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

cultOTlai Itllai no touNfhhc WV >
D. homa question, we take from the
Usage City FreePress whose editor
addressed the senator ofiicially upon
the subject. The editor of the EAGLE
has known for more than year that
Senator Plumb entertained the ideas
he now sets forth in his letter, and 10
all those who desired to settle in the
country and who approached us in the
the subject, we lad that the fight be-
ing made upon the senator and Others
of the delegation was unwarrant-
ed and il-advised. But at that time
he preferred that time and not his
word should show his work and con-
victions. The following is the matter
now alluded to:
AT the soldiers reunion, held at Lyn-
don last month, one of the last things
done was to organize an oklahoma
association Rev. 4. +. Holland was
electe'i president j ohm Tracy secret a.
ry, and john Ellis, treasurer of the as
,ociatiun. he as-Ociafion then re-
que-te.t each post 10 nominate mem
her TO s..rve ~ com,nitfc 40 draft a
suef,,orim. to eonyr'-ss 10 open the Or
iahonna territory for settletnrnt bv the
soldiers aud >allo of the late war
either u, ho:nrsi.ad or pre-e,npiion,
aud tu .ry. on our SENATOR aud uiein-
b..- ,.ouyre-s [. U.s. heir u'm 81
rndra ur- To secure favorable consi'l-
era on a once. TIE members of that
C. mnilice are ms follow:
q Burliny.,ue Pod. l.. +. Finch; Que
memo Post. Jp. Marshall; Usage CITY
Posi-, j. v. A tinire; Carbon,iale Post,
George Doruiau; Lynd"n Pest, j. H..
Howe; Melvcrn Post, W. w. Parker;
Lebo Post, ID. Chalmers; Scranton
Post, NJ. Is. Andrew. rN.ftsf
This committee was to have met in
Lyndon on the Sth inst, but did not
do so. On the Goth inst. Mr.. J. V.
Admire addressed the following note
TO Senator T. b. Plumb and has re-
ceived reply. The following is tine
correspondence:
1REr Usage Cry, Nov. 20, 1884.
Hon. =. b. Plumb, Emporia, kas.
DEAR SIR:-At county soldiers reunion
held ut Lyndon some time ago, a committee
was appointed, OF which am n member, to
take such steps as might be deemed best to
have the "Oklahoma lands" set apart for
homes for eX-union soldiers, l write you,
therefore, TO obtain your views, If you are
willing TO publish them, as TO the prospects
of the opening up of that country to settle
ment under the existing homestead and pre-
emption laws of the United States or US
these laws might be amended BY congress.
Among the homeless and landless people
of the county, very great interest is felt in
the matter. Capt. ID. L. Payne and his
agents have been here for the purpose Of
inducing persons to join his colony. Many
poor men are going into It and paying out
money in the shape Of membership fees and
assessments, that they can i'll afford TO lose.
hope you will write me your views fully
upon this question, as it is generally believ-
ed that you are in position 10 know what
will probably be done
T Very truly your friend,
~ 80 .l 81 J. V. ADMIRE.
EMPoRIA, Kas., Nov. 81, 1884.
J. V. Admire, Esq, Usage City, Has.
My DEAR SIR:-l am in receipt Of
your favor of The 10th, advising me
that sat a county soldiers reunion
held at Lyndon some weeks ago COM
mit,ee was appointed of which | (yOu)
am member. to take such steps as
might be deemed best TO have the
Oklahoma lands set apart for homes
for union soldiers" and asking for my
views upon the question. You also
say persons shave been here for the
purpose of Inducing persons TO join a
colony aud that many poor men are
going into il and paving out money in
the shape OF membership tees and as.
sessneuts that they can i'll afford 10
lose" etc.
Replying, have TO say that /, for
onr, should be quite willing to have
ex-union soldiers given the preference
in The lands of the Indian Territor,
whenever they shall be opened 10 set
tlement. But | have some doubts
about the praciibiity of the plan. In
The first place il would be understood
a. srlely f,r the benefit of those sol
dlers ~ ho lived nearest to the land.
aud therefore would not receive the
support of soldiers in the east. Sec
ont II would incur The hostility of
those VIII, OPP ,se all determinations
in the ,i,spo. al pfthe public lands, and
t,is unigat be Instrumental in defeat
NJ for he tm being, the opening of
the n - to seitleme t The general
prlnci,,le of the lands should go TO the
actual settlers only under the home
stead aud presumption laws-or per-
haps under the homestead law on
iN--aud he rights should accrue from
date OF rcupaucy, should be preserved |
~ the doubtless will b.. and If the res |
erva,ion of rights in favor of sol |
der snouid not interfere with thai |
pr,sei Pile nor make opposition which |
would delay. the massage of a bill to
open the lands 40 s,t,lemcnt, should \
b. disposed u regari II with favor. |
The bUiy efuhoccupied land known
as Oklahoma can, 4 believe. be opened |
to settlement by congressional action
without the necessity of asking the |
consent of any Indian tribe. These
are the lands covered by the bill in-
PRODUCED by me al the last session of |
congress. and now pending before the
senate committee on Indian affairs. I
Ii provides for FORGETTING the land |
grant made to the Atlantic and Pacific |
railroad company-and the senate has
already passed bill for this special
purpose which will dubtless become u
law during tire coming session. The
FORFEITURE of this grantis a necessary |
preliminary to the declaration that
Oklahoma is public lands, for other
wise the railroad land grant would At
once attach and take one-half of all the
lands. have hopes that my bill, or a
similar one. will pass at the coming
session, aud shall do all l can to that
end. 1 also believe that as fast
rs the Indian title can De
such portions OF
the Territory as are not needed for In
dian occupancy will be occupied and
opened TO actual settlers. | cordially
favor such polio, and am opposed,
as always have been. TO the acquisi-
ton of the title 10 single acre of the
public domain, in the Indian Territory
or elsewhere. by anyone not an actual
settler. or in quantities exceeding one
hundred and sixty acres 10 each occu
pant.
The law does not recognize, aud will
not do so, membership In shy colony
as giving preference. No government
Off Ger can give any preference, and, of
course, no private individual can do
so. In Oklahoma, when opened to
as well as elsewhere on the
public lands, those who first make act
ual bona fide settlement will have first
right. do not wish to discourage as