The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-12

say that more drunkenness could be seen at the
school than at all the agencies in the Indian
Territory. If this were true of the schools gen.
orally. then he pronounced the industrial schools
a farce and sham, and a blot upon our civiliza-
ton. He then went on to advocate the opening
to settlement of the Oklahoma and Cherokee
strips and the reservations to the southwest OF
Oklahoma. Within eighteen months after they
were opened there would be one and a half mill
ion people there, knocking at the door OF Con-
gress for aG mission into the sisterhood OF States
Mr. Buchanan, of New Jersey, inquired what
the use of their knocking would be, since the
Territories that were now knocking could not
get in.
Knock and it shall be opened quoted Mr..
Weaver in reply ut does not say that when
you knock it shall be opened" The question
was no longer whether the red man or the white
man should occupy the Cherokee strip Inc
white man already occupied it in violation OF
law. The real battle was whether the home
steader Of this country should have the right to
go there and build churches and school houses,
or whether he should be excluded by the rich
foreign and domestic syndicates that were there
in violation of the law
Mr. Long of Massachusetts-Why does not
the administration enforce the lawg
Mr.. Weaver-Why was it your administration
allowed these cattle syndicates to occupy this
countryl This was done by Chester A. Arthur.
This unlawful occupation by cattle syndicates
was effected under Republican administration.
Under Mr. Arthur the poor people were driven
out of Oklahoma. Mr.. Cleveland, the present
President, came into power, finding this unlaw-
full condition of affairs. He has not done any
thing different from what was done by the Re-
publican Presiden. of the United States
Mr. Hepburn, OF Iowa-Did you not claim,
during the campaign in Iowa, that the Pres
ident had removed all intruders from the Terri
toryq
Mr. Weaver am glad the gentleman asks
the question. 1t affords me an opportunity to
apologize to the whole country. and to my con-
stituents for having made statement which
believed then to be correct. but which / now as
certain was not correct Mr.. Weaver then said
that the provisions of the law for the appoint
ment of a commissioner to negotiate for the
opening of Oklahoma should be observed.
Mr.. Ryan, of Kansas, inquired whether the
executive order for the removal of cattlemen
from the Indian Territory had not applied to all
classes in the Indian Territory, and whether
some Democratic Senators had not applied to the
President personally to restrict its operation
simply to the Cheyenne and Arapahoe lands.
Mr.. Weaver replied that he had understood the
executive order to apply to the Indian Territory.
1t had not been SO interpreted AS to whether
any different view was taken in consequence of
Democratic Senators having visited the depart
ment, he knew not. If he understood the inter
eats at stake in the Indian Territory, there were
as many Republicans as Democratic Senators
deeply interested and some of them did not live
very far from the district the gentleman Mr..
Ryan represented.
Mr.. Ryan-Do you not know that the order
was not executed by reason of the influence of
Democratic Senators brought to bear on the
President?
Mr.. Weaver know not that any such in
huence was used on the part of any Senator: but
do know this-that came to this city imme-
datey on the inauguration of the President and
laid this matter before his Excellency. do
know that this city swarmed with the paid attor-
neys and representatives of the tle Syndicates.
| met Democratic Senators whom believe to be
interested in cattle syndicates, and | met Re-
publican Senators whom 1 believe to be inter
ested, who came to the Office of the Secretary of
the Interior and preached the subject in very
offensive manner to me. / have been fighting
this matter for years, because believe the poor
people are trampled down by these cattle syndi-
cates-Scotch, English, Standard Oil and every
other class that can have access to the depart.
ments and the committees of the House and
Senate. If the government was to use its tran
scendant power to eject one class of lntruderS,
it should use that power against rich corpora
tions, syndicates and foreign companies.
Mr.. Weaver then went on to advocate the
passage of the Oklahoma bill, and at the conclu-
sion of his remarks Mr.. Cutcheon, of Michigan,
criticised the present administration for fail
ure to appoint the Oklahoma commission, de-
claring that the explanation assigned for this
failure was an explanation which did not ex-
plain.
. Dir. Peel and Mr. Rogers, of Arkansas, de-
Tended the administration.
Pending further discussion, the committee
rose.
On motion of Mr.. Morrow, of California, res
olution was adopted authorizing the appointment
of a committee of seven members, to join a SIM
liar committee on the part of the Senate. to &C
company the remains of Senator j. F. Miller
from Washington to California.
The House then adjourned