The Tomahawk., 1925-04-09
Charles \, Burke, Com
missioner Of Indian ,
Affairs, Should Resign.
Concluded from 1st page)

OF Snade T.. WalleD, SuperlDtend
ent of the Five Civilized Tribes, a
part of which went to a former
Member of Congress who was re-
sponsible for the appointment of
said Superintendent of the Five
Civilized Trioes. Also the case
where the Commissioner of Indian
Affairs approved contracts with
favored attorneys to pay them ten
per cent to collect from the Treas
ury Department income taxes
illegally paid by the Indian Blu
reau on the incomes of its restrict
ed Indian wards.
This is also evidenced by the
fact that the parties making spec.
ific charges designated to the COM
mitsee the names of 30 witnesses
by whom they claimed they could
and would substantiate every
charge made. Of this number
only eight, and some of them the
least important, were summoned
to testify. A few days ago ma
jority of this committee, but not
all of them. signed report to this
House, which attempted to place Il
halo about the heads of all con-
cerned except the American citi
zen who had the temerity to ques-
ton tne action of the Bureau of
Indian Affairs.
There is published in Oklahoma
newspaper. 1t is the greatest
Republican newspaper in the
Southwest. It has great facilities
for gathering news and obtaining
information as to current events
and happenings in that country.
Its knowledge of conditions is
probably greater than could be
that of a committee if for weeks it
honestly sought information. This
newspaper is the Tulsa Daily
World, published at Tulsa, Okla.
Referring to this investigation and
the report of the committee in its
issue of Saturday, February 21,
1925, it said editorially:
Is SMOOTH AS SILK.
The report of the COMPRESSION
al committee which investigated
the conduct of Indian affairs by
both the Indian Office at Washing
ton and the probate courts of Ok
lahoma, is a smooth piece of work.
The public is now informed, de.
spite the lurid evidence of a sen.
sational character which the COM
mittee heard, that both the Indian
Office and the probate courts of
Oklahoma are without guile.
Smooth9 Smooth as silk! But we
wonder-nay, marvel-at the in
tellect of men who in fooling
themselves believe they are fooling
the public!"
Mr.. Chairman. would not call
attention to this report in this
manner if l did not consider it my
duty to the Indians. will not be
q Member Of the next Congress,
but many of you will. In that
Congress you will be called upon
to enact some Indian legislation. l
am sure that in that Congress the
Bureau of Indian Affairs will at.
tempt to exercise its bureaucratic
power as it has done in this Con.
gress and before this subcommit
tee. No doubt the recommends
tions made by this subcommittee,
dominated asit was by this bu,
reaucratic department, will be
made the basis for demanded leg
islation. And in view of the fact
that the investigation referred to
was not thorough, but prejudical,
urge you who are to be members
of the Congress that when the
question of Indian legislation
shall come before you that you be
liz no great hurry to take seriously
any recommendations made in the
report referred to or that shall
come from the bureaucracy known
as the Bureau of Indian Affairs.