No. 248. The award represents compensation for income from an oil and gas lease on the 320-acre Mekasuky Mission School tract. The Commission held that the Seminole Tribe had title to this tract of land and that the United States on July 15, 1926, sold an oil and gas lease on the tract for about one-third of its value.

Before Oklahoma statehood, the Federal Government established an educational program under which $50,000 of Seminole funds were set aside under authority of the act of July 1, 1898 (30 Stat. 567), at 5 percent interest, for a permanent school fund to be used to support the Emahaka and Mekasuky Academies and the district schools of the Seminole people. Upon statehood, public schools were started in Seminole County and the earlier schools were discontinued. The proposed legislation provides that the Seminole school fund be made available for the same purposes as the two judgment awards and disbursed under the provisions of this legislation.

The present Seminole Tribe of Oklahoma, which, until Oklahoma statehood, was known as the Seminole Nation, is the successor to the nation. The tribe has been organized since 1866, and the Seminole General Council is recognized by the Secretary of the Interior as the governing body of the tribe. The tribe's membership roll, which was completed and closed as of March 4, 1907, under authority of the act of April 26, 1906, supra, lists 3,127 people, including 986 freedmen. In 1967 there were 6,703 Seminole enrollees and descendants of enrollees living within the service area, but there is no information available on the number living away from the area.

The proposed legislation provides that the funds on deposit in the U.S. Treasury from the two judgments and the Seminole school fund and any interest thereon may be advanced, expended, invested, or reinvested for any purpose that is authorized by the Seminole General Council and approved by the Secretary of the Interior. Any part of such funds that may be distributed to the members shall not be subject to Federal or State income taxes.

At a meeting on April 17, 1965, the general council, after some discussion concerning requesting the funds be distributed per capita, decided on requesting disbursement of the funds as stated in the proposal. The tribe is considering using some of the funds for housing and sanitation programs and possibly for improvements to its industrial building in Wewoka, Okla. It has also considered the possibility of constructing a community building on the tribe's Mekasuky Academy property.

The report on the social and economic conditions of the Seminole Tribe and a current financial statement of the judgment and school funds are enclosed.

The Bureau of the Budget has advised us that there is no objection to the submission of the proposed legislation from the standpoint of the administration's program.

Sincerely yours,

HARRY R. ANDERSON, Assistant Secretary of the Interior.

Seminole Tribe of Oklahoma-Tribal judgment and tribal school funds, statement as of Jan. 25, 1968

Net awards (14X7139, awards of Indian Claims Commission, Semi

nole Tribe of Oklahoma):

Docket No. 150__

Docket No. 248_

Total__.

Accrued interest through June 30, 1967

Less:

Attorneys' fees and expenses (docket 150)
Attorney fees (docket 248)____.

Program planning for use of judgment fund..

Balance, judgment funds, Jan. 25, 1968......

14X7091, Seminole school fund.......

14X7591, interest, above fund through June 30, 1967.

Total, school fund, Jan. 25, 1968..........

FACT SHEET

AWARDS IN INDIAN CLAIMS COMMISSION DOCKETS NOS. 150 AND 248 TO THE SEMINOLE TRIBE OF OKLAHOMA

Funds awarded and appropriated

Docket No. 150, $34,053.66, act of September 29, 1959 (73 Stat. 717); docket No. 248, $63,680, act of May 13, 1966 (80 Stat. 141). Disposition

In a meeting on April 17, 1965, the Seminole General Council, after some discussion on per capita distribution, approved the disposition of these funds as authorized by the general council and approved by the Secretary of the Interior.

Use of funds

The bill provides that the funds may be advanced, expended, invested, or reinvested for any purpose that is authorized by the Seminole General Council and approved by the Secretary of the Interior.

Population

The tribe's membership roll, which was completed and closed as of March 4, 1907, under authority of the act of April 26, 1906, lists 3,127 people, including 986 freedmen. There were in 1967, 6,703 Seminole enrollees and descendants of enrollees, within the service area, but there is no information on the number living away from the area.

Average family income

The principal income for tribal members is from wage work, some rental and lease proceeds, and welfare. There is no current information on median family income.

Current land base

The tribe owns 320 acres of tribal land and a 5-acre purchased industrial site. There are 43,627 acres of restricted allotted and/or

purchased lands held by Seminole Indians who are at least one-half degree of Indian blood. Less than 50 percent are in single ownership. Readiness to manage own affairs

Despite the long process of acculturation the Seminole people are generally socially, economically, and educationally below State and county averages. The development of their abilities to manage community, tribal, and family affairs has been hampered by the low educational level, language barrier, assimilation retardation, and lack of employment opportunities. Because of this they tend to isolate themselves from the general community.

While the culture of some of the older Indians should not be tampered with, it must be conditioned to permit the Indian youth an opportunity to assume full citizenship responsibilities. They must be able and willing to move and to adjust to urban areas so that they can find industrial employment if they are to become self-sufficient. REPORT ON SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS OF THE SEMINOLE TRIBE OF OKLAHOMA-BENEFICIARIES OF AWARDS GRANTED IN INDIAN CLAIMS COMMISSION DOCKETS Nos. 150 AND 248

GENERAL RESERVATION BACKGROUND

By treaty of March 28, 1833, the Seminoles, then in Florida, agreed to remove to a portion of the Indian territory, now Oklahoma, belonging to the Creek Nation. Land was formally ceded to the Seminoles by the Creeks under the treaty of August 7, 1856 (11 Stat. 699). Provisions were for all Seminoles to emigrate but some declined. Those who declined the present-day Florida Seminoles are not involved in the disbursement of these funds.

At the time of allotments in 1907, the Seminole lands totaled 365,854.39 acres, located primarily in what is now Seminole County, Okla. The tribe now owns 320 acres of tribal land and a 5-acre purchased industrial site in Wewoka, Okla. There are 43,627 acres of restricted, allotted, and/or purchased lands held by the Seminole Indians who are at least one-half degree of Indian blood. (Under various laws, all lands in excess of 160 acres belonging to Indians of one-half or more Indian blood are taxable, and restricted lands are limited to the original allottees, those purchased from restricted funds and inherited lands belonging to persons of one-half or more Indian blood.)

Less than 50 percent of the trust lands are in single ownership.

TRIBAL ADMINISTRATION AND MEMBERSHIP

The Seminoles political organization, based on native band units, was first put into written form in 1866. After the Dawes Commission agreement, which was ratified by the act of July 1, 1898 (30 Stat. 567), the constitution was rewritten in 1903, based on the 1866 document. The act of March 3, 1903 (32 Stat. 1008), directed that the tribal government should not continue after March 4, 1906, but the act of April 26, 1906 (34 Stat. 137), provided for continuance of the tribal government with its actions subject to approval of the President of the United States. At a special meeting on March 25, 1967, the Seminole General Council voted 18 to 11 not to submit for referendum the constitution and bylaws drafted in 1964.

The act of April 26, 1906 supra, also provided for the appointment of a principal chief by the President. This authority was delegated by Executive order of June 7, 1951 (16 F.R. 5385), to the Secretary of the Interior. The legal duties of the Principal Chief are limited to the execution of deeds of conveyance and leases submitted to him by the Secretary. Because of dissension within the tribe in 1954 concerning the person who had been appointed to serve as Principal Chief, the appointment was revoked. Since there has been no need subsequently for a Principal Chief to perform the statutory functions of the office none has been appointed.

The act of April 27, 1932 (47 Stat. 140), prohibited the Secretary of the Interior from selling, leasing, encumbering or disposing of in any way tribal lands without the approval of the Seminole General Council selected by Seminole custom.

The Seminole General Council consists of 42 members; three representatives from each of the 12 Indian bands and the two freedmen bands. Their term of office is 4 years. The council elects a chairman from within its membership. A quorum consists of 22 members, including the chairman, although he does not vote except in the case of a tie.

There are factions within the tribe-the one in control of administration and the one which is not. A third is a conservative group of Seminoles who still maintain early tribal customs. This is not a strong hindrance in the administration of tribal affairs. The majority of tribal members within the service area are interested and active in tribal affairs.

The principal sources of tribal income, other than Indian Claims Commission awards, are from lease proceeds, rentals, royalties, and interest on deposits in the U.S. Treasury. For fiscal year 1967, the tribe received $5,901.96 from these sources. They also received $6,912 from rentals on the industrial site, which funds are deposited locally in the tribe's account.

In 1961, the Seminole Tribe and residents of the town of Wewoka formed a corporation. The tribe invested $11,000 to secure an industrial site and to construct a plant and other improvements at a cost of $56,273. In 1964 the corporation acquired the name and assets of the Systems Engineering Electronics, Inc., and the council made a $25,000 commitment for additional improvements. The annual rental of the property is $6,912 for 10 years and $6,000 for another 15 years. The 1965 and 1966 payments were credited to the tribe's individual Indian

money account.

Relationships between the tribal governing body, Federal agencies, State and county governments are good.

The tribe has participated in the Office of Economic Opportunity programs of Headstart and the Neighborhood Youth Corps. Services provided by other Federal agencies are those of the Farmers Home Administration and Agricultural Stabilization Conservation Service. Indian interest groups active in the area include the Seminole County Indian Credit Association, Oklahoma for Indian Opportunity, Associate Home Demonstration Agent for Indians, Seminole-Hughes County Indian Soil Conservation District, and the University of Oklahoma. The Seminole Tribe is a member of the intertribal council of the Five Civilized Tribes.

The tribe's membership roll, which was completed and closed as of March 4, 1907, under the authority of the act of April 26, 1906 supra, listed 3,127 people including 986 freedmen. There were in 1967, 6,703 Seminole enrollees and descendants of enrollees, living within the agency service area. No information is available on the number living away from the area.

DISPOSITION OF JUDGMENT AWARDS

On June 4, 1958, the Indian Claims Commission awarded $34,053.66 to the Seminole Tribe of Oklahoma in docket No. 150 as additional payment for 320 acres of land known as the Emahaka School tract, sold in 1920 under authority of the acts of April 26, 1906, and April 30, 1908, supra. The basis for the award was the failure of the Secretary of the Interior to cancel the sale of land set aside for the Seminoles under the treaty of March 21, 1866 (14 Stat. 755), and to readvertise and sell the land at its enhanced value. Funds to cover the award were appropriated by the act of September 29, 1959 (73 Stat. 717).

On November 9, 1965, the Commission awarded to the Seminole Tribe in docket No. 248 the sum of $63,680. The award represents compensation for income from an oil and gas lease on the 320-acre Mekasuky Mission School tract. The Commission held that the Seminole Tribe had title to this tract of land and the United States on July 15, 1926, had sold an oil and gas lease on the tract for about one-third of its value. Funds were appropriated by the act of May 13, 1966 (80 Stat. 141).

These two awards are the first received by this group from claims filed with the Indian Claims Commission. The Seminole Tribe is also petitioner in docket No. 151, which is a suit for compensation for lands claimed in Florida, and docket No. 204, which is an accounting claim based on alleged mishandling of Seminole equalization funds by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.

The Indian Claims Commission on December 9, 1959, granted to Attorney Roy St. Lewis fees in the amount of $3,405.36 and approved expenses amounting to $392.24 in docket No. 150. For representation in docket No. 248, Roy St. Lewis and Paul Niebell were granted fees amounting to $6,368 in June 1966.

ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES AND POTENTIALS

The highest and best use is presently being made of the allotments. Approximately 15,000 acres are Indian operated. Farm units normally contain both grazing and tilled land in an average proportion of 80 percent grazing and 20 percent tilled. There are no irrigation projects and no commercial timber. There has been considerable oil development in Seminole County, much of which is presently under secondary recovery. The minerals are individually owned.

The general attitude toward wage employment is good, but opportunities in the area are extremely poor with available work mostly of a seasonal nature. The industrial development potential is improving. A company which manufactures clay pipes is interested in locating in the area. The Systems Engineering Electronics, Inc., employs 50 people of whom 43 are Indians.