The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-03-21
DISAPPOINTED BOOMERS.

The Effect of President CIeveland's Proc
Iamation-Some of the Hot-Heads Want
to Go In Anyway--A Very Perceptible
Snag In the Ray--1he Stockmen Elated
The Boomers say the President Must
Remove the Cattle Men.
ARKANSAS CITY, March l7.-Captain
Couch and his Oklahoma boomers did not
break camp yesterday, as was anticipated,
and leave for the South, as the Presl-
dents proclamation interfered somewhat
with their plans. They are still in camp
at this point, hoping the President may
reconsider his decision and yet give them
the permission they have vainly sought
from the Hayes and Arthur administra'
tlons.
General Weaver, of Iowa, and ex-Con-
gresham Sidney Clark, of Kansas, who
are in Washington looking after their in
terests, telegraphed the colonists yester-
day not to be dlsheartened, as the Cabi-
net would again consider the Oklahoma
question at their regular meeting to-day.
Some of the hot heads among the BOOM
ers are for making the attempt to reach
Oklahoma regardless OF the Presidents
proclamation and the United States
troops, but their number is small.
Major Benteen in camp on Chilli
Deco Creek laughed heartily wl.Nn
notified of this, and said h.
was in no wise frightened, and believed
he could hold the boomers in check wit
his trained Indian fighters, who for the
past three or four years had been hunting
and fighting Apache Indians in Arizona
and New Mexico, and who had never yet
been driven back He was yesterday
Joined by Captain Parker and his troop
of the Ninth Cavalry, who since leaving
Fort Sill have marched over 200 miles,
coming by way of Hunnewell and Cald-
we'll
There is no fear of a conflict between
the troops and the boomers, as the latter
are not fools enough to march against the
Government, even had Couch 1000 col
onists at his back, Instead of 1000.
Captain Couch said yesterday it was
untrue, as had been telegraphed abroad,
that the Presidents proclamation would
result in the disarmament of the col
onsts.
The stockmen now holding stock In the
Cherokee country are highly elated over
the Presidents proclamation, and claim
that 1t Is decision in their favor, and
signifies that they now have the Govern
mentS permission to herd cattle in the
Oklahoma country and are not to be
molested. Some of the large cattle CON-
panieS and syndlcates whose ranges join
the Oklahoma territory have all along
claimed that ex-Secretary Teller's de-
cision gave them this right, and for that
reason they have never been troubled
over the question as to whether their
herders were on the Cherokee strip or on
| Oklahoma lands.
These statements are constantly thrown
in the face of the boomers, and are what
is exasperating them to such degree
that they are ready to do almost any
thing. One of the leaders said yester-
day that If President Cleveland wished to
solve the whole question and leave 1t to
the Courts, he could do 1t by issuing an
order to all stockmen to keep their stock
outside of Oklahoma, and then compel
the army to enforce the order.
The Indians on the Salt Fork and in
the country north of the Cheyenne
Agency and Fort Reno are reported very
uneasy and troublesome, and word has
come that they are ripe for an outbreak
any moment. General Hatch predicts
that If Oklahoma is opened for settlement
the army will be called upon in less than
six months to protect the settlers.