The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-04-03

Tribe, Richest People in World
Per Capita, Feel Capable Of J
Handling Own Affairs.
BY JOHN T. LAMBERT,
Cosmopolitan News Service.

A strange commingling of
wealth and penury has brought
the Usage Indian to this city in
search Of even-handed justice from
the white mans Government.
!. The Usage Indians are today
the richcas people per capita in
Ill the world.
The white man dashed them
from pillar to post and finally
drove them into arid wastes in
Oklahoma and with a leer he left
them to starve. To the small
tract left them by the whites, the
Osages added the land they
bought from the Cherokees for 20
cents an acre. Oil gushed forth.
Other valuable minerals were dis
covered. The Osgaes now have
1,671 900 acres, about go square
miles.
Land LimitIess I'm Value.
From the land which the white
man ecOrned and to which he piti.
1essly drove them, the Osages have
received $7e,00O,O0O in royalties
alone. About $4,000, 900 remains in
the tribal fund. The land is limit
less In value. AtiG wastes have
produced a wealth greater than
uonarchg went to war over in the
past. It is owned by q mere 2,229
men, women and children, all that
r. left. Of q once great race Of war
E1ors.
The osages have democracy all
their own. Chief Paul Red Eagle
and the eight councillors are elected
BY the tribe, the adult males par
ticipating in the election. The
wealth Of the Osages Is divided
equally among all members, share
, and share alike.
4. The Government leases the min
eral lands and collects the royalties.
Each Usage IL allowed $4,000 a year.
II he il married and has two chill
6ren: he receives $4,000 2 year for
But there his trouble begins. The
Usage wants to administer his own
property. It Is his. He is tired Of
being a ward. He says he knows
as much about land as any public
officials. He knows the value Of
oil. He is confident he can do bet.
ter himself. II any mistakes are
being made in the handling Of his
property, he is willing to make
them because he is the one who
suffers.
Some Of the Osages are restrict.
ed" and under guardianship. These
wards are not allowed to handle
even their income. An Usage with
q potential wealth Of $4,000, 900
stands aside and sees his bread AMI
clothing, or possibly his loIlypops,
bought for him by a rank outsider.
He understands he Is restricted
because he has not reached the
white mans state of civilization
the same white man who makes
poison gas and depth bombs to kill
his brother, who stole the Osages'
land from him, sent him into. Okla
hon1a to perish, and who now steals
from him when he gets chance.
Tired Of Guardians"
The Usage says he can take out
his proportionate share of the
wealth from the tribal fund only II
he consents to have a guardian of
some sort appointed to administer
It for him. He is tired of these
guardians"
There are too many professionals
among them, he says, who make a
business Of administering these es.
tates. collecting large commissions
and fees for themselve, paying large
sums to lawyer friends whose legal
services are deemed by them to be
necessary and also splitting with
the butcher, baker and candlesticx
maker from whom they buy ma
terials for the Indian wards.
The Osage's charges are roundly
disputed by some Of the white men
here. They say he Is In the lap of
luxury, with no work to do and no
care to vex him. They say he IL
indolent by nature and would have
languished in poverty If left to his
own resources.
Chief Red Eagle and his tribal
councillors are comforting with Sec.
rotary of the Interior Work, Indian
Commissioner Burke and members
Ct Congress.