museum, Harvard University, the Pueb-
los constitute the largest relic % an
eient Indian civilization in this country.
Il is important 10 preserve IL. The Bur
sum bill, II Is said, woald result in
Pueblo determination. Their numbers
nre about 5000.
Examination Of the bill testihes 70
the old Spanish influence In the settle-
mcnt Of the Southwest. The bill gives
the following list OF the Indian Pueblos.
most Of them having Spanish names;
Taos. Pieuris, San Juan. PojoaQue,
Nambe, Santa Clara. San Yldefonso,
Coeh!ti, Santo Domingo, San Felipe.
Santa Ana, Cia. JsmeI. Pecos, Sandia,
lsleta, Lnguna and Zuni.