No. 223. Amount handled, $2,372.50, at cost of $909.58, or 38.3 per cent.
No. 305. Amount handled, $4,939, at cost of $1,147, or 23.2 per cent.
No. 480. Amount handled, $1,950, at cost of $717.95, or 36.8 per cent.
No. 984. Amount handled, $2,847.79, at cost of $744.44, or 26.2 per cent.
No. 1039. Amount handled, $806.40, at cost of $407.64, or 50.5 per cent.
It will thus be seen that these methods and practices apply generally throughout the Creek Nation, and while they may exist in a greater degree in one county than another, the general situation is substantially the same. It is reasonable to presume also that in that large number of cases, as above pointed out, to wit, 4,339, where no reports of guardians have been made, and where files are out, equally bad or even worse conditions prevail.
CHAPTER XV. WHAT IS LEFT OF INDIAN PROPERTY IN OKLAHOMA
We have looked upon the dark side of Oklahoma Affairs, let us look on the bright side for a moment. From last year’s report of J. George Wright, Commissioner to the Five Civilized Tribes, it is learned that there are 32,939 restricted Indians. These are still protected by the Government, and all own homesteads. Notwithstanding the thousands of Indians who have been swindled out of their property, or sold same at ridiculously low prices, a great deal remains—sufficient to provide every Indian of the tribes with a homestead and enough agricultural land to maintain himself and family, provided he is protected in his rights; all hinges upon that word provided.
As to the true value of this land, I shall not present the statistics, but the entire 19,000,000 acres, held by Indians and Whites, because of the great oilfields, coal and asphalt lands timber and farm lands, must be worth at least $1,000,000,000. About half of this, or $500,000,000, it is claimed that the Indians still own, largely because of the restrictions placed upon their property.
Much of this land is what is known as tribal land, and when sold the amount is placed to the credit of the tribe. The tribal attorneys, the Government officials, and practically everyone believes that the lands should be sold, and the money divided up among the Indians. The reasons for this, I have briefly presented on page [28], when speaking of Indians in general. By this method, we will rid the Indians of an ever-increasing swarm of attorneys and remove all incentive to unwise legislation.