The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1961-12-07
From The SideIines
by Tiff Mckay

Local interest, each year al
this time. turns toward the pos
sibility Of a Tribal per capita
payment This subject was dis
cussed Move mber 30 by the
Blackfeet Tribal Council and
two motions we're passed which
seem 10 have a bearing on whe.
Their or not a payment will be
made before Christmas.
have written at least twice in
this column about the contro-
versy involving the wrongful re.
m0val of minerals from certain
Tribal land. This controversy is
referred TO locally as the "Sher.
man Deal" In one of my more
recent columns, I reported the
results Of a couple of letters I
had written to the u. S. Attor.
ney on the subject
To refresh your memory. the
U. s. Attorneys office informed
me that a suit would be brought
before January %. 1862 by the
u. 5. 10 recover the full value
of some $500. 900 worth of oil
wrongfully removed from land
belonging to the Blackfeet Tribe.
Referring 10 a previously dis
cusSed settlement of sl04. 900. the
u. s. Attorney stated that he
would not consider recommend
ing settling the 100000 claim
for land quote from his letter.
''for any figure as inadequate as
siO4 600"
The Sherman controversy was
again discussed by the council
November 80. At that meeting.
Joe Show made a motion that
the council vote by secret ballot
on whether or not to settle the
Sherman deal The motion was
seconded by Walter Wetzel The
vote by ballot resulted in a 6-6
tie. Council Chairman Swingley
then cast his vote in favor of
settlement, and the motion car
ried.
Although no figure was men
toned in the council motion IT,
self, the figure Of $4,000 was
previously discussed at this meet
ing.
Earl Old Person then made a
motion that the Tribe make a SO
per capita payment before Christ
mas If the Sherman deal is set
tied BY then. Brian Connolly sec
onded the motion. and il carried
unanimously
Unless some action is taken at
the meeting today Thursday
20 my knowledge. the above is
the latest official action of the
Tribal Council regarding a per
capita pay emit before this
Christmas.
Another item Of considerable
local interest Is the Timber En-
terprise proposed by the Tribal
Council I asked Henry Magee,
Chairman of the Timber Enter
prise Committee Of the Tribal
Council, what the status was of
this program Henry told me.
The Indian Bureau won't APP
prove il. They don't want the
Indians 10 work" He also told
me the Timber Enterprise Com
mittee was TO have another meet
ing on the subject Tuesday, De-
cember 5. have not lesrned the
results of that meeting. The mem
bers of this committee, inciden-
tally, are Mr.. Magee, Robert
Howard, Tribal Treasurer; Leo
NJ. Kennerly ST.; Joe Lewis, and
John Mike.
Quite a battle is raging in this
area regarding the elk harvest
proposed in Yellowstone Nation
al Park. Each year a certain
number Of elk are killed in the
park to prevent overgrazing Of
Park land. Until this year, these
elk were killed by employees of
the National Park Service. In
the past few weeks, however,
sportsmen's grouos in this area
have protested this method Of
killing. and have urged instead
that sportsmen be granted IL
censes each year 10 hunt In the
Park This. they contend, would
provide control for the Rangers.
range for the elk. and sport for
the sportsmen.
Personally. l oppose opening
National Parks 10 hunting In any
form. Especially in view Of the
fact that some hunters can't seem
10 tell elk from cows. deer from
sheep, or birds from bears. III
Parks were opened TO hunting.
there is bound 20 be a drastic re-
duction in the elk population
so drastic that the National Park
elk might 90 the way Of the
American bison. Any good hunt
er will tell you that IL is difficult