The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-02-14
TOO MUCH COIN
RUNNING 0SAGES
Commissioner of Indian
Affairs Burke Cites
Bad Tribal Habit
SPENDING LIKE MIDAS
But They'll Wake Up Some
Time and Find Riches Gone,
Is Burke's Warning

special 20 The world.
WASHINGTON. Fob t3--Mouey
now being impounded and piled ~
for the OspEu Indians iH going 20
luln another generation or two OF
.OsaRca In tho opinion Of indian
commissioner Burke. Burke gave
fhls as hts opinion In q hearing be-
fore tho house appropriations com
inlttee considering tho interior de-
partmout bill. Tho testimony was
made public today
Got $40 OOO Per capita.
Burke testified that the rovnltieR
and bonuses to tho Usage Indians
last yenr was about $4,000 per
caplta. "Haye you ever thought
Mr.. Commissioner" asked Congress
man Champion, Michigan, what ~
would do 10 n cultured aud educated
class OF people u you gave them
an assured income OF $1,000 per
capita during their life time?
II know Just what would hap
pen." Burke said ut would abso-
iutely ruin them"
Burae saio that one Osngo family
last year received 100000 and az
she end Of tho year was 100000 IN
debt. The commissioner said that
congress last wear directed that the
HilFlAt EAlffi fAHAAlh NV 'fhf''
dust dobts Of the OaaRoa are paid
when the bills were finally pre-
scented they aggregated f76O,OOO,
Burke said.
The Usual Indian System.
"Thego $3.50. 900 claims arc madc
on the basis OF tho way OF q blll ~
generally rendered TO an Indian,
Burke continued. q b0-cont or a
81 necktie would be charged at 10,
probably 80,
Burke said he had men In okla
homa trying to adjust and settle the
claims on fair basis. lie asaerted
that those holding accounts against
tho indians feel that they should he
paid, regardless OF whether thoy
ARE lust or reasonable.
what do you contemplate finally
becomes OF the money which II be-
ing piled mp 10 the credit OF tho
Osages?" Congressman CHAMPION
asked.
A Tragedy Looms Ahead.
"Some times 1 think II was n mis-
take TO provide by legislation thnt
the money should not be expended.
Burke replied, 81 do not KNOW
what is going 90 become or ~, III
is going To ruin another generhloh
or two I presume. II tho conditions
continue as they have been they are
building IN oklahoma what eVentu-
ally II going TO bo a tragedy. REQ
ple who are spending money ike
nlliIonnires are ultimately going 10
wako up and find that their income
N gone and suddenly become pau
pers. a.,
: I'VE had a case before us tho
other day of nm indian who Is
farmer, a Seminole, ms l romemoes
Or n Creek Indian who had reoeiNvoe nno
during tho last two years io,oOo
From what they have had. they
have some farms and stock. etc,
Thev are receiving an income OIL
$1,000 a month, living. ON n farm
and yet they came up here accom-
nanied by a former congressman W
their attorney, TO see the bureau 20
ascertain II Il would not he possiple
10 increase tho allowance eboNe
$1,000 a month,
'"rhey had a Winton Six car TheeS
had a S1,700 plano. Notwithsthnu
ing they were living on tarm anu
had what il produced they did NOT
think they could get along on VI ,2VV
ner month. Up to n certain llinl'
/ take the position that an Indian
has the same right to enjoy hit
wealth as anybody else, but IL does
eoem TO us that wDs n case whete
the farmer and his family ousht tS
he able to get along. We declineo
10 increase his allowance. a.,
"My purpose In mentioning thi'
Usage condition. and other condi'
tiona In oklahoma, is TO inipres'
upon the committee that we nav,
"a deal with matters that are W W
such Importance that necessarily w,
are continually being importuneu
by people who want 10 put SOM
thing over not in the interest OF tn'
Indians. There IL hardly wees
that we don't have hearings OF ~
companies, or some one VINO " oe
eirous OF either making a lease ~
transacting some business VIZ,
reference 10 the oil industry anu W.
nave lawyers and representatives U
these OH companies constantly com
ing 10 the office. and / say as
general proposition. they are st ny
S,ass neople. They know thclr buSl
ross and they ara capable OF looh
inp after their side of business =,
''I do not want the comm ittee y
get tho impreseion that beeeus
theso conditions obtain in oklahnh,
that they are general because
NOT the case. Most OF the lnulan
are very poor and have to get Aloh'