The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1954-03-05
ATTORNEYS JOIN
TO GIVE INDIANS
ASSIST AT CAPITAL

ASSIST AT CAPITAL
WASHINGTON - An attorney
for Montana's Flathead Indians
this week said the tribe opposes
a bill that would end government
supervision over them but would
have no objection if Indian land
would not be subject to taxation.
putting this property on the
tax rolls is the fundamental OBJ.
lection" Atty. George NJ. Tuni.
son. Omaha, told a joint House.
Senate committee on Indian Al.
fairs.
The bill involving the Flat.
heads is one of a series now un.
der consideration by the com.
mittce.
Tunison argued the proposed
bill would be a violation of an
1856 treaty. He said the Flathead
reservation set up by that treaty
was not set aside by the federal
government but was reserved by
the Indians.
He said the treaty contained
no mealy mouthed words" about
how long the reservation was to
exist and said the Indian posi-.
ton is that they are entitled to
keep it as long as they want it.
When Sen. Watkins R.Utah)
asserted the purpose of the bill
was to put Indians in the same
position as other citizens. Tuni.
son countcred:
THE tribes position is that
they are in a better position than
other citizens"
lie said the bill would take
property away from the Indians
by putting it on the tax rolls.
Walter II. Morigcau. assistant
chairman of the Flathead Tribal
Council. challenged earlier con.
tcnticns by the Bureau of Indian
Affairs witnesses that tribal for.
est lands constitute a 40 million
dollar asset.
Based on present and past re.
turns. he estimated future rcve.
nue. to the tribe from its timber
lands at $500. 900 yearly.
After paying corporate. state
and local taxes on the property
as we'll as administrative expense,
now costing the government $50.
600 q year. he said "onc good
fire would ruin U.S."
He said the 353. OOO.acrc tim.
Der area Is a national resource
important to regional recreation.
irrigation and other phases of
local economy and should be
maintained in a unit.
This view was shared by Rep.
D'Ewart (R.MonU who said the
forest should he maintained as
q sustained yield unit.
Flathead tribal members living
outside their reservation should
be excluded from voting on dis.
posal Of reservation property, one
Of them said.
Darcy McNeickle. Boulder.
Colo. made the statement. Nc.
Ncickle fears pressure from "off
reservation" tribe M G NJ bcrs
would force disposal.
Il don't think off.rcscrvation
Indians should have q vote and I
include myself" he said.
McNcicklc said he left the res.
crvation years ago. lie worked
for the Bureau of Indian Affairs
until two years ago and Is now
director Of American Indian dc.
vclopmcnt. a private organiza.
ton. he said.
About half of the 4.OO0.odd
Flathcads live off the rcserva.
ton.
Sen. Mike Mansfield tD.Mont)
opposes the bills on the ground
they would create a new class
OF Indians - landlcss Indians. I"
lie cited an Indian "shacktown"
ut Great Falls. Mont. called Hill
81, as an example of what hap.
pens when Indians are displaced
from their land. lie called II an
"ab0minablc cycsOrc."
Paul Fickingcr. area director
Of the Indian bureau. said Hill
81 Is mot Illustrative" of what
happens to Indians who leave
their reservations. Il could show
you the same thing In non.ln.
dian communities" he said. ITS
local problem. not federal"