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On August 13, 1988, Rep. AuCoin sponsored a public
meeting on the proposed reservation which drew about
200 people.
"I'm sure if they were there that night they wasn't
voicing their opinion," said Stewart about the meeting
held by AuCoin . Stewart also denied attending the
meeting, but records, submitted to the Interior Commit
tee by AuCoin, includes oral testimony by Stewart.
"The attempt to rewrite history to correct social and
political mistakes that occurred over 150 years ago is ill
advised and can only cause dissension where none
exists," said Stewart.
The legislation creating a reservation for the Grand
Ronde Tribes is expected to move quickly through the
House and Senate.
SEE RELATED STORY ON PAGE 11.
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Senator Mark Hatfeld (Left), R-OR, discusses reservation plan. Also show Ken Smith, Consultant and Tribal Chair
man, Mark Mercier.
RESERVATION (Continued from page 1)
"In many cases, there were ulterior motives and land
was virtually stolen," said Campbell who stated he would
support the reservation bill.
The Termination Act of 1954 resulted in the Grand
Ronde Tribes losing the last of about 600 acres of a once
69,000 acre reservation. Rep. AuCoin and Senator
Hatfield sponsored the 1983 legislation that restored
federal recognition to the Tribe.
"I completely agree with you, when you say that the
damage done to Native American's in the 1950's by
termination was servere," said AuCoin to Campbell.
"When you remove the Indian from the land, "you are
creating a rift that is about as severe as ripping away an
arm from the human body," said AuCoin. "The two are
inter-linked, they are indispensable, they must go
together. Land is an incredibly important part of Native
self-esteem and self-idenity," said AuCoin.
Support for the Bill also came from Robert Blaz, R
Guam, and Morris UdalL D-AZ, who chaired the
remainder of the hearing.
"This is a sad chapter, this buisness of termination, that
plaqued us for so long and so seriously in the 50's and
60's," said UdalL This is one piece of legislation that "I
am delighted to join you and Senator Hatfield in
pushing," Udall told AuCoin.
"With the passage of this bill, the outlook for the
Confederated Tribes is brighter and broader than ever
before in our history," said Grand Ronde Tribal Council
Secretary, Kathryn Harrison.
"With our own land, our people see a new day, a new
light, and a new life before us. It has been a difficult and
powerful journey from termination back to our rightful
place in the family of Indian nations," said Harrison.
One of the main concerns of the timber company
operators in the local area was the matter of export, said
Tribal Council Chairman Mark Mercier. Their concern
was that the exportation of raw materials "could have a
serious devastating economic effect on the community,"
said Mercier. He explained that a Memorandum of
Agreement, between the Secretary of the Interior and .
Grand Ronde Tribe, would prohibit the tribe from
icxporting timber for a 20 year period.
Mercier also explained about the Tribe's fishing and
hunting rights.
"At the State of Oregon's request, the Tribe negotiated
a hunting and fishing agreement. In that agreement it
specifies the number of big game tags which would
become available to tribal members," said Mercier.
Harry Stewart, representing the Yamhill County
Sportsmen, spoke in opposition to the reservation
proposal.
Stewart stated that he had a petition with 175 signatures
that supported a field hearing in the local area.
f "
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Rep. Les AuCoin testifies in support of 9,811 acre
reservation for Grand Ronde Tribes. Behind AuCoin is
Ralph Reeser, with the BIA, and Harry Stewart, President
of Yamhill County Sportmen.
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Delegation to Washington D.C with Rep. Les AuCoin -LtoR: Ken Lathrop, BIA Forester, Ken Smith, consultant;
Kathryn Harrison, Tribal Council Secretary; Mark Mercier, Tribal Chairman; Sonde Schmidt, Tribal Attorney; Rep. Les
AuCoin; Russ Leno, Tribal Council member; Greg Archuleta, Smoke Signals Editor; Candy Robertson, Tribal Council
member; Dennis Petrequin, Cooper Consultants; and Jim Willis, General Manager, Grand Ronde Tribes. Not shown,
Nelsen Witt, BIA Siletz Agency Superintendent
3