Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1888-02-09

The Territorial Question c6mt39
to the Front.
Representative Meeting at Arlraasas City,
Kan.-Resolutions Adopted = 1ntefest-
ing History Of the Coveted Land
OF Promise.

MISREPRESENTATION AOoYto0 x0to40ote
ing History OF tho Coveted Land
OF Promise.
ARKANSAS CtrY, Ram, Feb x-Repre-
sehtatives from large number Of cities IN
Southern Kansas assembled In delo9ate
convention in this city last night to give
expression to the almost universal sonti-
ment in favor of the early opening Of the
Oklahoma territory to settlement. The
principal speeches were made by Captain
W. L. Couch, of Douglass; Colonel Croker,
OF Caldwell; Judge Galloway; Of Fort
Scott; s. Jennings, of Wichita, and N. W.
Reynolds, Of Geuda Springs The meeting
evidenced the fact that the great mass
Of the people in Southern Kansas
were terribly in earnest in this matter.
Congressman who imagine that the present
movement in favor Of the legal and peace.
able occupying of the Territory emanates
from few adventures will find out sooner
or later that they are woefully mistaken.
The utterances Of "Kicking Bird" ''That
Congressman and Senators who heed not
the mighty voice Of the people might a.
we'll at once turn up their Congressional
and Senatorial toes to the daisies. for the
places that know them will know them nc
more forever" was cheered to the echo.
The following resolutions, addressed to
the United States Senators and members
Of Congress Of the State of Kansas, were
adopted:
WHEREAS, The interest now manifested In
the country at large and the attention Of Con
gress now being given to the question of open.
ing portions of the Indian Territory to settle
ment, is one Of dominant importance to the
State OF Kansas and the entire Southwest. We,
the people of Southern Kansas, In delegate con
yention assembled at Arkansas City, February
3, do declare and resolve as follows:
First-That in the interest OF civilization and
to meet the requirements Of the many settlers
seeking homes upon the public domain and fol
the future welfare and prosperity Of the Indians
residing in certain portions Of the Indian
Territory, the Senators from Kanuaa
are requested and our Representatives are In.
structed to use all efforts in their power to 80.
cure at the earliest day possible Territorial
organization and open to settlement oil the
unoccupied lands in the Indian Territory and
No-Man's-L and all lands not needed for In
dian occupancy substantially as contemplated
in the bill known as the Springer bill, now pend
ing in the House of Representatives.
Second-That while all legal and just rights
OF the Indians should be carefully guarded and
protected, the public welfare, the lawless con
dition of the Territory and the impeachment "a
Interstate commerce demands prompt and
speedy action by Congress in this matter.
Third-The secretary Of this convention Is
hereby instructed to forward copies Of this
preamble and resolutions to the Senators and
members of Congress Of the State Of Kansas
and that it be presented to their respective
bodies.
In response to congratulatory telegram
from the chairman Of the committee on ar.
engagements for the Kansas City -Oklahoms
conference, the convention passed the fol
lowing resolution:
Resolued. That we heartily recommend tina,
all cities and towns Of the State Of Kansas send
delegates to the conference to be held IN Kansas
City FebruaryS 8, and supplementary thereto
this convention do elect five delegates at large
to said conference.
The following persons were elected: Cap
tain W. P. Couch, OF Douglass, M. W. Rey-
nolds, of Guuda Springs, Colonel Croker,
of Caldwell, j. s. Jennings, Of w :chita,
ar d Judge Galloway of Fl. Scott.
A permanent organization was effected
to consist Of one person from each city to
push the work by holding conventions and
in other ways.
THE PROPOSED TERRITORY.
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Feb. IA CORE
spondent writing to the Times from w ash
ington gives few facts in relation to
Oklahoma, as follows:
The question Of organizing Territorial Gov
eminent for Oklahoma has become, from the
force of circumstances one of the most i'm.
portant issues of National Legislation, and, as a
necessary consequence Of its agitation, in
quiries are made all over the country concern.
ing the history of the Oklahoma lands,
and why it is that Congress has not
already provided laws for its settle
ment and government-also the reason
for excluding citizens from set
Ting on these vacant lands, and for driving OF
all who attempt to locate themselves there. In
order that the history Of Oklahoma may be
known the following facts are presented:
The Indian Territory is part Of the purchase
which both soil and sovereignty passed to the
United States. About the year 1917 was
inangurated by our Government Q system of
establishment Of reservations for Indian
tribes, and which has continued up to the
present time. Between 1917 and 1886, by .
series Of treaties made with five tribes of
Southern Indians, the Cherokees, Choc-
taws, Creeks, Chickasaws and SeminoleA tho
whole of the territory was parceled out in res
ervations for the occupancy Of those tribes.
These reservations were received In exchange
for lands east of the Mississippi held BY them
in like manner by treaty, as reservations at the
ceded to the United States were In the east
ern portion Of Tennessee, the western part Of
the CarOlinas and Northern Georgia
BY the treaties Of 1928 and 1888 the Chero-
KEGS received in exchange the lands In the
present Indian Territory lying east and north
of the Arkansas river and extending along the
northe m boundary west OF the Arkansas to
the Tooth meridian, embracing an area of
$1,000 square miles, The Choctaws coded
lands, situated principally in Alabama. and
the Chickasaws, lands In Southwestern Ten
nessee and Northern Mississippi, and by
treaty Of 1890 with the Choctaws and 1889
with the Chickasaws, modified somewhat by
definite joint treaty with both in 1855, received
in exchange the portion Of the Indian Terri
tory lying south Of the Arkansas and the main
Canadian rivers, the title being declared by
the last treaty to be joint between the two
tribes, but the Choctaws to occupy severally the
eastern and the Chickasaws the. western por-
ton. This reservation was about $4,000 square
miles in extent.
The Creeks. by treatie OF 1925 and 1854,
coded lands principally in the State Of Geor-
gia and received in exchange that portion Of
the Indian Territory lying along and north Of
the Canadian river, bounded ON tho north and
east by the Cherokee reservation and on the
south by that Of the Choctaws and Chicka-
saws, embracing about 1900 square miles.
These tribes, In accordance with provisions
In these treaties, coded 70 the Seminoles, .
tribe closely allied to them and formerly 90
cupying Southern Georgia and Northern
Florida, the western portion Of the shove
described reservation, the boundary between
them being fixed by treaty Of 1856, Near the
9th meridian. Next the Missouri line In tho
northeast corner Of the territory reoeFv1-
lions OF small extent were granted In eEoAange
for Indian lands In Ohio to three remnants Of
tribes, as follows: Senecas, by treaty Of 1881,
about 500 square miles; Shawnees and senecas,
treaty Of 1881, about 900 square miles, and Qua
paws treaty OF 1883 about $50 square miles.