The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1925-12-17


A spi'sr bill has been introduced
in the Senate by Senator Shipstead.
The. Indians are unanimously in
favor of the enactment of this bill
into law, as they will then be in .
position to have a voice in their
affairs.
Congressman Wefald also intro.
duced H. r. 438, authorizing the
classification of the Chippewa In
dians of Minnesota into competents
and incompe:ents, for the segrega-.
tion of the trust fund and its divis
ion among the Indians, the shares
of the competent Indians to be
paid to them and the shares of the
incompetent Indians to be retained
under tue control of the Secretary
of the Interior and used for their
support. As funds later accumu
late from the liquidation of the
claims of the Indians against the
United States like segregations
and divisions are provided. A
similar bill has boen introduced in
the Senate by Senator Shipstead.
This bill is very important to the
Chippewa people. Next to the
jurisdictional bill it is the most
important bill introduced.
Congressman Wefald also intro.
duced bill setting aside Rice Lake
on the White Earth Reservation as
a permanent reserve for the use of
the Indians. The bill provides for
the immediate withdrawal of all
unallotted land around the lake
and for the purchaae of lands in
private ownership, or for their
condemnation. The object of this
bill is preserve Wild Rice Lake for
the benefit of the Indians. Senator
Shipstead has introduced a similar
bill in the Senate. This bill will
meet with the universal approval
of the Indians.
Congressman Knutson has in.
troduced in the House H. r. 1872,
which appropriates 100000 of the
trust fund in the Treasury to be
used by the Secretary of the In
terior for the purchase of mater
ial and erection of houses for the
Chippewa Indians on lands allotted
to them, or on allotmeuts which
have been inherited; to clear and
break land; for the purchase of
cattle and horses, agricultural i'm
plements, seed. and fencing. This
bill is in utter disregard of the,
terms of the trust under which the
funds of the Indians are held by
the United States. Under the
agreements of 1889 the funds were
to be divided equally between the
Indians. Under this bill $200,0Q0
are to be taken this year and spent
on a part of the Indians If such
precedent is established sncces.
sive appropriations for similar
purposes will follow each year in
the future and few individuals
will get the benefit of tho entise
fund. THE TeMAHAwK is surprised
that Mr. Knutson should introduce
such a bill. He must have done
so az the request of some one. The
bill bears the ear marks of James
l. Coffey, and we assume that it
originated with him. 1t is on a
par with the silly proposals offered
by Coffey in the past with reference
to Chippewa matters. The great
majority of the Chippewa Indians
are unalterably opposed to the
enactment of this bill into law, and
we trust that Mr.. Kputson will
not press 1t. |
Another bill introduced by Mr.. |
Kuutson is H. r. III, which au.
thorizes the appointment of com
mission consisting of three persons,
one to be named by the Secretary
of the Interior, one by the Chip
pswa Indians, and one by the
President of the United States,
which commission ia authorized to