The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1923-05-31
Failure.

ministration of Chippewa affairs in
Minnesota has about come to a
close. Can it be said with a clear
conscience by any one that it has
been a brilliant successa There
have been many years of nefficient
and mediocre administrations
among the Chippewas in the past,
but the year 1928 will 60 down in
history as one of the most ineffici-
ent and costly administrations the
Chippewas have ever known. All
classes and bands of Chippewas
have never been so universally of
Que mind in the master of the ad-
ministration If their affairs as
during the past year.
On or about July /, 1922, a
number of government buildings
at White Earth were Abandoned
and the Agency removed 20 Cass
Lake, Mimi, a railroad town and
summer resort. Other buildings
we're abandoned elsewhere in the
Chippewa country under the pre-
tense of economy. 1t would be
pretty hard to convince the aver
age person with ordinary intellect
where there was any economy ir
the abandonment of fine govern
ment buildings, residences, etc.,
for the privilege of paying rent at
Cass Lake. The number of en-
,ployees has. not dwindled to any
extent and there are about as many
loafing around these abandoned
buildings as there were before.
A little later on, and the real
cause for the removal to Cass
Lake, was the Forestry matter. 1t
was discovered by some one in the
Bureau that the Act of May %.
1908, had never been acted upon
and now would be as good a time
as any to repay Cass Lake for its
kind hospitality in allowing the
White Earth Agency (Act Feb. IA
1880 to pay rent within its cor
porate limits. An attempt to carry
out said Act of 1908 was finally
concluded in the report of the
Commissioners under said Act.
An appeal was made to the Presi.
dent protesting against the validity
of the Act, the proceedings there.
under and the inadequate compen-
satiou to the Indians.
Almost to man, the Chippewas
favored a $100 payment to tide
them over the fall and winter
months of 1922+23, but the Bureau
opposed this legislation to the
limit and without any reasonable
grounds for its opposition. Yet
the Bureau favored a payment to
the Red Lake Band OF yChippewas.
The Indian Bureau is most incon-
sistent at times.
As most policies put forth orig
mate with the Superintendent at
the Agency, the relief Of the poor,
INDECENT, blind and helpless In
dians has been q partial failure
during the past year, owing to the
attitude of the Superintendent in
trying to shift the burden of
responsibility upon the counties
wherein citizen Indians make their
homes. It's elementary to any
person of ordinary intelligence
that as long as the Indian Bureau
asks for appropriations from these
peoples tribal funds for relief
and civilization a moral and legal
duty is imposed upon it to see that
the relief is properly administered.
When the Indian Bureau ceases
it's requests for thousands of dol
lars sof Chippewa money every
year for "relief and civilization"
then it will be time for the counties
to think about their duty toward.
the Chippewas.
The swamp land Claims will
soon come before the courts for
consideration. Will the Burke
administration handle this matter