We, the Wyandotte Indians of Oklahoma, in order to take advantage of the opportunities of economic independence and social advancement offered by the Thomas-Rogers Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act of June 26, 1936, (49 Stat. 1967), do adopt the following Constitution and By-laws pursuant to that act.

    The name of this organization shall be the Wyandotte Tribe of Oklahoma.

    The object shall be to promote the general welfare of the Wyandotte Tribe of Oklahoma.

    The membership of the Wyandotte Tribe of Oklahoma shall consist of the following persons:

1. All persons of Indian blood whose names appear on the official census roll of the Tribe as of January 1, 1937.

2. All children born since the date of the said roll, both of whose parents are members of the Tribe.

3. Any child born of a marriage between a member of the Wyandotte Tribe and a member of any other Indian tribe who chooses to affiliate with the Wyandotte Tribe.

4. Any child born of a marriage between a member of the Wyandotte Tribe and any other person, if such child is admitted to membership by the Council of the Wyandotte Tribe.

    The supreme governing body of the Tribe shall be the Wyandotte Council. The membership of the Wyandotte Council shall be all Wyandotte Indians residing in Oklahoma; males, 21 years of age; and females, 18 years of age.

    The officers of the Tribe shall be the Chief, Second Chief, Secretary-Treasurer, and the councilmen, who shall be elected at an open Council meeting by a majority vote of the membership present.

    There shall be a Business Committee which shall consist of the officers and councilmen as provided in Article V.

    The Business Committee shall have power to transact business and otherwise speak or act on behalf of the Wyandotte Tribe, in all matters on which the Tribe is empowered to act. The powers of the Tribe shall be set forth in detail in the corporate charter to be requested by the Business Committee.

    SECTION 1. Grievance Committee.-This committee shall be elected by the Council and shall not include any members of the Business Committee.

    SECTION 2. Credit Committee.-This committee shall be chosen by the Business Committee and shall act under the supervision of the Business Committee.

    SECTION 3. Welfare Committee.-This committee shall be chosen in the same manner as the Credit Committee.

    SECTION 4. Education Committee.-This committee likewise shall be chosen in the same manner as the Credit Committee.

    Annual meetings shall be held on the first Tuesday of September of each year for the election of officers and receiving reports and any other business which may come regularly before the Council. The term of office shall be for two years or until their successors are elected and installed, provided that the present officers shall serve until the first regular election. Regular elections shall be held each odd-numbered year. Nominations shall be from the floor. Election shall be by standing vote or by written ballot, a majority vote being necessary to elect. Where there are more than two candidates and no one receives a majority vote the low candidate shall be eliminated and voting proceed until one candidate receives a majority of votes cast. The newly elected officers shall be installed immediately upon their election.

    Vacancies in any elective office shall be filled at any regular or special meeting of the Wyandotte Council.

    The Grievance Committee shall investigate complaints of misconduct or other acts of the members of the Business Committee and upon a proper showing shall call a special meeting of the Wyandotte Council to act upon such complaints. Such Council shall have power, by majority vote, after giving the accused a hearing, to remove him from office and proceed to elect a successor.

    Amendments to this Constitution and the attached By-laws may be proposed by a majority vote of the Business Committee or by a petition signed by 30 per cent of the adult members of the Tribe, and if approved by the Secretary of the Interior shall be submitted to a referendum vote of the members of the Tribe, and shall be effective if approved by a majority vote.

    SECTION 1. Chief.-It shall be the duty of the Chief to preside at all meetings and perform all duties appertaining to the office, also to act as chairman of the Business Committee.

    SECTION 2. Second Chief.-In the absence of the Chief, the Second Chief shall perform the duties of that officer. In case of vacancy, the Second Chief shall succeed at once to the office of the Chief until the next special or regular election for the office of Chief.

    SECTION 3. Secretary-Treasurer.-The Secretary-Treasurer shall correctly record the proceedings of all meetings. He shall make out the order of the business for the Chief, shall notify all committees of their appointments, shall have custody of the records and all papers of the Council, which records and papers shall be open to inspection at any time, in his presence, by any member of the Council desiring to read them. He shall keep a correct list of all members of the Council, shall authenticate all accounts or orders of the Council and, in the absence of the Chief and Second Chief, shall call the meeting to order until a chairman pro tem is selected. He shall render a written report at the annual meeting and at the expiration of his term of office records and all papers in his possession shall be turned over to his successor. He shall issue notices of all meetings and conduct all general correspondence, as directed by the Council or the Business Committee. He shall receive all moneys of the Council and keep an accurate account of receipts and disbursements.

    The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep all tribal moneys entrusted to his care in a special account and all disbursements therefrom should be made by check. At any time that such account shall amount to more than $50.00, he shall file a bond satisfactory to the Business Committee and the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. The cost of such bond shall be paid out of tribal moneys.

    Any person elected to membership in the Business Committee shall be not less than 25 years of age, a member of the Wyandotte Tribe of Oklahoma and a resident of Craig, Delaware or Ottawa Counties in Oklahoma. Any member of the Business Committee removing from such territory shall automatically lose his office.

    SECTION 1. The regular meetings of the Council shall be held on the first Tuesday of September of each year at Wyandotte, Oklahoma, unless some other point under the Wyandotte jurisdiction is specifically designated in the call.

    SECTION 2. Special meetings of the Council may be called at the discretion of the Chief, and shall be called by him upon the written request of the majority of the Business Committee or the written request of 30 members of the Tribe.

    SECTION 3. The principal object of the special meeting must be stated in the call for same and may include the words "and for the transaction of other business that may be presented." Unless these words are added, no other business can be transacted except. for the object stated in the call.

    SECTION 4. The regular meetings of the Business Committee shall be held the second Tuesday in each month unless otherwise provided by resolution.

    SECTION 5. Special meetings of the Business Committee may be called by the Chief at his discretion, and shall be called by him upon the written request of three members of the Business Committee.

    SECTION 1. Three members of the Business Committee constitute a quorum at any meeting.

    SECTION 2. Thirty members of the Wyandotte Council shall constitute a quorum to transact regular business.

    This Constitution and By-laws shall be effective when approved by the Secretary of the Interior and ratified by a majority vote of the Indians of the Wyandotte Tribe voting at an election called by the Secretary of the Interior under regulations which he may prescribe pursuant to Section 3 of the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act of June 26, 1936.

    I, Oscar L. Chapman, the Assistant Secretary of the Interior of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority granted me by the Act of June 26, 1936 (49 Stat. 1967), do hereby approve the attached Constitution and By-laws of the Wyandotte Tribe of Oklahoma.

    All rules and regulations heretofore promulgated by the Interior Department or by the Office of Indian Affairs, so far as they may be incompatible with any of the provisions of the said Constitution and By-laws, are hereby declared inapplicable to the Wyandotte Tribe of Oklahoma. .

    All officers and employees of the Interior Department are ordered to abide by the provisions of the said Constitution and By-laws.

    Approval recommended July 15, 1937.

        WILLIAM ZIMMERMAN, JR.
               Assistant Commissioner of Indian Affairs.

                                                                                                                                                  OSCAR L. CHAPMAN,

    WASHINGTON, D. C., July 17, 1937.

    Pursuant to an order, approved July 17, 1937 by the Assistant Secretary of the Interior, the attached Constitution and By-laws was submitted for ratification to the members of the Wyandotte Tribe and was on July 24, 1937, duly ratified by a vote of 156 for, and none against, in an election in which over 30 per cent of those entitled to vote cast their ballots, pursuant to Section 3 of the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act of June 26, 1936, (Pub. No. 816-74th Cong.).

                                                                                                                                                                L. N. COTTER,