Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1884-11-29

lie prints of the action by congress or
the executive, which places the Terri
tory, or any portion Of 1t, in condition
for public occupancy. There will be
no monopoly Of information as there
will be none Of right.
~ Very truly yours.
p. b. PLUMB.
Commemorative have always adj
mired the untiring zeal with which
Capt. Payne has prosecuted the Okla
homa business. We believe he has
done good work for the poor peo-
pie of this country, for his ceaseless
agitation OF this question will, in our
Judgment, have its fruits in the open
ing up of that country to settlement.
And. indeed we do not believe it will
stop here and we do not belieye 1t
ought to-. The entire Indian territory
will finally either be purchased from
the Indians by the government or
given to them in sevcralty with the
right to sell and convey and in either
case, that vast and valuable tract OF
country will before many years, be
owned and occupied by those who are
willing TO Improve and cultivate IT..
We gladly give Capt. Payne credit FOR
all he has accomplished and that IS a
great deal. We do not know what
his grievances against the public men
of Kansas are, but his ceaselcss abuse
ofthem, in our judgment, does him nor
| his cause any good. One thing We DO
know,-a few years ago the people Oh
Kansas were almost unit against the
settlement of the Indian Territory and
no public man would have been sus-
tanned in any attempts To have 1t
| opened up for that purpose. Now,
however, i. is different. The people
| want this rich country opened up and
they want il exclusively for homes for
bonaiide settlers. No man should be
| allowed 10 obtain title, as long rs IT
can possibly he prevented. to over one
quarter section. That Is eDough aud
we hope the day will come when no
| man will own more than that IN any
portion of the Union. We are satisfi-
| ed that the entire delegation from this
state will do all they can TO have The
bill introduced by Senator Plumb, or
a similar one passed by congress. We
hope, however, that when any legisa-
ton is enacted upon this subject that
no one but actual, bonafide home
| steaders can acquire title TO al. OF
these lands. That's what we want.
| We want these lands for homes for the
homeless. Oul of the four hundred
senators aud representatives i'll CON
gress, only one bill has SO far been in
Produced on the subject, and THAT Is
the one introduced by Senator Plumb:
Capt. Payne complains land he did
in his first speech here) bitterly be-
caulsc his colony was driven of The
cherokee strip" Lat week, when
his case was for hearing before Judge
Foster, his lawyer abandoned the
claims that these lands were open for
settlement This was confession that
their occupation of these lands was
naked violation of law. But, what
over the facrs are, Senator Plumb nor
no other Kansas congressman had any
thing to do with driving this colony
of the Cherokee lands. After ali the
abuse that has been heaped upon Sell
ator Plumb aud other members OF the
Kansas congressional delegation, little
could be done toward opening up this
territory against their opposition.
Senator Plumb will probably prove to
be the best friend the "Uklahoma col
ony" has ever had after all.