The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-01-21

had settled upon that land. claiming ii bs.
loneed to the United States, aud therefore
they had right TO settle upon il. II was
GAINED by the Government tina. tbe Sem
mole and Creek Indians coded the land to
the United States In order to enable the
there. Subsequently TO the session the Gov
eminent changed it, policy, and Congress
passed law prohibiting the settlement of
any more Indians in thu Territory. de
neither affirmed nor denied the claim on
either side, bat the importance OF settling
he disputed question could not De oVere3.
timated.
Mr.. Perkins followed in the sane vein and
impressed upon the committee that it was
the duty Of Congress to frame some leg,sla-
ton pertaining to the Oklahoma iaods and
restricting the power OF the Indians 10 lease
their lands for nominal prices. He sent to
the Clerks desk and bad read series Of
resolutions adopted at Howard, Kansas, de.
nouncing IS an outrage the tTest nent by the
Government of the Oklahoma ssttlers, who
are striving TO make homes on the lands be-
longing to ths people. and to use the army
30 drive out actual settlers on any pubic
domain.
Mr. Cutcheon gave his Judgment that the
Oklahoma strip was nOta portion of the pub.
lie domain. IL was q parcel of land which
the Government held 50 trustee for spscific
purposes
Mr.. O'Neil, OF Missouri, said the Indian
question had reached a point where il must
be taken hold of by Congress- not only for
the purpose OF taking care of the Indians,
but for the purpose OF taking care of the
white people. A few DAYS ago the would-be
leaders Of political sentiment on both sides
of the House. had attempted to explain TO
the country the cause of the suffering In
large cities, the cause why so many mills
were idle and so many men out of employ.
ment They need not imagine they have
deceived the people for one instant. Work
ingmen realize the displacement of human
labor by mechanical labor had created
problem to which there was but one solu-
zion, and that was the announcement of
worknen to leave the cities and settle upon
the public lands, where the could earn a
livelihood. O'Neil declared that no sense
OF judgment would be tolerated to employ
such lands as the Indian Territory lying
without any possible hope of being occupied
by Indians, simply'to be let to the rapacity
and speculation of every com oination and
ring that extend into the Territory. A
hundred thound acres were leased by this
and that syndicate at nominal sum, while
hundred thousand people were wanting
them for homes. This idea of the sacred
ness treaties which should be recognized,
should not be carried to the edge of idocy.
The Indians should be recompensed for
whatever land was taken from them, but the
OaiauCe OF tue lanu SnOulu Do reserved iOr
actual settlers only.
Pending further debate. the committee
rose and public business being suspended,
the House proceeded to pay a fitting tribute
10 the memory of the late John Il. Evans,
of South Carolina. Eulogistic addresses were
made by Messrs Brattan. Dibble, Tollmsn,
Browne, of Indiana; Hardemsn. of Georgia;
Dowd and Durham, and then as further
mark of respect to the memory OF the de.
ceased the House adjourned.