The Tomahawk., 1924-03-20
Another Century
Of Dishonor.

bers of the socalled Five Civilized
Tribes" of Indians. In 1908 Con-
gress took jurisdiction over them
in probate matters from the In
terror Department and transferred
it to the state county courts. In
the summary of a report just pub
lished by the Indian Rights .Asso
citation, telling what has befallen
these 'poor rich Indians" the
general statement is made that
their estates "are being and have
been shamelessly and openly rob-
bed in a scientific and ruthless
manner" A more specific charge
is. that the 64, ,339 whose safeguards
were removed in 1908 probably
not more than or 10 per cent
have anything left" They are
living back in the hills or are being
cared for by friends or relatives.
Meanwhile the orgy of graft and
Exploitation" goes on.
When Oklahoma was admitted
into the Union, pledge was put
in it's constitution that nothing
should be construed to limit or
impair the rights of persons or
property pertaining to the Indians
or to limit or affect the jurisdiction
of the federal government over
them and their lands. In spite of
this early effort was made to repeal
the laws for their protection, with
the result that all federal super
vision of the sale of inherited
lands by blood heirs land by those
declared incompetent) was ended
and jurisdiction given to Che local
probate courts. In the absence of
this federal supervision, these In
dian heirs we're, it is declared,
robbed in a wholesale manner"
and, it is added, VIRTUALLY with
the aid of these very courts - For
a time field agents were authorized
by Congress with view to pre-.
vent such abuses. but the appro.
priations for this purpose were
soon discontinued. Then the su
preme court of Oklahoma, wit
Messing this openly disgraceful
state of offairs. issued rules for the
guidance of the county courts in
dealing with Indian property, but
these rules were modified and were
finally revoked by the court last
July.
The revelations made after a
firsthand study of conditions by
those signing the report (who are
certified by President Herbert
Welsh to be experienced investi-
gators'O are shocking. They in.
clude such findings as unconscion-
able fees aud commissions allowed
by the courts to professional
guardians, implying collusion bs.
tween judges and guardians; fla
grant disregard of Indians well
| fare; heartlessness and Indifference
of professional guardians. result
ing in the death of Indian children
from lack of punishment; dispos-
ing of tracts of Inherited Indian
land for q fraction of their real
value. and other still lower, inde-
cent and outrageous forms of graft.
The discovery of oil on Indian
lands seemed to provoke the most
pernicious and avaricious trespass
upon the rights OF their owners.
That the only hope for saving the
property of those who are still
under restriction lies Ia the res
toration of the authority of the
department of the interior indi-
Gates to what disgraceful depths
things have gone. The bill which
seeks to insure such protection for
the restricted lands and funds that
are left has been introduced in the
Senate BY Senator Harreld Of
Qklahama, in the hope that the
'Five Civilized Tribes shall have
civilized treatment from the Forty
eight states,