The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1922-04-13

before the Committees of Con-
gress, but if it requires all matters
to be submitted to the tribe in the
manner proposed it would cause
endless controversy and delay,
with the result that the work in
hand in be half of the Indians
would be seriously handicapped.
The Indians, generally speak
ing, are wards of the Federal Gov
eminent, and the land and the
funds involved in the proposed
legislation are trust property
which the Government must ad:
minister for the benefit of the In
according to the best judgment of
the Congress and the ADMINISTERS
tive officers charged with carrying
out the laws of Congress. There
arc differences of opinion is true
as to the action that should be
taken in many cases, but the diff
erences and dissehtion would be
enlarged and complicated more by,
attempting to carry out in every
case the plan set out in this bill.
In many cases the large majority
Of the Indians are not competent
to determine what is best for their
needs, and action of the council
would not he as safe a guide as the
studded plans of the administra--
tive body of the Government or Of
the Congress itself, as the case
may be. 1t also frequently hap
pens that the tribal councils are
dominated by persons whose act
ions are more in the interests of
self than of a tribe as whole. 1t
is therefore believed that thu ques-
ton of submitting matters of In
dian policy to the tribes should be
left.te the discretion of the admin
istrative officers and to Congress
in every specific case. -; I'LL = h
The question of choosing tribal
councils SHOULD also be left to the
discretion of the Secretary of the
Interior aud the Commissioner of
Indian Affairs as at present. The
different tribes differ greatly in
education, environment and general
conditions. Exactly the same
treatment cannot be applied to all
at present. Where the Indians are
given the initiative in the calling
and conduct of so-called tribal
councils it has been found that
factions claim to be THE tribal
council, making it difficult to pro-
cure tribal action which can be
recognized as the real sentiment or
action of the tribe. While the De-
partment undertakes to learn the
wishes as wei. as the real needs
and interests of the Indians, it now
appears clearer than ever that
until the Indians of a particular
tribe can be given entire control
of their property it is necessary
for the Government to retain
sufficient jurisdiction of their
affairs to be in a: position to ad-
minister the trust. -
It is hardly necessary to add that
items of proposed Indian legisla-
ton submitted to Congress by this
Department are given careful con-
sideration before being submitted
and are given careful consideration
by the Indian Committees of Con-
gress before being reported to the
Senate or House respectfully, and
of course further consideration as
is believed necessary by each
House of Congress. -:
For the reasons stated, l am un-
able to recommend passage of the
bill, and believe that such legisla-
ton would be impracticable at this
time.
+ Sincerely, ~ d;
(Signed) E. 9. Finney, {
Acting Secretary.
- Versatile Windmill.
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