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1854 [[image]] IHS 1954
ST. IGNATIUS MISSION [[strikethrough]] CENTENNIAL [[/strikethrough]]
ST. IGNATIUS, MONTANA

[[strikethrough]] 
Most Rev. Joseph M. Gilmore, D.D.
Honorary Chairman
Rev. A.J. Ferretti S.J.
Coordinator 
[[/strikethrough]]

[[strikethrough]] 
Centennial Executive Committee
Rev. C. Byrne, S.J., Chairman
Rev. Michael Shannon, S.J.
Mr. Phil Beckwith
Mr. Walter Mcdonald
[[/strikethrough]]

Joseph R. Garry--Pres.
National Congress of American Indians
Omaha, Nebraska

November 16, 1954

Dear Mr. Garry:

Circumstances beyond my power of changing them make it impossible for me to attend your present Convention of 1954. I deeply regret the fact. And I do not want it to be interpreted as indicating in the slightest degree any change in my attitude toward the aspirations for goals on behalf of which the National Congress of American Indian has so rightfully and nobly dedicated itself.

I further want, as a non-Indians, to express to your group my deepest gratitude for you unrelentless fight to uphold the high dignity and sanctity of of all treaties or solemn agreements which our common American Government [[strikethrough]] M [[/strikethrough]] made with your ancestors. Repudiation is an ugly word. I do not recognize it as a part of our American vocabulary in dealing with those who have never recognized it in dealing with our Government.

As you know, Mr. Garry, I was present at the recent meeting of the Affiliated Tribes of the Northwest which was held in Spokane the latter part of September. I was present at all the formal meetings including the final one at which the resolutions were presented and passed on by the members of the Affiliated Tribes. Were I voting, I would have agreed with the resolutions passed and rejected or tabled for further discussion. Hence I was shocked to find out on returning to the Mission that a copy of a letter was being circulated among the Flatheads which severely criticized what the writer considered an undue emphasis placed on the Coeur d'Alene Income Tax problem. May I emphasize that I consider the taxing or non-taxing of the income of "retained" land as basic. Indeed, I believe that there would be little or no [[strikethrough]] n [[/strikethrough]] Indian problem today if direct or indirect taxing of Indian "retained" land were removed from the picture. Consequently, may I strongly urge the National Congress of American Indians to oppose with all its strength any intimidation, no matter from what source it may come, to weaken in the slightest degree [[strikethrough]] your [[/strikethrough]] its determination to fight and fight and fight even to the Supreme Court any effort on the part of anybody to tax your "retained" land in any shape or form. And in this respect, may I suggest that you take steps to investigate a group which, I understand, goes under the name of "THE TAXPAYERS OF THE SEVENTEEN WESTERN STATES" and has its headquarters in Oregon.

I shall close with the words of the late Paschal George "May the Good Lord bless and keep you."

CE. Byrne SJ
Sincerely: Father C. E. Byrne S.J. 

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