MONEYS OF THE OSAGE TRIBE OF INDIANS. u. S. 58th Cong., 3d Res., 1957-1905. House HEARINGS ON H. R. 1478 BEFORE A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON 1905. WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. Pat! DIVISION OF THE LANDS AND MONEYS OF THE OSAGE SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS, Friday, January 20, 1905, 11 o'clock a. m. The subcommittee met at 11 o'clock a. m.. Hon. Charles Curtis in the chair. The committee thereupon resumed the consideration of the bill (H. R. 17478) to provide for an equal division of the lands and moneys of the Osage tribe of Indians, and for other purposes. STATEMENT OF JAMES BIGHEART, ESQ., OF THE OSAGE TRIBE OF INDIANS. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Bigheart, have you anything to say this morning? Mr. BIGHEART. Yes; we are ready. You know what we said the other day. It is impressed upon you, I hope. That is, that we have not decided on any argument on the bill at all; but we ask that you gentlemen will consider the bill and arrive at some arrangement whereby the Osages may have negotiations held on their reservation to abolish their tribal affairs and to get their lands and money fairly divided among themselves, so that every individual will be there to give his views in the matter, and the majority agree upon a plan. The CHAIRMAN. Then what you want is to have a commission or an agent appointed to negotiate with the tribe upon the reservation? Mr. BIGHEART. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Have you anything to say this morning in regard to the provisions of this bill? Mr. BIGHEART. Oh, yes. I think some of these points should be kept in view, as provided, for instance, in the first section. That is, as we say, we want the roll finally settled before we come to a conclusion as to a division.of the land. The CHAIRMAN. Is there any other section you have anything to say upon? Mr. BIGHEART. Another part is section 4, where it says: It shall be the duty of the United States Indian agent to see that all deeds are properly recorded with the register of deeds for the county of Oklahoma. That is, in this provision it says that Osage County shall be organized, but it does not say that Osage County shall receive the deeds, or the register of deeds, or one thing or another, or be placed in the different counties of Oklahoma. The CHAIRMAN. Well, the deeds would have to be recorded in the county to which any part of your Territory might be attached in case Osage County is not organized, so you must have a provision of that kind. Are there any other sections you have anything to say about? |