therewasnoquestionofcrookednessintheotherofficesintheState，andtheycouldbehandledintheordinarymanner。LegalproceedingswereundertakenagainsthiscolleagueintheSenate，andoneofhiscolleaguesinthelowerhouse，andtheformerwasconvictedandsentencedtothepenitentiary。
InanumberofinstancesthelegalityofexecutiveactsofmyAdministrationwasbroughtbeforethecourts。Theywereuniformlysustained。Forexample，priorto1907statutesrelatingtothedispositionofcoallandshadbeenconstruedasfixingtheflatpriceat$10to$20peracre。Theresultwasthatvaluablecoallandsweresoldforwhollyinadequateprices，chieflytobigcorporations。ByexecutiveorderthecoallandswerewithdrawnandnotopenedforentryuntilproperclassificationwasplacedthereonbyGovernmentagents。
TherewasagreatclamorthatIwasusurpinglegislativepower；buttheactswerenotassailedincourtuntilwebroughtsuitstosetasideentriesmadebypersonsandassociationstoobtainlargerareasthanthestatutesauthorized。Thispositionwasopposedonthegroundthattherestrictionsimposedwereillegal；thattheexecutiveorderswereillegal。TheSupremeCourtsustainedtheGovernment。Inthesamewayourattitudeinthewaterpowerquestionwassustained，theSupremeCourtholdingthattheFederalGovernmenthadtherightsweclaimedoverstreamsthatareormaybedeclarednavigablebyCongress。Again，whenOklahomabecameaStatewewereobligedtousetheexecutivepowertoprotectIndianrightsandproperty，fortherehadbeenanenormousamountoffraudintheobtainingofIndianlandsbywhitemen。HereweweredenouncedasusurpingpoweroveraStateaswellasusurpingpowerthatdidnotbelongtotheexecutive。TheSupremeCourtsustainedouraction。
InconnectionwiththeIndians，bytheway，itwasagainandagainnecessarytoassertthepositionofthePresidentasstewardofthewholepeople。IhadacapitalIndianCommissioner，FrancisE。Leupp。I
foundthatIcouldrelyonhisjudgmentnottogetmeintofightsthatwereunnecessary，andthereforeIalwaysbackedhimtothelimitwhenhetoldmethatafightwasnecessary。Ononeoccasion，forexample，CongresspassedabilltoselltosettlersabouthalfamillionacresofIndianlandinOklahomaatoneandahalfdollarsanacre。I