The Tomahawk., 1923-12-20
MINNESOTA CHIPPEWA AFFAIRS
AT THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
Representative WeaId and Senator Shpstead Making Good
Their Promises TO the Minnesota Chippewas.

Shipstead nave already commenced
making good their promises to the
Chippewa people. Congressman
Wefald, on the first day the House
was organized, introduced a bill
providing for a per capita payment
of 500, the money to be paid to
Indians in conformity with section
7 of their agreement with the Unit
ed States entered into iu 1889. This
means cash payment without any
strings to it. He also introduced
the same day the bill of the Gen.
eral Council to wind up the affairs
of the Chippewas. He will be
assigned to a place on the Commit
tee on Indian Affairs of the House
and thus be ina position to render
effective service.
Senator Shipstead has introduced
a bill in the Senate providing for
per capita payment. His bill is
identical with the bill introduced
by Congressman Wefald. Both
Congressman Wefald and Senator
Shipstead are spending great deal
of time familiarizipg themselves
with the conditions and preparing
to crowd Chippewa Legislation
through Congress al soon as the
committees are organized.
Far different is their attitude
toward the affairs of the Chippe-
was from that of Harold Knutson,
the representative from the 9Th
Congressional District of Minneso-
ia. Knutson relies entirely upon
the Indian Bureau for.his informa-
tion relative to Chippewa affairs.
He permits the Indian Bureau to
think for him, which is not un
natural, as Harold never thought
or acted for himself. AS a result
he has introduced in the House
four bills, all prepared in the In.
dian Bureau and sent to him for
introduction. If these bills should
be enacted into law without
amendment they would cost the
Chippewa people millions of dol
lars and further mangle their
estate.
The first bill introduced by Con-
gressman Knutson is H. r. "a, "A
Bill Authorizing the Secretary of
the Interior to appraise tribal
property of the Chippewa Indians,
and for other purposes. The bill
provides for the appointment of a
commission of three persons, one
to be an employee of the Indian
Bureau, appointed by the Seere
tary, one a member of the Chippe-
wa tribe, selected by the Indians,
and one a resident of the State of
Minnesota appointed by the Presi-
dent. This commission is to ap-
praise all existing property in
cluding the value of any claim
against the State of Minnesota or
the United States belonging to the
Chippewa indians. - 1t is then
authorized to fix what in its opin-
ion is q fair cash value of a pro
ratio share of the tribal property.
Any enrolled Indian who has re.
ceived a patent in fee for his allot.
ment can, with the approval of the
Secretary of the Interior, and by
executing complete release to
any further share of the tribal
property, receive the amount fixed
by the commission. The Chippewa
Indians have only recently expert.
enced the work of such a commits
sion in connection with the Mime.
sofa National Forest. They. now
realize that that commission was
the mere creature of the Indian
Bureau and that they will not re.
ceive fifty per cent of the true
value of the property taken, This
proposed commission is to pass