The Tomahawk., 1922-05-04
Councils, and that these agree.
ments are today recognized. Why,

therefore, should Secretary Finney
say that " the action of the council
would not be as, safe guide as the
studied plans of the administrative
body of the government" In
other words, does the Department.
of the Interior mean to imply that
the Indian pations under the rul-
ing and guiding of the Indian Blu
reau, have gone backwards so far
that Indian councils are no longer
reliable and to be depended upon?
For the Indian in this enlighten-
ed time, to be told just such things
as the Department of the Interior
says in its letter, makes him think
that he is probably not as we'll off
as was bis great great grand father.
The system Of education and
reservation control adopted and
carried out by the Indian Bureau
does, rs a. matter of fact, tend to
make the Indian incompetent and
unable to attend to his own affairs,
but we have never before had it
brought to our attention as justi'
fc:.tion for. not permitting the 1n:
dams to say what SHALL be done
with their money and their pro-
perty when meeting as a nation
and represented by the council of
select men.
It is true that the differenttr tribes
differ greatly in education, envir-
comment and general conditions, but
it would seem that the Indian Bu-
reau has been in existence long
enough to have corrected some of
the conditions and environment
mentioned. ~ =. 80 -
1t is true that tribal councils are
in some instances affected by fac
lions and combinations, but we
venture the assertion that such
factions and COMMUNIST tons are not
nearly SO common among the In
dams as among the whites. In
short, such an argument as this is
no argument against the passage
of the proposed legislation. = .=.3
AS we read the proposed legis-
lation, there is nothing compulsory
upon the part of the Department
Of the Interior and the Congress
| of the United States to adopt the
report and recommendations of
the Indian Council. To deny the
Indians the right to pass upon
such matters and to say what shall
be done with their tribal funds
ana property, is to deny them a
fundamental right which you as a
white man have under the Consti-
tuition of toe United States. Your
property cannot be taken without
due process of law. The property
of the Indian can:
We respectfully suggest that
the Indian tribes and nations
should be given the same oppor'
tunity as a white man ano, should
have the same right to :pass upon
their matters in meetings and
councils as the white man. -.
For the foregoing reasons we
earnestly hope tina. the bill will
receive your sanction and favor.
able report, and that the proposed
Legislation will become law. Act
ing Secretary Finney says that
such legislation would be impracti-
cable at this time. 1t would be no
| more impracticable ut this time
than at any time in the past humid
red years or in the next century.
The entire subject is merely
whether the United States will
give the Indian a right which the
white man already has, or whether
the United States wants to keep
the Indian in abject subsection UNI
ii; the end of time.
Very sincerely and respect,
fully submitted. @. III
(Signed) Robt. J. Hamilton,
- Vice President, Legis.