Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 August 1910 — THE PIRATE’S HEADQUAR TERS. [ARTICLE]

THE PIRATE’S HEADQUAR TERS.

It is a hue gang of pirates, official and otherwise, that has had its headquarters at Washington: The country. has been pretty thoroughly informed as to the effort that is being made to steal all the rich coal and mineral land' in Alaska —lands that belong to the people of the United. States—and now comes the revelation concerning the scheme to obtain from the Choctaw-and Uhickasaw Indianas 450.000 acres of coal and asphalt lands held by them in Oklahoma. As mm in as the consent of congress could be obtained, a New York -yndicate was to take these lands at a small per cent of their real value, and out of this small per cent which the Indians were to get. S3.000.00(X was to go to the promoters of Uie scheme. In order to get the consent of congress bribery Was attempted, according to testimony of Senator Gore. He was offered $25,000 at first and the offer was raised to $50,000. It was made, Senator Gore says, by Jacob Hamon, former Republican national commiteemen fropi Oklahoma, who told the senator that Senator Curtis of Kansas and Vice President Sherman were interested in the success of the job. When Senator Gore heard the name of Sherman he declares that he was

appalled, but he was still further appalled when he read in a newspaper that Sherman and Curtis had called on the president recommending the general approval of the contracts to be made with the Indians when congress had given its assent to the spoliation. Affairs down at Washington seem to be so rotten as to make Augean stables fragrant as a flower garden. . ;