The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1885-01-17
OKLAHOMA

faNFfssf saf ihs President nessminF tins
rfelssa win the Necessity ~ snine Ne
sislte Aeiian w ilelsiinn ~ fhli tsffltHff
a nsaeeiiun tpHn tie fes'isfs ~ he
naumsfs,"
Wssuwdfns u z, tahasfg 20
HumeinnF haa aul i0 ho done about
okIahoma, AMI There afo evidences thll
Congress IL being Impressed WIN thN
necessity iof a definite mni decided cs.
1frsalon 81 senator rlumb said the
1lher day 10 presenting memorial
from the col0nsls o decisive poll
ry must ho announced and on.
loreed lIthor tho lands must be-
thrown opon ~ there must be- such a
declaration from The Government that
people viii stop going In and settling
Tn "Wednesday party oi Congressman,
among whom were Senators Vest,
Dawes, lugalls and Plumb, called upon
The President IN relation 10 thismattor.
when the subject was hruached, prcsi.
dent Arthur said be was advised BY the
Department Of Justice that any Invasion
Of the Territory Of Oklahoma was an In.
traction OF law. llc therefore issued
proclamation forblddng persons 10 enter
that Territory for settlement llut men
set that proclamation at naught, aud de-
bed the authorities Of the Government.
When expelled, they at once prepared
Tor another invasion. They began TO
drill, provided themselves with arms, and
so on. To keep lhom out was not only a
matter Of the enforcement OF Governments
al authority, but the President was satls-
/ fed that, aside from any such consldcra.
lion, II was right aud proper that settlers
| should dot be permitted 70 enter the Ter
ritory. The laws relating TO the Govern
mcnt OF the Indian Territory term II the
"Indlan country This term has been
used In the legal phrascology
no long that II has come TO bc applied
generally TO Indian reservations. The
law authorizes the Executive power 10
keep lntrudcrs out OF the Indian country
and TO employ the military force OF tho
Government In so doing, II necessary.
The President called attention 10 the fact
that Oklahoma is included In the dcsig-
nation OF "lndlan country" and
Is but small tract cOmpara-
lively, comprising few hun
drcd thousand acres, aud surrounded
on every side by Indian reservations. lie
said that II that tract Is 10 be opened 10
settlement the way must be prepared by
the enactment Of laws for that purpose.
As the case stands there IL no civil law
prevailing In oklahoma, and the President
holds that should that land be settled by
whites under existing circumstances, col
lisions between the whites and the
ncighborlng Indians would BE- al
most certain II the land Is 10
be thrown open, he advises
that definite plan be enacted Into law
and that such law shall define how set
tiers shall enter, etc, aud thus prevent
trouble between settlers and Indians;
also, that land Office be established
there. Until Congress takes some action
opening Oklahoma to settlement, and
prescribing how II shall be done, The
President holds II TO be the duty oil thu
Executive to keep settlers out OF thai
Territory.
MAKING THE "BooMiSG" BUSINESS PAY
II Is stated here by persons who have
IN the discharge Of official duty, made In
qulry Into the rulds OF the boomers int,
Oklahoma, that the leaders In the move
mcnt made the business quito profitable
Each prospective settler Is required 4
pay u sort Of initiation fee, amounting
TO a or So. This fec mus
be paid at the start, so that in case IN
recruit gets wearled In his effort 10 sccur
land and backs out the treasury Of tn
boomers does not suffer II Is claime
by some OF those who have had to aid II
breaking up these raids that the leader
really do not want the Territory opened
to settlement, as that will put an end q
their source Of revenue.
Tho feeling among Congressman
strongly In favor Of leglslatlng 50 as &
throw the lands open to settlement, bn
the apprehension as 10 what will be th
effects Of settling with white people
tract right In the heart Of the India
country causes hesitation about takln
this course.