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Show had dozens of the Whiterivers come to me since that time and wanting to know if lawyers were going to be hired. The Uintahs nor the Uncompahgres have never complained as being mistreated by the Government of the United States, although the records show that the Uintahs had as much interest in the land as the Whiterivers. They have gone about in a businesslike way. They wanted to get results and went about it in the right way. In order to get action on any suit or claim that is pending you must go into the Court of Claims. Congress of the United States will give you this privilege if you go about It in the right way. The Indian Office will favor the employment of attorneys to represent your people to back your claims against the Governement of the United States. Now then you people know that there has been contracts entered into by you people and the I dian Office has not recognized them because only two or three people entered into those contracts. We have got to have a business committee that is recognized by the Department, and representing this reservation and this tribe, and put these things through and tell you and the Government of the United States what is due you. But it doesn't matter what kind of a meeting we are going to have you people are going to talk that matter to death. What we need is to get down to business. I don't know whether you people have been mistreated or whether you have not, but it is my duty as Superintendent, if you have ben mistreated, to rectify that if it is possible, and that is what I am trying to do. I would like to say a few words in regard to the food at the school and the clothing that I was at the school today and that it is a mistake that the children are not being taken care of and that every indication is that those children are being taken care of as they should. Now then let us get down to business and get together and select these men so that we can contract with some good attorneys and put a claim before Congress so that we can get results out of it whether we get anything or not, talk and talk and get nowhere. A good many of you old fellows are going to die and not get any benefit if we do get favorable results. Now then let us hear from the Uncompahgres as to who the six men are who will represent them. Sampannies, (Whiteriver Band) "There is so much that is all mixed up here on this reservation would it be adviseable to send a delegation of Indians to Washington? What is there to hinder us from sending a delegation to Washington? You were placed here to care for us and take charge of the agency. The Whiterivers want things through the Indian Office and direct from the Indian Office. Why can't we go back there and transact our business?" Dick Wash, (Uncompahgre Band) "I ask permission to select men from the Uncompahgre band" The following men were selected to represent the Uncompahgres: Corass, Little Jim, Cesspooch, McKewan, Dick Wash, and Pawwinnee. John Yesto, (Whiteriver Band) "My father was a leading man among the Whiterivers and I believe that I have the right to express my rights and opinions. I never like to bring up any matter that will be hard on my people but I am always willing to do the right thing and I believe this Business Committe is the right. I feel that this Business Committe is the only thing that we can depend upon to get results. We have let so many things go by not having an organization like this. I am willing to cooperate. If the majority of the Whiterivers will consent I will select the six men to represent this band." The following men were selected to represent the Whiteriver band: John Starr, Johnson Wapsock, Henry Johnson, Lawrence Appah, Moquint, and John Yesto. Superintendent Tidwell: "I feel that we have accomplished a great deal this afternoon. Now we have our committee of six men from each band. These men not all being present I am going to ask that Mr. Wash, Mr. Duncan, and Mr. Yesto to tell these men about this and to meet me here in this hall at 3:00 a'clock next Saturday afternoon so that we can get down to business and get organized. It won't be necessary for anyone else to be here at that time except those six men from each band. We have with us today two men who are here in the interest of the Indian. One of them is as much Indian as any Indian in this house. He is an Indian Who has taken advantage of the poor chances he had had and is one of the best educated Indians in the United States. He is a fullblood Winnebago Indian. |