Show Association O of Counties Hold Important Meeting ASSOCIATION OF INDIAN PRESERVATION COUNTIES OFA OF WESTERN STA STATES ES HOLD IMPORTANT MEETING IN SALT LAKE CITY A BRIEF ONLINE OF THE OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSOCIATION Ali AND OF AF THE TIIE WORK THAT HAS BEEN EEN DONE VONE DONE FOLLOWS About 38 IS months 1 ago O the commissioners commissioners loners of Klamath county Or Oregon gon became became be he came aware that a considerable sum Rum was being bel l spent for fol construction and maintenance of highways s 's roads lind bridges construction and maintenance maintenance ance anle and operation of schools and amI for fr other necessary functions of county l' l government Io on account of th the Indian U Reservation within the county the count county caused an audit to be he made covering o period i tR of ten years ears prior to that date which disclosed f the fact that the coma county y l had nd expended and und lost through lack of ot taxation a large tarlo sum of money 1 Acting on the theory that the Ill Indian lan being the ward of oC the federal government government gov gov- and his property due to fact and to his treaty treat rights not being I subject H to taxation it was decided that th t an attempt must be made to secure some form of relief from from the federal government i Aft After r a g f conferences with western senators and congressmen a representative e of the county was cis sent fent to fo o Washington ton who succeeded in having ln introduced l' l in congreSs congre sva a bill under the he provisions of ot which a refund would be made made maIa to the county for the money mone expended In the past and the federal government IO would pay to to the county H fi sum equal to that which would be collected collected collected col col- by the count county in taxes were er tile the Indian lands taxed 11 When this tt ma-tt matter r came up for consideration the belief was that If Klamath county comity was waR entitled to consideration o other her co counties similarly situated were entitled entitled en en- titled to equal consideration and a n su sub committee Other committee of of Oregon was ns made mule chairman was app appointed by the Senate to make an investigation invests invests- gation gatlon of all counties of the United States States in which Indian reservations leser or untaxed lands are located and that Is being done now i Congress will lie be asked to make to-make make ant anI appropriation to re the Indian re reservation counties that have suffered ti tills ls loss of revenue and in that way th the people of lie Mie whole United ed States will wilt share equally in this expense instead Instead Instead In In- stead of the people of the Indian atlon counties having to stand this loss los alone j Several months ago the county c commissioners of all Indian reservation counties were asked to appoint one no oto off their number to attend such meetings as may be called to promote this project G. G V. V Billings was to represent represent represent re re- re- re present Duchesne county and amI he attended the meeting in Salt SnIt Lake June 8 8 At this meeting the following resolutions l were w r adopted d by the t Association association BET BEIT nE IT r Z Tb Thai frat tat at a me ting of or th the Dir Directors of Ass of Counties of the Western estern States assembled at Salt Lake City Utah on the day of June Tune 1031 1931 pursuant to the call of the President that WHEREAS Recognizing that the Indian population of the United States ha has become to a grea greater er or less extent a liability upon each State and County containing such l population and further recognizing that the American nation Is indebted to these Indian people for the reason that the public lands of this nation were at one time the sole property of the Indian races and WHEREAS The policy of the United States go government t has been to assume as as- mine sume the guardianship of these people and has from time to time gradually allotted these Indians to various arlous Indian reservations which are now Included in the boundaries of counties that we today represent and WHEREAS The governing caring carinI for and the provisions pro of said Indians have hate and are grad gradually un II becoming the duty of f our county and state stale government govern govern- government overn- overn ment and WHEREAS The governing caring for and provisions of said people have ha become a serious burden an and problem for said local government and WHEREAS We feel that the nation as a whole owes a duty to the Indian peoples whom the white people gradually displaced and such Indian people b by the policy adopted by ou our government have ha become a dependent people and their governing and care a serious burden on the counties and states stares wherein they thoy reside and WHEREAS We believe e the Indian problem em If It such It may be call called d. d is isa isa isu a u problem and not a problem for the local government O THEREFORE Be It resolved b by the directors of this Association In convention assembled that the federal government ud adopt legislation assuming assum assum- ing the tho full responsibility for the governing and care of these people so that the cost and burden of the same may be more evenly enly distributed throughout the Nation and so that each Nah American Am citizen will contribute e to this obligation ut an airl l 1 that the obligation will not be he borne b by a mere handful of people as it is nn now no a BE IT Ir FURTHER RESOLVED That this become a fixed policy poncy of the United d States government and BE BI IT J FURTHER R RESOLVED That Whereas the said counties have ha und and are now exp lIn large sums of ot money for the governing educating supporting supporting sup sup- porting and general welfare of oC the Indians of the United States both restricted restrict restrict- ed and 11 1 unrestricted WE THEREFORE REQUEST That suitable appropriation be he made by bythe bythe the Congress to reimburse the counties in such sums as ma may be he shown to be due each county count such appropriation not to be made from Indian funds but a general appropriation so that the burden may be equally distributed throughout through through- hout h- h out nut the nation reimbursement to be made from and after atter July 1 1921 HE DE IT FURTHER RESOLVED That copy o this resolution on be he submitted to the senators and con congressmen re of our nation and to the flue Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and to tb the press |