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About Klamath tribune. (Chiloquin, Or.) 1956-1961 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 1958)
Poge 4 KLAMATH TRIBUNE FEBRUARY 1958 HIRAM ROBINS PROPOSES AMENDMENTS TO P. L. 587, FAVORS TRIBAL MEMBERS ASSUMING MOST MGT. RESPONSIBILITIES Hiram R. Kohhins, prominent Klamath Trilal member, intro-cltiri-f I lurin tlit present month a proposal advocating a modifica tion of Public Law 587 through six major oiuts of revision. In tituled with the proposal was an explanation as to why a new solu tion to Klamath termination prob lems is needed as well as sup-, porting arguments in favor of .Mr. Kobhius' proposals as stub a solution. The Klamath Kducation Pro gram is herewith providing in full .Mr. K'obbins' proposed changes to I'. 1.. 587. Also included in a con densed form is his explanation of why new changes are needed and his summary of the values of his proposals. As is customary, the Klamath Kducation Program expresses no opinion and takes no stand re garding these proposals. Solution To Klnmath Termination Problem That the Federal (iovcrnmcnt withdraw completely from the Reservation under the following submitted plan. 1. Hualified Indians to take over all salaried positions under their own management except two top management positions, these top positions to be filled by an Indian Council or Hoard of Directors securing competent out side personnel. 2. The Tribal government and management to handle all sales of timber on the basis of a sus tained yield i equircmcnt, and to promote earliest reasonable de velopment of water, mineral, sur face, sub-surface, and other re sources. 3. Property within Reserva tion to be subject to taxation. 1. Tribal members to retain all piesent hunting ami fishing rights on tribal property, subject to minimum regulations from out side authority. 5. The Indians -to become I'nitcd States citizens with all the rights and responsibilities appei taming thereto. it. The matter of withdrawal of members from the tribe to be handled by the Tribal govern ment. Need for New Solution to Klamath Termination Problems 1. Proposed solutions aim at conservation of natural resources but do not conserve human re sources, as w itness : a. P. I.. 587 makes it possible for many Indians to gain easy access to large sums f monev which will result, in many cases, in these Indians soon having the money spent and being reduced to poverty and dependence on charity, b. Kxisting plans do not offer provisions which will enable the Indians to get back into a situation where self re liance and initiative will re store their morale. ' II. Proposed solutions do not conserve for the Indians full bene fit of the natural resources: Present proposals affect timber conservation but seem not to con sider water, mineral, surface, sub surface, and other resources. III. Proposed amendments to P. I... 587 would apparently leave much of the present tribal prop erty in a non-taxable status, causing 'continued hardship, tax wise, on Klamath County. Values of this Solution I. It would give to the Indians full control of the land and re sources "tjiat by all rights belong to them. II. It would put the Indians in a position to work out their own future by their own labor and management. III. It would materially lessen the probability of many of them becoming public charges. IV. It would protect the tim ber resources of the Reservation from unwise cutting practices and depletion. V. It would conserve to the Indians their proper rights in all resources of the reservation. VI. It would guarantee to the whole Klamath llasiu the follow ing: a. Continued proper regard to control of water runoff. b. Continued sound economic practices and development in the area. VII. It would benefit Klam ath County through : a. Increased tax revenue. b. Probable lower Public Wel fare Costs. c. Proper management of water run-off, selective cut ing of timber. d. Placing the Klamath Marsh on the county tax roll, with probabilities of its develop ment for recreation. e. Karly development of min eral and other Reservation INDIVIDUAL STATEMENTS GIVEN BY EXEC. COMMITTEE MEMBERS AT HEARINGS A day by day account of the major developments in the Wash ington hearings on Klamath Termination is contained in a report to the Klamath Tribe prepared by Glen Wilkinson, tribal attorney, and four executive committee members, Dibbon Cook, Boyd J. Jack son, Jessie Kirk and Seldon Kirk. Following the joint statement prepared by the four above men tioned committee members, individual testimonies were presented. The following are extracts from above-mentioned report to the Klamath Tribe dated February 13, 1958, regarding the testimonies given. "Mr. Cook emphasized that the Klamath Reservation was the heritage and homeland ofthe Tribe, that many social implications were involved in implementing P. L. 587, that such implications had not been adequately dealt with , resources. VIII. It woul. 1 benefit the Federal government through: a. The increase in tax returns. b. I.ewncd expense in the Indian Service of the Depart ment of Interior. and that two prices . . . one Indian and one non-Indian seem ed to be discussed. He said that some tribal members are blinded by the -prospect of considerable money and those are the ones who are trying to sell the very thing their ancestors left, not thinking of their descendants at any time, lie closed by saying that he was opposed to termina tion, but that federal purchase might be a solution. "Mr. J. L. Kirk advised the sub committee that he felt P. L. 587 was a weasel-worded law, that it has caused considerable confusion among Indians and non-Indians, that he still has serious questions as to what will happen, and wonders if the Klamaths will be cheated again. He felt this would be the inevitable result unless more time is provided to arrange a fair deal. He dwelt at some length on the subsurface assets owned by the Klamath Tribe and indicated that the general sum mary of assets furnished to the delegates on January 31 repre sented inadequate compensation for the tribal property. "The next witness was Mr. Hoyd J. Jackson. He recounted the history of liquidation and voluntary withdrawal bills which preceded introduction of a termi nation bill, the latter being direc ted bv Congress when it passed II. Con. Res. 1US in 1953. He re called the fact that tribal repre sentatives agreed on P. L. 587 as enacted only after assurance that amendments would be forth coming if necessary to avert a break up of the Reservation. He mentioned that tribal representa tives wished to be pointed to w ith pride instead .of criticism. He therefore hoped that the federal government was doing its best to avoid selling the Tribe out and leave it with only stutnpland. As did Mr. Kirk, he expressed disap pointment that the appraisal had not attributed values to the sub surface rights. In answer to a question by Senator Xeubergcr, he said he would rather sell the Reservation for the "realization value" than have P. L. 587 carried out, provided the Tribe is guaran teed the right to sue for values in excess of therealization value. "Mr. Seldon K. Kirk was the last of the undersigned delegates to testify. He expressed fear that the Indians would not get a fair deal under any legislation pro posed, that the government was not willing to pay a fair price. He said that the purpose of termina tion was to terminate all Indians from federal supervision, but P. L. 587 was terminating only a few. In answer to inquiries from Senator Xeuberger, he expressed a preference for P.L. 587 with the withdrawal provisions eliminated, and reiterated the conviction (set forth in the combined statement of the four delegates) that Con gress should merely turn the Reservation over to the Tribe and allow it to continue its operation if total federal purchase was not approved. At that point, Senator Xeuberger put the question to the delegates whether, if the federal government would pay fair price for the Klamath Marsh, and turn over the remainder of the Reser vation to the Tribe, taking out the withdrawal provision, the Tribe would be satisfied. The delegates and tribal attorney were request ed to study the situation, confer with other members of the Tribe and advise Senator Xeuberger respecting their attitucfe on this possibility." : 0 (Continued from Page 1, Col 4) for timber rights of way, the recent sale of the Wildh orse units, sales of personal property,' and the difference in the status of tribal funds." He added, how ever, that the modification of the total value will be minor. Por a general summary of all the value-units listed in the ap praisal of tribal assets, given ac cording to type of unit, see page five.