Wichita eagle., 1888-02-09
MEETING OF THE SUPPORTERS OF
THE MOVEMENT.
4 Large and Enthusiastic Gathering
Held at Kansas City to For
ward the Scheme
Now About to be eliminated by Opening
oklahoma and Some Adjacent
Territory.
4 Long Memorial Adopted to be Presented
to Congress-Seyeral Prominent
Men Present.

KANSAS CITY, Feb. s.-A large and i'm
portant conference assembled at the board
of trade hall today, in response to cal!
issued jointly by the board of trade and
the Commercial club, to take steps with a
view of securing congressional action on
the movement in favor of the opening OF
the Indian territory to settlement. Fully
| $50 delegates from Kansas, Texas, Mis-
souri, and the Indian territory were present,
| in addition to a large number of local
citizens Mr.. H. NJ. Holden, OF the board
of trade, called the meeting to order aud
made brief speech, stating the objects of
! the convention and introducing Governor
! MorehouSe as the permanent chairman. In
! his opening address Governor Morehouse
spoke OF the advantages possessed by the
territory and said 1.-The object of this con-
vention is,as understand it, to consider the
| proposition whether the Indian territory
| shall be left the rude and imperfect coun-
| try ii is now, the home of refugees and the
rendezvous for crime and criminals, or
whether it shall be made perfect by the
skillful hands of the workman, properly
adjusted and placed eventually in the
| galaxy of states"
/ Pending the appointment of committees
speeches were made by John Earle, chief of
the Ottawa tribe, who gave his approval of
the object of the meeting: Mr.. John Ellis,
! president of the Lawrence board of trade,
and Captain Couch, the famous 'boomer."
After declaring that he was in favor Of a
| peaceable occupation OF the
territory he said: ~ am not
| here as representative of the
Oklahoma boomers alone, nor am | sent
by the Oklahoma colony, but am one of
five delegates from convention repre-
senting forty or fifty leading towns i'll
Southern Kansas whic.i united in sending
| delegates representing the entire south
western portion of Kansas. / am in favor
of opening the entire territory. | favor
| the Springer bill because it will meet with
less opposition. A great many eastern
men oppose the bill, believing others have
rights there. If we can secure any legis-
it is only question of time until
| the entire territory is opened. | hope
| that such action will be taken by this con-
vention as will impress upon congress that
we are terribly in earnest with reference to
this matter. We do not want to rob the
the Indians, but we want something done
| speedily and we will not be put off with
any side show business"
! During the afternoon, while the commit
/ tee on resolutions was preparing report,
! the subject was fully discussed, among
other speakers being eX- Governor Critten-
den and Mayor Francis, of st. Louis. The
sentiment of the majority of the speakers
seemed to be Enthusiastically in favor of
opening the entire territory, although
many believed in the expediency of Capt.
! COUGHS suggestion to accept the Springer
/ bill, with the hope that the whole territory
would ultimately be opened settlement.
The conference finished its work tonight
by the adoption Of II long memorial to be
presented to congress setting forth the
| cd nf he
porting the statement by reasons and ar
gument. The sentiment of the declarations
| is contained in the resolutions which 60
with the memorial. They are as follows:
Resolved, That by the convention of citi-
zens of Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas. Col
New Mexico land Indian territory, as
sembled at Kansas City, Mo-, on February
s, 1888.
Resolved That the time has fully come
when the social, agricultural and CONNER
cial interests of the whole southwest, the
moral, educational, financial and political
interests of the Indians themselves, and
| those of the country at large. demand the
speedy opening of the Indian territory to
settlement under the laws of the United
States, applicable to other territories.
Resolved. That for all lands taken for
this purpose, the present owners should be
fully and justly compensated, but that ii
them to retard and obstruct the advance
of civilization or to MAINTAIN the present
Iawless condition of affairs in the Indian
territory by arbitrarily refusing to part
with lands they do not need or are not
using and that would otherwise become
a source of happiness and wealth to our
industrious. law-abidiDg and progressive
people, and of strength to the government.
Resolved If it he deemed inadvisable or
impracticable at this time to include the
FIVE civilized tribes within general plan
of reorganization, that the qualification of
all reserved lands west of the five natives
together with mo Mans Land, under a
regular territorial government, is an act of
plain political and social necessity to
which we demand the present congress
should at once address itself
Resolved That any law passed defining
and establishing a territory in or from the
Indian territory should provide to the full
est extent for the wants OF American home
seekers, holding in check the tendency to
absorb large bodies of land under single
ownerships
Resolved That we look with suspicion
and alarm upon any system which permits
persons and corporations to negotiate and
obtain from either tribes or individuals
contracts for lands. coal or other minerals
and that we call upon the departments of
general government for a vigilent enforce
ment of every regulation and law for the
protection of this domain from monopolies
and 20 keep intact all of its resources,
which should be available to the settlers
whenever it is opened by law for his occu-
pancy.
Resolved, That the chairman of the con-
vention appoint delegation of fifteen per-
sons to present this memorial to congress
and urge upon that body the action herein
contemplated.
Resolved, That the joint committee of
the Kansas City board of trade and Com
mercisl club be continued as the executive
committee of this convention.
The following gentlemen were appointed
to take the memorial to Washington and
present it to congress: Judge j. NJ Gal
lowav Kansas City: DIR. NJ. Munford, Kan
sas City: NJ ". Reynolds, Arkansas City;
r. I. NauHoru, Kansas City: John W.
Farley George Leis. 7. A. Osborne Major
:. w Draught. c. H. Kimbail. George
King, Walter Young. E. y. Dingiey. A A.
Nuoman. P. p Greene, W. H. Miller. Cap
tain Couch, II. J. Rodman, Colonel
Croker.
The committee will meet in Washington
February -. The convention then adj
jeurned sine die.
THE HATFlELDS AND M'cOYS.
IDI-ISyIIT Ky Feb S-Hon E,Y.stica