The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-03-26
OKLAHOMA.
Prospects or Senator Vests Bill in the
Senate and House.
ST Louis Globe u eInocrat

.tlA4Le anu HOUSE.
st Louis Globe u enOcrat
Congressman r Graham Frost, who
is In the city attending TO some private
business, IS known 20 be as active in his
support Of The much talked-of okla
homa bib" \ Globe Democrat reporter
called upon Mr.. Frost yesterday, and ask
ed as 10 the probable future OF the bill.
He slated that, in It's present shape, it
would undoubtedly pass both bodies and
become a i.tx. The congressman then
continuei by saying: There is a grcai
/ deal of misrepresentation existing as 10
/ the true intent Of the bill, and its oppo-
I nents are surely not aware Of lis pro
Visions The cry that lie bill csntem-
! plates u violation OF treaty s;ipalations
with the Indians, and the dispoSsessing
| them o. their lands, is false, as you viii
I see 10y closely following ne in II brief re-
sumo o. tlir Legislation o. this point.
The first bill introduced to the house
/ Oh the SubiecJ was f,y mself, during the
special -cssion. Ii was prepared by Mr.
! Franklin, at Kansas City, and was vari-
/ ously kGOW1 as the FTankiiD-FrOst and
! Oklahoma bill. This last was the name
! 10 be given to tire proposed territory. 1t
Is an Eudian word, and signifies Beau
tiful Lands" Senator Bogy discovered
1t.
This bill IN It's general features con
temp!atcd The forming Of n perfect terri
| torial government.
All Indians were to be forced to be-
come citizens.
The lands oi the territory were to be
divided among the occupants of the soil
in seyeralty.
Each man, woman and child was TO
receive 100 acres OF land.
This 100 acres of land WAS 10 be held
fnai;euaI.i,. fxVqpfx- Npars I'm other
words. The holder could not be dispos-
sessed OF il ia that time nor could he
dispose of il.
The remaining lands were 10 be divid-
ed without restrictions rs 10 alienation.
The effort ,yas TO give to each Cherokee
800 acres Of land, 40 acres of which he
or she would be- al liberty to dispose of
and all the grants of land TO railroads
were to he rejected absolutely.
Al the same time that | introduced
this bill Senator Vest introduced a copy
of it in the upper house In the house
the bill WIS referred to the committee
on territories, and by that body again re
ferred Ia u subcommittee, consisting o.
Nessrs. Muidrow, of Mississippi; Hum
. Phrey, OF " isconsin, and myself Thi:
subcommittee reported adversely upoT
the bill. | prepared minority report
: and a special day was set upon which
? was to be given an opportunity to argu,
the cause of the bill before Il full com
, mittee.
On that day, February 10th last senate
J Vest appeared before the committee anC
T called attention to a new bill which h
had recently introduced in the senate
and which he claimed obviated all tn
objections TO the Franklin bill. 1t con
t tanned violations of existing treaties
! The new bill, senator Vest insisted, fel
a completely within the treaties.
After some discussion of the new bill
I moved that it be reported rs sIbstitut
| for the Franklin bill. This motion pre-
vailed and l am now engaged in pre-
: pairing my report, which Will be present
ed to the house Immediately upon m
{ return.
!, The features Of the new bill are brief
C as follows;
1. The immediate establishment of
United States court in the territory wit
civil and criminal jurisdiction.
D .. The granting to Indians the priv
p lege TO become citizens upon the con
. pliancc of certain conditions
5. The division of lands in severalty
c at such Zines as the Indians themselve
e consent 10 such division.
i This bill does not Immediately accom-
7 piish the aim of those who favor Tia
opening Of the territory, but it paves tn
u way 10 it.
X The elTcc, of the establishment of til
+ court would lie Immediately for the he
! iter, and directly il the interests of III
merchants of the west. The present fOrI
of the administration OF justice is fare
5 cal. The native courts have eXclusiy
n Jurisdiction over the lives and pTopert
:, of the Indians II an Indian kills Il
) Indian he Is tried and his case dispose
r of by the tribal courts. If an India
Il kills another ilian an Indian he is take
i to Fort Smith, Arkansas, and tried b
), the United States court there.
The laws Of the Nation are such that
n white man can not collect II debt froI
e an Indian. There is actually no civ
r. | remedy for = white man. lntellIgel
Indians viii be glad to get under Il
o protection OF the United States courts L
re becoming citizens. Such of them as di
n This could Immediately establish traG
% relations with Missouri, Kansas, Arka
sas and ether convenient states. tt
Is improved condition of those who becon
lie citizens will ultimately bring preSsul
Il 10 bear that will induce them to consel
II to the division of the lands in severalt