The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1954-04-02
Cullen Proposal Clarified by Public Discussions

The much discussed Cullen
plan for the development of the
resources of the Blackfcrl Indian
reservation has been consider.
ably clarified during the past
few days as a result OF numerous
meetings of Interested citizens
with Attorney Thomas Nolby. of
Houston, Texas. who has spent
the past two weeks in Montana
laying the foundation for what
many believe will be big step
toward achieving u more rapid
advancement of the economic
and social advancement of this
entire reservation area.
After holding numerous con.
fcrcnccs with the Blackfcrt Tri.
bal Council. Mr.. Molby met with
the Chamber of Commerce in
Cut Bank on Monday evening;
Tuesday afternoon a scheduled
meeting of Stockmcn and others
Interested was held at the Tri,
bal Council in the Council rooms,
and "Wednesday evening at a
largely attended joint meeting of
the Browning Chamber Of Com
mcrcc and the Browning Lions
club. held in the new high school
building. a lengthy and cniight'
cning session was held
4 representative Of this news
paper attended the two last nam.
cd meetings. and came out with
the opinion that the plan has
real possibilities. and that the
Cullen group are making an en-,
crgetic effort to get il into CO.
hcsivc form.
The very MAGNITUDE Of the un.
dertaking. and the complex ma.
turc of the preliminary planning
are such that too rapid progress
cannot be expected.
Mr.. Molby and his associates
have unqucstionably made a deep
study Of the whole problem. and
while they have by no means
been able to come up with the
final answers. ii is evident they
mean business and il given the
needed support by those most
Interested. may be able to work
out a program that will by far
be the most advanced system OF
reservation development that has
ever been undertaken.
At both the Tuesday afternoon
and Wednesday night meetings
MOlby pointed out that tho so
called Cullen proposal is some
thing entirely new and untricd
In Government Indian relation
ships. and involves a vast amount
Of study and planning. and tina,
many obstacles have appeared
some of which at first seemed
almost inSurm0untablc.
After first being attracted Ia
the possibilities Of developing
the vast natural resources Of tho
reservation. his people came Ia
Montana and made a prclimin
AIRY survey Of the situation. and
believing there could be some
program worked out that could
eventually be made workable. q
more detailed study was inaugur,
atcd. and eventually a rough out
line Of a cooperative plan. he,
tween the Cullen people and the
Indians themselves. was adopted
in principle" This plan was then
submitted to the Tribal Council,
which was approved in prir,
ciplc." With this rather vague
commencement. the problem was
taken up with the Interior dc
partmcnt and tho Indian Bureau,
IN Washington. After several CO.,
fcrcnccS IN Washington. y. C..
with Understanding Of the In
terror Lewis and Indian Commits
Sioncr EnmOns. the general idea
met with unofficial approval
again i'm principle" Later dc
velopmcnts included numerous
conferences with attorneys fot
both Cullen and the Indian tribe
IN the capital city. supplement
I'd by further meetings with In
terror Department and Indi,,
Bureau officials.
as II IL tho announced pole,
0f the present administration "a
make radical changes ~ IN,
whole Indian affairs relation
ships. and the putting into IF
feet the SDcallcd "libcraiin,.
"IiGuidation." or termination
policies heretofore announced n.
the general objective of the gov
crnmcnt. the proposed plan read
ily attracted attention.
AZ this point the rrprrscn; l,iy
cs Uf Cullen ard the india,
spOkcsincn asked for ccrtait
Qualification by tho government,
agencies as to certain rr1uir.
mcnts that would ha.r to b. me-,
No final answer has been fur
nishcd the negottatOrs M yet b,
the departments involved. and
until these are forthcoming, :
definite program ranno, b. draw.
up. Mr.. AiOlhy stated.
An Aopsrsns Sincere Effort
II Is evident from the state