OCR Text |
Show 118 COMMISBIONEB OF INDIAN AFFAIEE. in the Indian Territory, and for other purposes," was introduced in the Senate. These bills were introduced late in the session and neither became law. OATHS OF DISINTEREBTEDNESS. The act of Apni 21, 1904, provides- That no portion of the money herein appropriated for the Indian Territory shall be paid to any person in the service of the United Btates until such pemn shall make oath that he has no financial interest with any pemn or corporation dealing in Indian lands in the Indian Territory. Agent Shoenfelt requested this office July 8 to prescribe the neces-sary form of oath to he taken by the employees of Union Agency. July 16 the office recommended to the Department that the usual form of oath, supplemented by the provisions of law, be prescribed. It was suggested, however, that the matter be submitted to the Assistant Attorney-General for opinion as to who the employees are to whom this provision of law is applicable. The suggestion was also made that, as it was of more than passing importance to the agent, who is a disbursing officer, it might be well to submit the whole subject to the Comptroller of the Treasury. July 19 the Department submitted the matter to the Assistant Attorney-General, who rendered the following opinion July 30: It is therefore clear that the object and intention of Congrw in this provision waa to make the oath imposed obligatory on all Federal officers and persons in the service of the United States charged with duties in the Indian Territory, who are paid their campensation from moneys appropriated by the act, and that the words "herein appropriated for the Indian Territory" are not intended to he a mere provision upon the item of $30,000 to which it is annexed, hut are intended to apply to every dis-bursement in the nature of salary or compensation for services rendered in the Indian Territory, payable from any appropriation made by the aet, including the Commis-sion to the Five Civilized Tribes, their clerks and agents, the United States Indian agent, his clerks and employees, and the Indian inspeetor in c h q e of the Indian Territory as well, though the appropriation for his part is not specially appropriated "for Indian Territory" apart from the general one for inspectors. He recommended that a form of oath as follows be prescribed: I, - -- , do solemnly swear that I have not since and including the first day of July, 1904, had, and do not now have, directly or indirectly, in my own name or otherwise, through any agency, trust, confidence, assignment, or other eoneeal-ment, or yet as agent, traatee, or adviser for another, any inter&, fixed or contingent, in the principal, profit, or result of any investment, or by way of commission, per-centage, or fee thereon, of or with any person or wrporation dealing in Indian lands in the Indian Territory, or in leases thereof or loans thereon; nor during any part of said time have I been or am I directly or indirectly owner of or anywise interested in the stock of any such corporation, nor am I nor have I been an officer, agent, solicitor, counsel, adviser, or employee of any corporation, association, firm, partner-ship, or person engaged in, interested in, or doing any such buainew in the Indian Territo~. This form of oath was approved by the Department. |