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Show •I, 1- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, _o _ ONITED STATES INDIAN SERVICE, eiated with Mease, MeAndrews, Miller Harper and others in getting a lease of this kind from these Indians. I want to say that I have not nor; nor never had any interest financial or otherwise in the success of any Company or sett of men who tried to get a lease. Mr. F. R. Harper is a Gentleman and a friend of mine and I am sure he would not intentionally injure me by mentioning my name in letr. tX<X/x>---x vA-x- .A'-/--7 '-~Y 7 ^ers. I told him the same as I.was in favor of leasing the mineral land, but that no one could treat with the Indians without first getting authority from the Hon. Secretary that is very likely the - reason he mentions my name in his letters to Mr. Mease. I will say for Mr. Harper that after he was appointed allotting Agent he told me he was now a Goverment Official and that in the future he would not have any interest in the lease, but he hoped his friends would succeed in getting it, but that he would not have anything to do with any leasing proposition while he was a Goverment Official. I think it proper to say at this time, that if tho Hon. Secretary of the Interior will give any other Company or any number of Companies within reason authority to treat with these Indians for a mineral |