Commissioner of Indian Affairs Morris Thompson announced today that the lists of all adult persons (18 and over) of Osage Indian descent are being prepared by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. One will contain the names and known addresses of persons of at least 1/4 degree Osage blood; the other will list Osage descendant persons possessing less than 1/4 degree of Osage blood and their known addresses.
The lists will be used to conduct a poll among the Osage Indians to determine whether a change in the present structure of the Osage tribal government is desired.
Preliminary lists have been prepared by the Bureau and sent to all Bureau field offices for public posting as well as to interested Osage organizations and Postmasters throughout Osage county. The list is divided into two sections.
Protests concerning the omission or inclusion on the lists of any person, or the blood quantum classification, should be sent to the Secretary of the Interior, Washington, D.C., before August 18. Corrections in mailing addresses should also be sent to the Secretary.
Commissioner Thompson stressed that the lists being prepared will be used only for the conduct of the poll. They will have no bearing on Osage Tribal membership rolls or the present system of managing Osage "headright" mineral interests.
When the lists are completed, each person named on them, whose address is known, will be mailed a copy of a proposed bill authorizing a change in the Osage government, an explanation of the effect of the bill should it be enacted, and a ballot to indicate preference.
The poll will be conducted by the American Arbitration Association.
Additional information can be obtained from the Office of Indian Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Washington, D. C. 20245.
