Correspondence between Commissioner of Indian Affairs and Senator Elmer Thomas Regarding Preference Rights on Indian Leases, 19461946-01-01Thomas, Elmer, 1876-1965http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NKC/1.0/enghttp://congressarchives.org/record/CAC_CC_053_12_11_12_0001Senator Elmer Thomas wrote to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs regarding the preference rights of old lessees on Indian leases. The Commissioner assured Senator Thomas that the matter was being carefully studied and that a decision would be made soon. In a subsequent letter, the Commissioner informed Senator Thomas that bids for Indian leases at the Cheyenne & Arapaho Reservation would be opened, and in cases where the old lessee was not the highest bidder, the Indian owners would have the right to give the old lessee preference. The Commissioner believed that this decision would work out justly for the Indians and their neighbors.