Constituent letter about American Indian rights and Senator Dole's reply

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s-con_235_012_001_tr.txt

Transcription (Scripto)

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Extent (Dublin Core)

5 Pages

File Name (Dublin Core)

s-con_235_012_001

Title (Dublin Core)

Constituent letter about American Indian rights and Senator Dole's reply

Date (Dublin Core)

1975-07-08

Date Created (Dublin Core)

1975-07-08/1975-08-21

Congress (Dublin Core)

94th (1975-1977)

Policy Area (Curation)

Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues

Creator (Dublin Core)

Dole, Robert J., 1923-2021

Record Type (Dublin Core)

correspondence

Rights (Dublin Core)

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/

Language (Dublin Core)

eng

Collection Finding Aid (Dublin Core)

https://dolearchivecollections.ku.edu/index.php?p=collections/findingaid&id=31&q=

Physical Location (Dublin Core)

Collection 002, Box 235, Folder 12

Institution (Dublin Core)

Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS

Archival Collection (Dublin Core)

Robert J. Dole Senate Papers-Constituent Relations, 1969-1996

Full Text (Extract Text)

Bob D

McPherson, Kansas
July 8, 1975

Sen. Robert Dole
Washington, D.C.

SENATOR BOB DOLE
RECEIVED
JULY 10 1975

Dear Sir:
Can you say a good word for the (circled) American Indian? (end circle)
It is a national disgrace how our Government has dealt with all the tribes from the beginning.
I saw the film and discussion program on PBS, last night dealing with the problems of the Shoshone Indians and I can understand how frustrated they are when they can't make their voices heard. Those lawyers and men from the Indian Affairs are like a bunch of Robots.
I am a member of the (underlined) Pottawatomi tribe of Oklahoma (end underline) and we have gone through the same run around - my father was born in Kansas as


(page 2)
their tribe was pushed from Michigan to Iowa to Kansas and half of them to Oklahoma. My grandfather finally got a bill through Congress so he could get land in Oklahoma where they couldn't move him & his family again -
I think the old woman in the film had something when she said 'Dam those white people' - It does seem most are only interested in what they can get for themselves.
The Pottawatomi Indians have a claim pending - They say the money has been appropriated but the Indians have to do several things before payment can be made and a Committee must report but they don't report. Do you know about this?
If they owe us why don't they pay like we have to do when we owe the government anything?
Thank you if you can help in our behalf.


(page 3)
and why can't the Government make a fair and honest deal with the Shoshones?

Yours truly
Mrs. (redacted)
McPherson, Kansas
67460


(page 4)
Dockets # 217 15K 29J
Docket 146 15M 29K

$6,401,689.68 - 2 claims
Congress has appropriated
Jan. 3, 1974
Dec. 27, 1974

P.L. 93 - 134 (Vol. 87 p. 466 statute)

Sec. of Interior
Robt. Pennington (343-2497)


(page 5)
Civil Rights/Minority Indians
July 21, 1975

Mrs. (redacted)
McPherson, Kansas 67460

Dear Mrs. (redacted):
Thank you very much for your letter of July 8, I certainly appreciated receiving the benefit of your comments about the plight of the American Indian in our society today.
Would agree with you that it is certainly important for our government to resolve as soon as possible the outstanding reimbursements which are due the various tribes for property which was taken from them during the nineteenth century. With respect to the Pottawatomie Indian claims which you mentioned in your letter, Congress has already appropriated a total of $6,401,689.68 during 1974 for payment purposes. However, it is now necessary for the Secretary of the Interior to complete his determination on the proper distribution of these funds among the Pottawatomie tribe. Knowing of your particular interest in this matter, I have today written to Secretary of the Interior, Stanley Hathaway, to inquire about the present status of that decision, and to urge that prompt action be taken to distribute these funds. Be assured of my continuing interest and attention to this matter.
Again, thank you so much for writing. Be sure to let me know if I can be of further help in any way.

Sincerely yours,
BOB DOLE
United States Senate

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