Report of the Board of Indian Commissioners Volume 48 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1917 Excerpt: ...remain to be disposed of and by whatever outstanding claims they may still have. For the Creeks, in particular, funds might possibly be secured by leasing some of the school properties at Sapulpa and at Nuyaka for oil purposes. The Sapulpa property lies directly in the oil belt. At present the leasing of lands of the Creek Indians for oil purposes would be illegal because of the fact that section 41 of the Atoka Agreement, act of March 1,1901 (31 Stat., 861), specifically provides that the provision in section 13 of the act of June 28, 1898 (30 Stat., 495), authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to make oil and gas leases among the Five Civilized Tribes " shall not apply to or in any manner affect the land or other property of said (Creek) tribe, or be in force in the Creek Nation." In view of this legislation, it is imperative, in order that additional funds be secured for the Creek schools, legislation should be enacted to amend section 41 of the act of March 1, 1901 so as to permit the Secretary of the Interior to make oil and gas leases on Creek lands, and I earnestly recommend such legislation. It is a fact worthy of note that the schools supported by tribal moneys are more satisfactory to the Indians than those supported by United States funds for the reason, I presume, that in-the management of these schools more attention is paid to the reasonable demands of the Indian people. This fact is impressed on one by comparing the one remaining school of the Cherokees with the. schools of the Creeks, Choctaws, Chickasaws, and Seminoles; and it is a fact that should appeal with force to the Indian parent. Prominent Cherokees have admitted to me it was unfortunate that the Cherokees did not conserve an educational fund and that they gave up their...