The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-02-29
oKLAHoMA's ORGANIZATION.
Mr.. Barnes Opposes the Bill Reported
by the Committee.

Mr.. Barnes Opposes the Bill Reported
by the Committee.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2S.-In the morning
hour to-day the House resumed in commit
tee of the whole consideration of the bill for
the organization of the Territory of Okla
homa.
Mr.. Barnes, of Georgia, gave notice that
he would at the proper time offer substi-
tute for the appointment of a commission to
negotiate with the Indian Territory with
view to opening that portion of the Terri
tory lying west of the ninety-eighth me
ridian of longitude to white settlers.
SERIOUS OBJECTIONS.
He said it was with regret that he found
himself compelled to oppose the report
which had been made by the maj ority of
the Committee on the Territories, but the
pending bill was subject to such serious OBJ
iections that he could not conscientiOusly
give it his approval. He sketched the history
of the legislation pertaining to the Indian
Territory from the time it was acquired
from the French in 1908, and he quoted from
the treaty stipulations with the Cherokee
Indians to show that the land known as the
Cherokee outlet was held under the same
patent as 100000 acres east of the 9Sth
meridian of longitude.
TERMS OF THEIR HOLDINGS.
He contended that the Cherokees held
their lands by an absolute fee simple title,
while the Creeks, Seminoles, Choctaws and
Chickasaws, held theirs by qualified fee,
The qualification being contained in the
treaty condition limiting the fee as long as
they continued as nation. Good faith re-
dured the government 20 observe the terms
of the treaties 1t was said that the Indians
were mere wards of the nation and that
,,nt frna wit hII
the old Roman law required that when
superior treated with an inferior, that the
superior should observe faith, such as
mother observed to her nursing child
THE COMMITTEE BILL.
The committee bill proposed to organize
territory to be composed of No Mans
Land, and so much of Indian Territory as
was not actually occupied by tie five civil
lized tribes. In so far as No Mans Land
was concerned, the bill was all right, but If
fairly carried out, its provisions were i'm
practicable as to the rest of the Territory.
The Territory proposed to be constructed
had no fixed or definite limit. 1t ought to
be calsd an india rubber Territory.
Mr.. Warner, of Missouri, suggested that
if the gentlemans substitute were adopted,
one small tribe Of 100 Indians could block
w the whole territory.
HONOR OF TUE GOVERNMENT.
Mr.. Barnes replied that the difference be-
tween the bill and substitute was that the
former proposed 10 organize the territory
and then negotiate with tho Indians, while
the latter provided that the negotiations
should be had, and that no treaty rights
shonId be violated. The substitute
would give territory which
had no vague and uncertain bounds, while
the b nor of the government would remain
uu,uliied. The moment the committee bll
passed there would be a rush Of white men
| 10 Indian Territory, and collision and lTita-
ton would ensue II was bill llch nleait
war to the Indians and an extinction of
peacs IN lndnn Territory. The nornng
! hour expired, and the committee rose WITH
| out action,