The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1885-01-21
OKLAHOMA LANDS
The Troops and The Invaders Com
ing Together.
PETITIONS FOR A DECISION.
The Boomers Boldly Invite q Battle
Rather Than Abandon Their Claim
That the Oklahoma Lands Should
Be Opened to Settlers.

The threatened ejectment of the Okla
homa boomers by tho United States troops
under Colonel Hatch is rapidly becoming
n question Of national interest aud import
ance and presents many delicate questions
from the standpoint of justice.
The boomers" or settlers, claim that the
tact is not "Indian land" and cannot be
properly so considered and would not be so
declared by tine Attorney General. Under
the law, if it is Indian territory" the
President is required to keep it clear of in
vaders and to use the troops If necessary in
ejecting intruders.
II, ON the contrary, the land Is declared
TO be public land of the United States, ehe
boomers" have right to invade it, as
they have done, and TO take the necessary
course TO secure for themselves title to
one hundred and sixty acres apiece, under
the homestead laws. If the Oklahoma
tract was declared public land IN this sense,
these claims would almost Immediately
command a good price and might, 10 short
time, attain great value.
The boomers" claim, as they have al
ways claimed, that these are public lands;
that the Attorney General or Congress will
so declare whenever the question is pre-
sented, and that they are right in the
course they are pursuing.
Their complaints of injustice gain bitter
ness from the fact that they believe that 1t
is the influence of foreign corporations ne.
gotiating leases Of Indian lands at nominal
prices that prevents favorable action upon
their claims.
In the face of these circumstances the
President issued his proclamation for the
evacuation of the lands, assuming as self
evident and established fact that these
were Indian lands, and directing the troops
to enforce his order for the removal of in
truders.
The boomers have since increased in num-
bers and in their almost fanatical earnest
ness and determination, and now with
about 400 men and their families in
irencbed behind extemporized earthworks,
armed with pistols and shotguns and in
ferior weapons Of various kinds, declare
that they will not submit to military CO.
eIcion, but will obey any decree based upon
action by Congress or a properly constituted
legal tribunal or the Attorney General.
In this attitude the colony of settlers are
awaiting the arrival of troops, now less
than ten miles away and separated only by
the heavy roads and swollen streams and
storms of wind.
The boomers, about five hundred in num-
Der, and the troops, consisting OF seven
companies Of calvary, long drilled in from
tier service and led by old ndian-hghters,
are daily coming nearer together. and yet
the settlers stand at their earthworks. A
collision between the two parties with a
skirmish in earnest would mean the utter
humiliation of the boomers.
On Christmas day the last appeal from
the boomers came by telegraph to the Presi-
dent. Couch, the leader of the invading
party, telegraphed an appeal that the ex-
pulsion should be the result of legal de-
cision, to which the boomers would bow :
not military action, which they resisted
as illegal and unjust.
Hundreds of settlers in the Oklahoma
region, he said, believed they had right to
be there and resist expulsion, and as they
were willing to abide decision by the
Attorney General he thought they were
entitled to have it, and petitioned that the
military force then advancing on the set
Element should DO stayed in its progress
until decision was arrived at and COM
inundated to the boomers.
The President has taken no action on
this appeal, and it is very evident that he
will not do So The Attorney General says
that he has never heard that an appeal
was made for decision in the matter,
and he has not been asked for an opinion. :,
All sides of the question are represented
in Washington just now and are actively
engaged in the discussion Of its various
| phases and possible results
The boomers are represented here by
| counsel the cattle-men who hold leases OF
| Indian lands are here in force as witnesses
| in the lease investigations the Swain court
| and other military matters have attracted
| several officers to this city who are well
| posted in matters pertaining to the invad'
| ers and their methods.
The War Department advices are not cal.
| culated to encourage the theory that the
boomers do not really mean to resist
Colonel Hatch, the military leader, tele-
graphs through General Augur that the
leader of the boomers, Couch, is fanatic
who believes that he and his followers are
right, and who will inclte them to resis
and stand their ground at any hazard Il
show the sincerity Of their claims and brinl
the subject to public attention In manner
that will compel Congressional action by
which the rich lands of Oklahoma will be
opened up to settlement.
Yesterday General Augur telegraphed &c
the Lieutenant General that the time had
come for final decision as to whether thu
boomers are to DO elected, even at the risl
of massacre, or whether additional troop
shall be ordered by General Augur with |
view to overawing the settlers and com
polling surrender.
An army officer, now in this city on lesv
of absence, stated that heentire purpose o
the boomers is to attract popular attention
and compel Congressional action, and tina
he is confident that the resistance will no
be carried to an extent endangering blood
shed.
Mr.. Benjamin Miller, president of th
Kenesaw Indian Land Strip Cattle Breed
ers' Association, is also of the opinion tina
the boomers do not intend to resist, and tn
troops do not propose TO fire. The Secretar
of War, who has been confident that th
expulsion Of the settlers would BIO peaceabl
effected, now says that whatever violenc
results will be entirely the fault of til
boomers. Ii is the desire ofthe Department
he states, to secure the ejectment of the in
vaders without bloodshed, and every etfor
will be made to attain that end, but th
Presidents proclamation will be enforce
at any cost. Lieutenant General Sheridan
when questioned as to his opinion of I'll
outcome said that the instructions
Colonel Hatch were to remove the boomer
land suppose that he will do it,"
Other prominent War Department of
Gals express the opinion that u collision b
tween troops and boomers seems inevitabl
The orders sent by telegraph to Gener
Augur yesterday for the ejectment of b
Oklahoma boomers are as follows
In accordance with instructions from Il
Secretary Of War, the LieutenantGener
directs you to be informed that the Preslden
order for the removal from the indian Ter
tory OF the intruders therein Is TO DO enforce
II 10 hoped that II may be done without
armed conflict, but the responsibility for al
bloodshed must rest upon those VINO 40
accept the warning OF the proclamation OF 9
President OF July first QsD, eighteen eighl
four 1Ss1)i and attempt with arms 10 res
the troops ordered 10 compel their removal,
In order that the mlschlevous influence
the leaders OF the present intrusion to Incl