Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-15
GRABBING CHERoKEE LANDS.
Secretary Teller's Interested Motives
for Giving Countenance to the Scheme.

Secretary Teller's Interested Motives
for Giving Countenance to the Scheme.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 9.--The inYestiga-
ton into the leasing of lands in the Indian
Territory promises to bring out very in
teresting story. For a number Of years
Western Spectators have endeavored in
vain to gain foothold upon the rich lands
of the Indian Territory. There have been
a great many propositions submitted to
Congress looking to a reorganization of
this Territory upon a basis which will
permit the sale or lease of the rich graz.
ing lands of this region. There have also
been great many attempts to evade the
existing law Tor the protection of the
property rights OF the Indians, The yari-
GUS Secretaries of Interior, however, have
so strictly enforced the laws that the
spectators have invariably failed. Under
Secretary Teller, however, this territory
has been invaded by the Cherokee Strip
Live Stock Association. Six millions of
acres have been leased by the Cherokees
TO this company for the pitiful sum Of 2
cents an acre. The lands leased comprise
the very cream Of the Territory. These
leases were all made in violation of law.
although made with the nominal consent
OF the representatives of the Cherokees,
and should have been at once set aside by
the Secretary Of the Interior.
Secretary Teller, however, did not see
fit to reject them. 1t has been one of the
open secrets of Washington that Secre-
tary Teller and Senator Plumb were
stockholders in the Cherokee Strip Cattle
Association, or to more properly describe
it, the Cattle Association to Strip the
CherOkees. Senator Hill, of Colorado.
before he went West to engage in his
oI fifrI,f
evidence upon this very point. He said
to your correspondent before going away,
that he could prove Sat the Secretary
was represented in this assoc alton
by an agent, and that it could be
proved beyond the shaddW of a 00ubt
that he had a large property interest
in the cattle association. Indirect
evidence Of this is beginning to be dagel-
Oped in the Senate investigation seore-
tary Teller has all along pFOfessed iQn0-
rance of these leases until they were
made, and then he did not see fit to in ter-
fere, because the Indians were getting
money out of them and had consented %
the leases themselves. The CneOr5Hoc1 10 & -
the legislation guarding the Territory
that the Indians are incapable of protect
ing themselves in business negotiations
with the willy whites. But it seems that
he must have known of the leases, and
that he was interested enough in
them to urge their ratification.
Col. E. c. Boudinot, who appear
before the committee tomorrow, will
submit a message from Chief Bushyhead
to the Cherokee Legislature, in which the
chief speaks of Secretary Teller's APP
proVal of the propositions to lease the
lands, and of his urging the chief to has
ten the ratification of the leases. This
evidence will be followed up by other
testimony going to show the Secretary's
relation to this company. No Senate in
vestigation is ever very thorough, but if
this committee goes far enough to get
hold of all the real stockholders of the
Cherokee Cattle Association the list will
prove very interesting. Certain other
in this company.