The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1953-12-04
New Capital Interested in
Local Indian Situation

Ne9ofIdftonS nave oeen Un.
der way for the past two or
three weeks between the
BIaekfeet Indians and repre-.
sentatives Of the Cullen inter-
ests Of Houston. Texas, that
could be by far the most i'm.
portant development in In
dian relationships and deveI-
opment Of the vast resources
of the Blaekfeet reservation
in history.
While the negotiations are still
in more or less formative stage
and much of the information
available is more or less of the
rumor type, it is known that re.
representatives. of the Cullen inter.
ests have spent considerable time
here, and the Tribal Council and
others interested have given the
tentative proposals serious con-
sideration, and have taken pre-.
liminary action opening the way
for the adoption of a final plan,
most of the details of which are
yet to be worked out.
The plan, if it is finally adopt
ed, will have to be approved by
the local Tribe, the Bureau of
Indian Affairs, the Secretary of
the Interior and perhaps entail
additional legislative action by
the national congress.
1t is known that a nephew of
Mr.. Lucien Cullen, with a staff
Of attorneys and assistants, have
been here on several different
occasions recently, and have laid
their plan, more or less in out
line, before the Tribal Council
and representative members of
the tribe, and that the Council
has given it their approval in
principle.
1t is understood that the Gull
len people have arranged to take
delegation of representatives of
the Indian people to Washington,
DC, to lay the plan before the
appropriate agencies and repre-
sentatives in congress from the
Indian states. No details of this
plan are available, but number
Of those most interested in the
negotiations are enthusiastic in
their belief that the plan may
eventually be worked out.
The following is summary of
what is reported to have taken
place so far in the negotiations:
Negotiations have been taking
place between representatives of
Mr.. Lucien Cullen of Houston
and various members of the Tri-
bal Council of the Blackfeet
Tribe to the end that arrange
mentS can he made for the man
agement of certain of the re
sources owned or controlled by
the Blackfeet Indian Reservation
by the Tribal Council. The nego-
tlations have separated the sew.
eral types of owned resources:
l. Tribal Lands. These are
lands which are held by the
Blackfeet Tribe and are unallo-
Gated and unrestricted as we'll as
land purchased by them or &C.
CURED by them in one way or an
other. These also include miner
ais owned by them either thru
reservation or purchase. The ne
EQUATIONS have eliminated from
the scope of any intended agree
ment those lands or minerals
which are now under oil and gas
lease or which are now produc-
ing oil or gas or both. 1t has been
suggested that agreement may
well be reached concerning the
OIL and gas and minerals on the
following basis:
Cullen will assume the man.
agement and direction of the leas-
ing or operating of the minerals
other than those covered by ex-
lsting oil and gas leases and shall
NAS liiC uCNCloPibClil " iiit
best advantage of the parties of
the oil and gas and mineral re-
sources of the reservation. In ev-
cry case of leasing or operating
any of the land for oil and gas
development the Blackfeet Tribe
shall receive full 1871 per cent
Of the oil and gas as a free roy
fity and shall receive a full Y
OF all net income over and above
said 12R per cent royalty, the
balance to be held by Cullen. Up
on hard minerals like arrange
ments shall be made except that
the royalty to be paid to the
Blackfeet Tribe shall be the
amount paid for similar minerals
under similar circumstances In
the area as the usual royalty for
such minerals.
2. Lands or minerals hereafter
acquired by the Blackfeet Tribe
shall upon their acquisition be
subject to the same terms.
3. Lands acquired out of funds
received from the operations of
Cullen or the joint operations of